A Look Ahead: Paige/Azzi | Page 2 | The Boneyard

A Look Ahead: Paige/Azzi

As far as Azzi is concerned, at this point all I’m hoping for is that she’s healthy when she arrives on campus. As some have pointed out, she just recovered from major surgery. In addition, the last Azzi sighting I’m aware of is that she was seen in a walking boot.
 
oldhuskie said:
Regardless of who starts (the great debate) I think there is fairly universal agreement that the four of Paige, Nika, Christyn, and Azzi will consume close to all of the 1-3 position minutes, with a sprinkling of Anna for the rest.
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Forgetting November and December games and looking to January, which players are going to get 25 minutes a game?

My thoughts are
At the 5 - Liv is a lock. Aaliyah will get most of the backup minutes. Amari will get some time, could she become the primary backup at 5 freeing Aaliyah to have more time at 4 playing high low with Liv and crashing the O boards? I was very impressed with Piath the last time I saw her. She seemed much more confident and played with a bit more aggression. Does she make a monster leap to be able to give good minutes at the 5? Probably not but a possibility.

At the 4 - Primary options are Aaliyah, Anna, Aubrey, Amari, Caroline Ducharme, Saylor, or Mir. My preference is Aaliyah if there is another viable option to provide meaningful time backing up Liv. Last year we needed Anna at the 4 to provide a deep option to a struggling offense. Next year not so much. Paige and Azzi are proven to be consistent dep threats minimizing the need for Anna's strong suit. Anna is not the quality defender provided by Aubrey. I think Anna's minutes take a hit.

At the 2/3 - Paige of course. After her Christyn has become the primary on ball defender at either 1,2, or 3 and averaging 15+ a game must start at a 2/3. Azzi is expected to bring everything that Paige brought to her freshman year. Personally I would rather see Liv and Aaliyah running high low and both working for offensive boards than Anna camped in the corner waiting for an open look. Aubrey is a defensive wiz and will see minutes at the 2/3. Caroline Ducharme and Saylor are options

At the point - Nika and Paige split time

Of course I am assuming that E is going pro. If she wins a natty this year, I think that is a lock. If she gets to the Final four its a very strong probability

My answer to who gets 25 minutes a game next year - Liv, Aaliyah, Paige, Christyn, Nika, Azzi. Leaving 50 minutes for Aubrey, Anna, Amari, Piath, Mir, Caroline Ducharme, Saylor, and Autumn
 
I see Paige as being more adroit at breaking down her on ball defender. Azzi on the other hand needs very little space and time to get her shot launched. Terrible having such choices.
 
chrissaran said:
I thought Paige was a once in a generation player? Now your saying Azzi is a once in a generation player? How about Caitlin Clark? Which one?
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First of all.... do not ever put Clark in the same sentence with Paige or Azzi. She is not close to them. She is a chucker on a mediocre team in an even more mediocre conference.

Azzi was the National Player of the Year as a Sophomore. The only person EVER to do that. UConn is a year a way from having Bird and DT starting for them again and some people here are thinking that Geno isn't going to play the best of the best? BTW - it has been pointed out that many of the same people last year said Paige wouldn't start right away. Well she started day 1 which is exactly what Azzi will do. This is a tough thread to swallow because making any argument for Nika starting over Azzi is ludicrous.
 
Sorry. Did I laugh out loud? Snort? For some reason that happens everytime someone say Nika is going to be coming off the bench.

Do some folks not pay attention?
🤣😂😅
 
.-.
Majic Hands said:
Sorry. Did I laugh out loud? Snort? For some reason that happens everytime someone say Nika is going to be coming off the bench.

Do some folks not pay attention?
🤣😂😅
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Two months ago some were saying Nika was basically Molly 2.0.
AgStatesman said:
First of all.... do not ever put Clark in the same sentence with Paige or Azzi. She is not close to them. She is a chucker on a mediocre team in an even more mediocre conference.

Azzi was the National Player of the Year as a Sophomore. The only person EVER to do that. UConn is a year a way from having Bird and DT starting for them again and some people here are thinking that Geno isn't going to play the best of the best? BTW - it has been pointed out that many of the same people last year said Paige wouldn't start right away. Well she started day 1 which is exactly what Azzi will do. This is a tough thread to swallow because making any argument for Nika starting over Azzi is ludicrous.
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This is a garbage take on Clark. And saying the B1G is a mediocre conference when we play in a conference that includes Xavier, Creighton, and Providence? Talk about throwing stones. As for Fudd, she won't be starting next season. We have a very strong six. If a spot in the starting lineup opens up, it's Aaliyah's. Azzi will be spending the summer and fall just getting back into game shape and getting acclimated to the college game. If there's ever a case where you want to bring a player in slowly, a player with knee/foot/ankle issues is it.
 
