8:48 of Whither Sarah

[RockyMTblue2]

Months away from the Strong commit and some of us were sick of the chit chat months ago. Still, this player may be a force for years, so we have to suck it up and ruminate to the bitter or glorious end. Here is some fodder:

 

[Next 12]

I believe that Jana will fill our big hole for a big more than than other posters. I want her to play summer BB to get in shape for November start. From her videos , she is all we will need to cope with the bigs on other teams and with our scoring and defense, Jana is the final piece of the puzzle. Right now there is so much speculation on who is staying, who is leaving and who will get better off the injured list, that it's hard to make any educated guess. So I will bide my time and pray everyone will stay healthy and watch some great BB, We have ,as small as it is, one of the best teams in college BB. GO UCONNJ!!!! GO HUSKIES!!!! P.S. I hope we sign Sarah so Dawn doesn't get her!

 

[Zinethar]

I sure hope Jana is a force for UConn next year but don't forget that she will likely be playing for the Egypt Olympic team long before she returns to play for UConn. She wasn't injured while playing for UConn and UConn will have no control of her return to playing next year.

 

[Bone Dog]

He makes a good point that Sarah is not likely to want to be stuck in the low post. I don't know how that thought reflects on UConn as a possibility. Geno coaches a position-less style, which might appeal to her. On the other hand, it is a very disciplined position-less offense with very defined spots players need to hit when they're in motion.

Personally I'm hopeful... but as you all must have noticed by now, I am a hopeless optimist.

 

[Longtime fan]

Months away from the Strong commit and some of us were sick of the chit chat months ago. Still, this player may be a force for years, so we have to suck it up and ruminate to the bitter or glorious end. Here is some fodder:

I am feeling that LSU will be her choice. I think the top recruits now see that as the championship destination. I mean, so is South Carolina, but they are already loaded in the post. If she were going to come to UCONN, we would know by now. Just my gut. And, by the way, let's not count on any uconn player being able to play( E.G. Jana at the Post if Sarah goes elsewhere). We have lost 5 for the season and it is is January 5th.

 

[David54]

I’ve seen quite a few posts what an impact Jana would have been or will have. I have no idea. Last year there was lots of talk about ice Brady and what a difference she would make. Curious if any of the Jana folks would post thoughts as to why they think she will have such an impact.

 

[Geew1992]

I am feeling that LSU will be her choice. I think the top recruits now see that as the championship destination. I mean, so is South Carolina, but they are already loaded in the post. If she were going to come to UCONN, we would know by now. Just my gut. And, by the way, let's not count on any uconn player being able to play( E.G. Jana at the Post if Sarah goes elsewhere). We have lost 5 for the season and it is is January 5th.

Considering LSU has 0 recruits for 2024, the top recruits are not looking at it as a destination. I know, Sarah hasn’t committed yet. I’m just talking about the others

 

[hoopsdiva]

I’ve seen quite a few posts what an impact Jana would have been or will have. I have no idea. Last year there was lots of talk about ice Brady and what a difference she would make. Curious if any of the Jana folks would post thoughts as to why they think she will have such an impact.

Jana was pretty incredible at the U19 tournament last year. If memory serves, she was averaging a double double, with 20+ ppg. Plus Geno had mentioned last year that Jana has "a bit of dawg" in her. I'm sure she'll need some time to get her legs back under her, but everything I saw from her at FIBA was impressive.

 

[Cuango]

LSU has a plethora of forwards, Morrow, Smith, Bartlett, and possibly Reese! SC has just landed the No. 2 recruit Edwards ( who plays the same position as Strong), they also have Feagin, Watkins, and Kitts! It’s pretty hard to see why she would go to either of those schools with that many forwards already in play. Of course, she may well think, “ I don’t care who is there, I’ll just beat them out! I think the scariest school is NC State as that is where her father played. Plus, it’s very close.

