2024-2025 Opening practice availability from Storrs Central

[Skeets]

Favorite sound in the basketball court?

When you can’t hear the sound from the court because the crowd is so loud. Even true on the road but I like silence the last four minutes of away games.

I like to hear the shuffling of feet heading to the doors the last 4 minutes of away games.

 

[RoadMaster]

 

[Bone Dog]

Such great images of Caroline’s shooting form. In the first one, you can really see how her perimeter shooting stroke pulls her up onto her toes as she straightens her knees. It’s also good to see that her release point is above her head. As a freshman it seemed to be a bit lower.

In one of the later pics it looks like she is wearing some sort of ear plugs.

 

[RoadMaster]

Swipe..

 

[RoadMaster]

Here's to hoping that 35 can get back to this.. and sustain it...

 

[MilfordHusky]

Here's to hoping that 35 can get back to this.. and sustain it...

My local girl still holds the arena scoring record where the Mystics play. She had 38 in the D.C. City Championship game as a 10th grader.

 

[Cuango]

I’ll be happy with the Azzi from the Texas game that made Vic say he’d never been dominated like that by a guard! (Paraphrase) If that Azzi shows up consistently this season, we are in for a real treat!

 

[oldhusky]

I’ll be happy with the Azzi from the Texas game that made Vic say he’d never been dominated like that by a guard! (Paraphrase) If that Azzi shows up consistently this season, we are in for a real treat!

That Texas game was part of a great 6 game start to her sophomore season. I remember her PER (player efficiency ratio) was around 30 which drew some All American comments early in the season. Then the knee injury where Aaliyah fell back into her ruined the rest of the season. Her PER fell all the way down to low 20's by year end, which means she was probably only around 15 the rest of the season (about average).

The glass half full interpretation would be those were the only 6 games she has been healthy during her entire Uconn career, and that is the level she could achieve if healthy again. Remember she was bothered by her foot pretty much her whole freshmen season. With that view Azzi has never played with Paige when both were healthy. Azzi only healthy at the start of the season Paige missed entirely.

We thought we would see that combination of two back to back number 1 recruits together for three glorious years, and here we are still waiting for both to be healthy at the same time for the first time. Maybe later this year!

 

[Just.A.Fan]

Big reason “I” wanted Nika at the point to initiate the offense and Paige as 2-3.

Paige starting the offense there’s 4 player standing around watching to see what she’s going to do.
Nika starts the offense and everyone’s moving. The rocks passed to Paige. . . Everyone’s still moving! I know it was crazy. It’s like once the offense gets initiated no one’s Paige watching.

That’s how I saw it. That’s why I think Paige will be handling the ball a lot but not bringing it up & iniating the offense. I think with all the young players on this team it’s going to be just like Paige’s freshman year. 4 players watching.

I could be totally out of my mind on this but my recollection is that Paige really slowed the tempo when she brought the ball up. Where as Nika would be getting up court quickly.

NOTE: first paragraph. Four years ago I told the story about my daughter in junior high here in the BY.

Our daughters junior high teams point guard was probably the best player in the conference/league. Our daughter was simply a really good ball handler and passer.

The team was headed for a loosing season. The coach switched the best player to the 2. Moved our daughter to the point. They started winning games. The best player still got her points but there was a noticeable point production increase for the other players on team.

Yes, and for this reason, I see Chen (with her experience and BB IQ) in the startling lineup handling the PG duties and keeping the entire team moving without the ball.

 

[Just.A.Fan]

In the interview with Geno, a female reporter asks him about Jana and Jenna, and he responds to her and talks about both. I must be missing something ... who is Jenna?

 

[Majic Hands]

Yes, and for this reason, I see Chen (with her experience and BB IQ) in the startling lineup handling the PG duties and keeping the entire team moving without the ball.

Exactly! Just another reason why I have Chen listed as a starter in the first game this year. I actually expect to see her running the point at the end of big games until this season is over.

Also found it interesting when Geno said something like in the beginning she wasn’t sure how to approach the team, as a leader or rookie.

Humm. Fun time First Night Geno has Chen & Paige as respective team captains. I think she’s decided.

 

[Just.A.Fan]

In one of the later pics it looks like she is wearing some sort of ear plugs.

If you are speaking about the shot of her making a layup, this appear to be a glitch in the image and not an ear plug. In fact, whatever it is, it's not even in the ear. Blowing the image up just indicates more of the same.

 

[Bone Dog]

Just another reason why I have Chen listed as a starter in the first game this year. I actually expect to see her running the point at the end of big games until this season is over.

Yup, this is the question: who will be PG at the end of close games? If it’s Chen, then thank goodness Geno got her. If it’s KK, then thank goodness Geno got Chen to challenge her for the role.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Yup, this is the question: who will be PG at the end of close games? If it’s Chen, then thank goodness Geno got her. If it’s KK, then thank goodness Geno got Chen to challenge her for the role.

I hear both of you, but what I'm also hearing is we need another point guard for next year.

