… and Aziaha James is looking like the little engine that could. She was good in college and looks good at the next level. Part of it is the Paige-effect, I suspect, but not all of it.
Last night was about the first time all season James looked like the player she was at State these last 2 years. She looked comfortable on the floor and confident.
Part of it is the roles she's been asked to play for the most part. Earlier in the season she wasn't even playing, but when they started playing her she has basically been asked to stand in the corner and be a floor spacer. That's never who she was in college. At State she was always at her best with the ball in her hands and creating for herself or others. She will make mistakes and take some shots that you wish she didn't, but she's at her best off the bounce and she can get HOT and absolutely carry a team. She CAN catch and shoot, but it always seemed to me that she found her rhythm by giving her freedom and letting her play with the ball in her hand.
Last night she was doing her patented hesitation cross over, no look passes, step backs, she was in her bag. When she gets going like that and plays with flare - that's when she is at her best. There will be times where you are frustrated with some decisions she makes or ambitious shots or passes she tries - but man, there are times she is absolutely unguardable.
Paige is such a great player because she's so versatile. You can give her the ball and let her run the team, or like much of last night, you can use her off the ball and she can be hyper efficient as a catch and shoot player. Quinerly and James need to be a little more ball dominant to squeeze the most out of their potential IMO.
James has a long ways to go defensively, she's slight of build and gets blown by or caught up in screening action too often. That's her biggest issue right now IMO. But that girl is a walking bucket if you give her the freedom to be herself. Last night continued to make me believe that the Wings are better off trading Arike and allowing the rookies to take on a bigger role on this team. There aren't enough shots to go around for that team. Arike, Quinerly and James are all ball dominant players and Paige certainly can be if needed, heck she's the best of all of them but is more versatile in how she can play and contribute. I just think that Arike sort of blocks James and to an extent Quinerly. Too much redundancy on the roster at the guard spot.