I‘ve basically given up on her coming to UConn, though this would seem a perfect place for her. Geno likes positionless basketball and we will have a team that is dead perfect for her. We have three bigs so she doesn't get forced into the post, and our main forward/do everthing star (Aubrey) has run out of eligibility. We have an absolute treasure trove of great/good guards for her to kick the ball out to and we might have Paige as well who, IMO, is probably the best single complementary player for Strong in the entire country! Suddenly, I find myself starting to hope again!

Seriously though, My last vestige of hope is, as someone else has already said, that perhaps she is waiting to make sure that Aaliyah goes to the W. Aaliyah is imo, the one player on our roster that she would definitely have to play behind! (I don’t care how good she is, she’s not beating out a fifth year Aaliyah Edwards) With all due respect to Yanna, Q, Morgan, and possibly Caroline, I don’t think she would be intimidated by any of those players. I would love to have her but if (as I expect) Paige stays, and everyone is healthy, we are going to have one of the strongest rosters I’ve ever seen anyway! If she comes and AE goes, A++, if she doesn’t come and Paige & AE stay, A+++, if neither of those things happen and Paige stays, A+! The way I see it, assuming good health ( a dangerous assumption, I know) there are several potential rosters we could have next season; with or w/o Strong, with or w/o AE, and with or w/o Paige. Obviously, the weakest of those would be w/o AE and Paige! However, even though I‘d obviously love to have Strong, IMO, Husky fans can rest assured that any of the possible rosters next year will (on paper) be among the strongest rosters (top to bottom) UConn has ever had! Everything depends on the health of that roster!

 

[Bone Dog]

Jana was pretty incredible at the U19 tournament last year. If memory serves, she was averaging a double double, with 20+ ppg. Plus Geno had mentioned last year that Jana has "a bit of dawg" in her. I'm sure she'll need some time to get her legs back under her, but everything I saw from her at FIBA was impressive.

This is my thinking too. Jana was awesome in the FIBA U19 games against better teams when she was on a very weak team. She made numerous plays where she took on 2 or more opposing bigs and scored through them, over them, around them, carrying them along as they hung onto her. Jana is big and strong, unafraid of mixing it up with other bigs, and she has really good handles. The Egyptian guard play in particular was so weak that they rarely managed to get a pass to her in the post. She literally had to come to the elbow to get the ball and then fight her way to the rim. Imagine the luxury for her to be on a team with great guards and perimeter shooting. She'll eat opposition posts alive 1v1.

 

[Alydar]

Where Strong attends is problematic. I can't make a better case for any school than UConn.

My way of thinking about recruits is that they are not at UConn until they are.

 

[Alydar]

This is my thinking too. Jana was awesome in the FIBA U19 games against better teams when she was on a very weak team. She made numerous plays where she took on 2 or more opposing bigs and scored through them, over them, around them, carrying them along as they hung onto her. Jana is big and strong, unafraid of mixing it up with other bigs, and she has really good handles. The Egyptian guard play in particular was so weak that they rarely managed to get a pass to her in the post. She literally had to come to the elbow to get the ball and then fight her way to the rim. Imagine the luxury for her to be on a team with great guards and perimeter shooting. She'll eat opposition posts alive 1v1.

The competition at the FIBA Euro U18 tournament was not even at the level of top US HS or AAU play. I'm hoping El Alfy becomes a star in college but I'm not buying it until I see it.

 

[Bone Dog]

The competition at the FIBA Euro U18 tournament was not even at the level of top US HS or AAU play. I'm hoping El Alfy becomes a star in college but I'm not buying it until I see it.

I disagree with this assessment too. She played well against Canada, a team that featured Fournier, Prosper and Syla Swords. That is practically a D1 level team. Jana had 20 pts on 7-12 including 2-2 from 3, 9 rebounds and 2 steals. This was a team Egypt had no business playing and they were crushed 100-44, but Jana carried them on her back as far as she could. It was a similar story in most of Egypts games. She was the whole show and was the target of every defense, but still averaged 21 pts and 11 rebounds across the tournament.

 

[Alydar]

I disagree with this assessment too. She played well against Canada, a team that featured Fournier, Prosper and Syla Swords. That is practically a D1 level team. Jana had 20 pts on 7-12 including 2-2 from 3 and 9 rebounds.