 

[Stagnant]

I hear both of you, but what I'm also hearing is we need another point guard for next year.

I watched a couple of IMG games last year. Kelis looked like a point guard to me. A score first point guard. But still a point guard.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I watched a couple of IMG games last year. Kelis looked like a point guard to me. A score first point guard. But still a point guard.

Kaitlyn is a score first point guard, although she had to be at Princeton and may modify her style at UConn.

 

[UcMiami]

In the interview with Geno, a female reporter asks him about Jana and Jenna, and he responds to her and talks about both. I must be missing something ... who is Jenna?

We have Ayanna who is called Janna, and we have Jana who is called Jana which I think is the one that sounds more like Jena. Confusing isn't it. I think Geno likes it that way since he can call out one name and two players immediately pay attention.

 

[Stagnant]

Has Geno mentioned anything about a secret scrimmage?

I am starting to see a lot of secret scrimmage results on twitter and it has me curious. For example, UCLA apparently beat Utah by 3 in a secret scrimmage.

 

[MilfordHusky]

We have Ayanna who is called Janna, and we have Jana who is called Jana which I think is the one that sounds more like Jena. Confusing isn't it. I think Geno likes it that way since he can call out one name and two players immediately pay attention.

Ayanna is called Yanna.

 

[UcMiami]

Ayanna is called Yanna.

My mistake - I always mix up the 'Ja' sound/spelling with the 'Ya' sound/spelling. Sue me!

(I have the same trouble with the 'nn' sound and the 'n' sound.)

 

[Just.A.Fan]

My mistake - I always mix up the 'Ja' sound/spelling with the 'Ya' sound/spelling. Sue me!

(I have the same trouble with the 'nn' sound and the 'n' sound.)

Neither way do either sound like 'Je' as in Jenna and that's the name the reporter used and Geno responded to. Although I believe you are probably correct, in that both were most likely referring to Ayanna. However, I'm surprised Geno wouldn't have correctly identified the player by name when answering the question.

 

[UcMiami]

Neither way do either sound like 'Je' as in Jenna and that's the name the reporter used and Geno responded to. Although I believe you are probably correct, in that both were most likely referring to Ayanna. However, I'm surprised Geno wouldn't have correctly identified the player by name when answering the question.

The sounds is never great on those sideline interviews with a lot of background noise. I suspect both reporter and Geno knew who was being referred to and didn't think it needed clarification.

 

[ashfan]

Paige being more of a "ball hog" is a double-edged sword. I recall a time when Maya was asked to do something similar and while Maya was great, the team had a tendency to stand around and just watch Maya instead of continuing to move and run offense. While I hope Paige does up her offensive output, I don't want the other four players on the floor to become spectators. That is our (i.e., Boneyard denizens) job.

I couldn't agree more. It's up to the point guard to be mindful of Ash12 and whoever is up front. Geno's obsession with Paige is worrisome to me.

 

[Bone Dog]

Geno:
"Qadence had a really great week."
"Jana plays like she's trying to make up for a year and a half all at once."

We all kinda knew we'd love Jana before this. But when she sank that 3 at First Night my heart just about burst.

Geno says Jana's like a bull in a china shop, that she wears out the practice players, and she loves playing through contact. She's gonna rack up a lot of fouls, at least early in the season. But I don't think it will matter because the girls will be inspired by her great heart, and Jana mixing it up in the paint is the first way they'll all see it. She's gonna be "the rallying post" for all of them. Paige is the assassin they'll rely on to end scoring droughts, disrupt the passing lanes, block shots by surprise, and generally to show them how to run away with games. But Jana is going to be "the rock." It's difficult to overestimate the value of a player like that. Geno says they've been missing someone like Jana for years.

I almost feel bad for Ice having to practice against her. Ouch!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Geno:
"Qadence had a really great week."
"Jana plays like she's trying to make up for a year and a half all at once."

We all kinda knew we'd love Jana before this. But when she sank that 3 at First Night my heart just about burst.

Geno says Jana's like a bull in a china shop, that she wears out the practice players, and she loves playing through contact. She's gonna rack up a lot of fouls, at least early in the season. But I don't think it will matter because the girls will be inspired by her great heart, and Jana mixing it up in the paint is the first way they'll all see it. She's gonna be "the rallying post" for all of them. Paige is the assassin they'll rely on to end scoring droughts, disrupt the passing lanes, block shots by surprise, and generally to show them how to run away with games. But Jana is going to be "the rock." It's difficult to overestimate the value of a player like that. Geno says they've been missing someone like Jana for years.

I almost feel bad for Ice having to practice against her. Ouch!

I'm hoping it will be "racking up a lot of fouls" on the opposition as they continue to move and hack her, but her strength allows her to earn a bunch of 'and ones!'

I can see Jana altering shots, and when they adjust to place the ball directly above their heads or behind, PB will be there to block their shots from behind and get the fast breaks going....

Go Huskies!