538 article: Ono, shot blocks, defense | The Boneyard

538 article: Ono, shot blocks, defense

Olivia has a chance to pass Breanna for leading shot blocker in UConn history. Slow start due to minutes her freshman year, but she's coming on.
 
I thought the article's contrast with Kelly Harper's approach in Tennessee was quite interesting. She is happy for her team to have blocked shots, but doesn't want to emphasize it or rely on it. She says that she doesn't want to "give up the lane". Geno's argument is not that the defense should give up the lane, but that it can take more risks on the perimeter if there is a reliable shot blocker to clean up the inevitable messes. Previously he has made an analogy to football -- that a team can blitz aggressively if it has defensive backs who can reliably cover their receivers 1-on-1, but can't safely do that if it has to use zone coverage (inherently more passive than man-to-man) in the defensive backfield.

At least according to his own account, Geno had the team playing somewhat passive perimeter defense against Seton Hall, thinking that the Pirates weren't good enough to do damage from beyond the arc. He certainly won't think that about DePaul, so my guess is that he will have his team playing aggressive perimeter defense based on the belief that DePaul can't do damage with penetration. But that means Liv will have to stay out of foul trouble, which she could easily have done (but didn't) in the Seton Hall game.

I thought that Liv's blocks against Notre Dame were more what Geno wants to see -- no fly swatting, the ball kept in play, and no dumb fouls after the very first defensive possession. That first defensive possession turned out to be her only foul of the afternoon against ND.
 
JoePgh said:
I thought the article's contrast with Kelly Harper's approach in Tennessee was quite interesting. She is happy for her team to have blocked shots, but doesn't want to emphasize it or rely on it. She says that she doesn't want to "give up the lane". Geno's argument is not that the defense should give up the lane, but that it can take more risks on the perimeter if there is a reliable shot blocker to clean up the inevitable messes. Previously he has made an analogy to football -- that a team can blitz aggressively if it has defensive backs who can reliably cover their receivers 1-on-1, but can't safely do that if it has to use zone coverage (inherently more passive than man-to-man) in the defensive backfield.

At least according to his own account, Geno had the team playing somewhat passive perimeter defense against Seton Hall, thinking that the Pirates weren't good enough to do damage from beyond the arc. He certainly won't think that about DePaul, so my guess is that he will have his team playing aggressive perimeter defense based on the belief that DePaul can't do damage with penetration. But that means Liv will have to stay out of foul trouble, which she could easily have done (but didn't) in the Seton Hall game.

I thought that Liv's blocks against Notre Dame were more what Geno wants to see -- no fly swatting, the ball kept in play, and no dumb fouls after the very first defensive possession. That first defensive possession turned out to be her only foul of the afternoon against ND.
Expand ...

Staying back and playing sound positional defense is great against most D1 teams, however, try staying back against the premiere offenses in the country and you will be down by 20 before you get off the bus. You need to attack and create pressure vs good offenses. Liv being a rim protector allows UConn to put more pressure on opposing offenses by gambling more and getting out in passing lanes.
 
soxfan23 said:
Staying back and playing sound positional defense is great against most D1 teams, however, try staying back against the premiere offenses in the country and you will be down by 20 before you get off the bus. You need to attack and create pressure vs good offenses. Liv being a rim protector allows UConn to put more pressure on opposing offenses by gambling more and getting out in passing lanes.
Expand ...
Gerrit Cole.
 
From the article:

. . . What is she thinking about at the moment she blocks a shot?
“Definitely just trying not to swing,” Nelson-Ododa said after the game. . .

She must be reading the Boneyard. ;)
 
the article would have been better if you were not forced to jump over the TN parts. :rolleyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Online statistics

Members online
49
Guests online
808
Total visitors
857
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Share This Page

Forum statistics

Threads
164,028
Messages
4,378,972
Members
10,172
Latest member
ctfb19382


.
..
Top Bottom