D1 team? Maybe some D1 teams but not an elite D1 team IMO. That team had maybe a month to get ready.

I just think that many fans want her to be great very badly and they see what they want to see.

I'm not putting her down, I just think I'll wait, see and hope.

 

[Dogstar]

I believe that Jana will fill our big hole for a big more than than other posters. I want her to play summer BB to get in shape for November start. From her videos , she is all we will need to cope with the bigs on other teams and with our scoring and defense, Jana is the final piece of the puzzle. Right now there is so much speculation on who is staying, who is leaving and who will get better off the injured list, that it's hard to make any educated guess. So I will bide my time and pray everyone will stay healthy and watch some great BB, We have ,as small as it is, one of the best teams in college BB. GO UCONNJ!!!! GO HUSKIES!!!! P.S. I hope we sign Sarah so Dawn doesn't get her!

I hope she comes to UConn bcus she wants to come and we really need her, even if Sarah does commit to UConn who's gonna back up Jana until she's ready (both physically and mentally) to log major minutes and in case of foul trouble. The loss of AE is gonna be very much felt.

 

[Gordo]

I hope she comes to UConn bcus she wants to come and we really need her, even if Sarah does commit to UConn who's gonna back up Jana until she's ready (both physically and mentally) to log major minutes and in case of foul trouble. The loss of AE is gonna be very much felt.

IF and that's a big if she comes (meaning Strong) what makes you think she will be backing up Jana? Neither will have any experience at this level of D1 basketball.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

As far as Paige Bueckers returning for an extra year she has always said her time at UCONN has been precious to her and she wouldn't change a thing! IMHO she's in no hurray to go pro! $ is not an issue to her!
Also Azzi returns and Paige would like to win a N.C. with her best buddy! Once they both leave they will play for different WNBA teams so their time together is important to them!

 

[Bone Dog]

D1 team? Maybe some D1 teams but not an elite D1 team IMO. That team had maybe a month to get ready.

I just think that many fans want her to be great very badly and they see what they want to see.

I'm not putting her down, I just think I'll wait, see and hope.

You keep moving the goal posts. First it's that she has no experience against top HS or AAU teams. Then it's elite D1 teams. I get your concern that she might not be great. I share it. She might merely be good. But she is definitely not a project the way Piath was.

Before her injury, I'd have compared her to Stewie -- that's aiming too high, but she has good handles and a midrange and perimeter shooting game as well as strong low post moves. I don't think she's the passer or rim protector Stewie was in college. But after some of her summer games, it struck me that she's more like Rebecca Lobo. A strong scorer and defender with good handles, someone who knows how to take over a game when she has to. That's something we haven't had from a big since Gabby (lol).

But it's true. None of this may materialize. My habit is to expect the best from each prospect and see if they can live up to it.

 

[Boreifs]

I sure hope Jana is a force for UConn next year but don't forget that she will likely be playing for the Egypt Olympic team long before she returns to play for UConn. She wasn't injured while playing for UConn and UConn will have no control of her return to playing next year.

Egypt did not qualify for the Olympics

 

[Gordo]

You keep moving the goal posts. First it's that she has no experience against top HS or AAU teams. Then it's elite D1 teams. I get your concern that she might not be great. I share it. She might merely be good. But she is definitely not a project the way Piath was.

Before her injury, I'd have compared her to Stewie -- that's aiming too high, but she has good handles and a midrange and perimeter shooting game as well as strong low post moves. I don't think she's the passer or rim protector Stewie was in college. But after some of her summer games, it struck me that she's more like Rebecca Lobo. A strong scorer and defender with good handles, someone who knows how to take over a game when she has to. That's something we haven't had from a big since Gabby (lol).

But it's true. None of this may materialize. My habit is to expect the best from each prospect and see if they can live up to it.

Hmm! I generally respect your knowledge of the game and those that play it, but this analysis of Jana and her comparison to Stewie (at any time period) is outrageous. It's so far out there, I want some of whatever you're smokin'. Of course I hope your envision of Jana becomes a reality. However, from what I have seen of her (and I don't watch highlight videos) she has a long way to go to live up to your expectations. Time will tell.

 

[Zarathustra]

The competition at the FIBA Euro U18 tournament was not even at the level of top US HS or AAU play. I'm hoping El Alfy becomes a star in college but I'm not buying it until I see it.

Don't you mean "FIBA AFRO U18 Tournament"?? Egypt is not in the EURO zone. Try googling
FIBA.com and scroll to those respective tournaments: EURO and AFRO! Of course, I believe that you do
mean AFRO, because the EURO U 18, especially the top division has top quality players, eg. Juste
Joycte ??

 

[Zarathustra]

As far as Paige Bueckers returning for an extra year she has always said her time at UCONN has been precious to her and she wouldn't change a thing! IMHO she's in no hurray to go pro! $ is not an issue to her!
Also Azzi returns and Paige would like to win a N.C. with her best buddy! Once they both leave they will play for different WNBA teams so their time together is important to them!

I like your reasoning... I hope you are correct!

 

[Dogstar]

IF and that's a big if she comes (meaning Strong) what makes you think she will be backing up Jana? Neither will have any experience at this level of D1 basketball.

I had to re-read my post a couple times, I couldn't find anything where I said tht Sarah would be backing up Jana, my question was WHO would backup Jana, at 6 2' I'd consider Sarah a PF meaning tht we'd need a legitimate post to spell Jana and possibly a PF to start or spell Sarah, without either UConn becomes a incredibly small team whn Jana subs out. Maybe Geno does some portal shopping for a post and PF. You are right neither has experience at D1 level basketball (Jana or Sarah).

 

[HopJim]

Have to suggest that realistically, Jana will be between the extremes of Stewie and Paith. Normally, having a frosh who came from a weak high school program and is coming off a knee injury start would be considered aggressive. With much of this conversation focused on who will back up Jana, suggest that her starting and playing significant minutes is a high expectation in itself. Nothing wrong with shooting high but suspect Geno is looking at multiple options.

 

[Bone Dog]

I had to re-read my post a couple times, I couldn't find anything where I said tht Sarah would be backing up Jana, my question was WHO would backup Jana, at 6 2' I'd consider Sarah a PF meaning tht we'd need a legitimate post to spell Jana and possibly a PF to start or spell Sarah, without either UConn becomes a incredibly small team whn Jana subs out. Maybe Geno does some portal shopping for a post and PF. You are right neither has experience at D1 level basketball (Jana or Sarah).

I may have said something like Sarah could backup Jana in a careless moment. In any event we won’t be huge next year even with Sarah, you’re right about that. Our front court will be 6’4” 6’3” 6’2” 6’2”. But at least it will be bigger than it is this year. And Geno might well have Ayanna and Sarah on the floor together occasionally. Of course, Unlike Ayanna, I don’t expect Sarah to be stationed in the low post for much of the time. Her perimeter passing and shooting is too good for that.

And it will be thin on experience with Ice and Ayanna having 1 year at the D1 level and Jana and Sarah having none. If Aaliyah were to stick around, the frontcourt wouldn’t get any bigger, but the experience level would be much greater.

I don’t see any portal solutions for this merely because we may not have any scholarship room. Geno seems comfortable with this, and the success of the freshmen may be why. If we get 3 more top freshmen in next year, and if Jana and Ayanna return, the team will be young but really dynamic… rather like this season.

Now if I give free reign to my penchant for optimism and imagine a healthy season next year, we might be small-ish in the front court, but we’ll be big, deep and really fierce in the backcourt with Morgan and Caroline at 6’2”, Q at 6’0” (or a little more), Azzi at 5’11”, Allie at 5’10”, and KK Ash and Inês at 5’9”. We’ll have better size than most opponents and better speed, a few dynamite midrange shooters, and the best perimeter shooting. We may be smaller overall than some teams, but the offense will pack a wallop.