AgStatesman said:
NO SHOT. Azzi starts day 1 and Nika is odd player out of the starting 5. There is zero chance a player people are calling a once in a generation player doesn't come in and start.
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does not matter what people are calling her. What matters is how she practices and what she shows Geno next season. If she deserves to start she will, if Nika shows more she will start. Geno will decide who makes the team better.
 
chrissaran said:
I thought Paige was a once in a generation player? Now your saying Azzi is a once in a generation player? How about Caitlin Clark? Which one?
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As of now Paige.
 
.-.
I don't see the the Nika or Azzi argument as the question. They won't be competing for the same position, point guard. I think Geno likes what he is seeing on the floor with Nika and Paige together. I could be wrong but I don't see him going back to Paige playing exclusively at the point. At some point in the season and certainly by seasons end I see Paige, Azzi and Nika all on the floor at the same time. The ball movement, cuts, screens and scoring options with that trio outside coupled with all the various options at 4 and 5 will be brutal for any defense. I see Paige at the point when Nika is on the bench but I don't see Nika coming in for only the, at most, ten minutes a game that Paige sits next season.
 
AgStatesman said:
First of all.... do not ever put Clark in the same sentence with Paige or Azzi. She is not close to them. She is a chucker on a mediocre team in an even more mediocre conference.

Azzi was the National Player of the Year as a Sophomore. The only person EVER to do that. UConn is a year a way from having Bird and DT starting for them again and some people here are thinking that Geno isn't going to play the best of the best? BTW - it has been pointed out that many of the same people last year said Paige wouldn't start right away. Well she started day 1 which is exactly what Azzi will do. This is a tough thread to swallow because making any argument for Nika starting over Azzi is ludicrous.
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Brutal! I”ll give you the mediocre team, even though they played in the final of their conference tournament. However, your other claim, chucker, shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence, is unfair and imo ludicrous! She put up numbers we have not seen by a freshman in quite some time. She also played on the USA teams with Paige and (maybe) Azzi. Clark is much more than a “chucker” and may well beat Paige out for FOY!
 
Wish I could say that "only time will tell." But, in this case, we can safely tell time. When Azzi arrives, she and Slim take over. No way will Geno sit a 20-30 pt./game player for Nika.
Loyalty is nice, but there's no comparing Ms. Fudd with Ms. Muhl (other than the number of letters in their last names). Christyn's growth as a defender will further limit the need for Nika's scrappiness. 3 shooters+Aalyiah+Liv=NC. Place your bets.
 
I do see Paige going back to the point and Azzi starting day 1. I think Geno knows that's the ultimate killer combination, and nothing is going to stand in its way, assuming Azzi is completely healthy.

You have to have a backup point guard, and Nika will make a great one. We have Anna and loads of talent coming in to back up Azzi and Christyn at the 2/3. Edwards starts at the 4, ONO 5.
 
chrissaran said:
I thought Paige was a once in a generation player? Now your saying Azzi is a once in a generation player? How about Caitlin Clark? Which one?
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Or A. Wilson and A. Boston plus Paige..seems to be a once in a generation comes around quite a bit
 
.-.
JordyG said:
I know I've said this perhaps too many times, but Azzi's pull up next year will be one of if not the best in WCBB.
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I agree. It is perfect form. She stops on a dime and goes straight up vertically, releasing at a high point. It is very reminiscent to me of Russell Westbrook. Her 3 point shot however is not a jump shot, it is a push shot but the form of the shot, the arm motion, the release, the follow through, is the exact same as her pull up J except the release is on her way up, not at the top. She has the same consistency in her 3s though as she does in a pull up 8 foot shot which is just frightening. Paige is the better passer, and the best in the country, so the points for Azzi and the assists for Paige can be huge.
 
HuskylnSC said:
Forgetting November and December games and looking to January, which players are going to get 25 minutes a game?

My thoughts are
At the 5 - Liv is a lock. Aaliyah will get most of the backup minutes. Amari will get some time, could she become the primary backup at 5 freeing Aaliyah to have more time at 4 playing high low with Liv and crashing the O boards? I was very impressed with Piath the last time I saw her. She seemed much more confident and played with a bit more aggression. Does she make a monster leap to be able to give good minutes at the 5? Probably not but a possibility.

At the 4 - Primary options are Aaliyah, Anna, Aubrey, Amari, Caroline Ducharme, Saylor, or Mir. My preference is Aaliyah if there is another viable option to provide meaningful time backing up Liv. Last year we needed Anna at the 4 to provide a deep option to a struggling offense. Next year not so much. Paige and Azzi are proven to be consistent dep threats minimizing the need for Anna's strong suit. Anna is not the quality defender provided by Aubrey. I think Anna's minutes take a hit.

At the 2/3 - Paige of course. After her Christyn has become the primary on ball defender at either 1,2, or 3 and averaging 15+ a game must start at a 2/3. Azzi is expected to bring everything that Paige brought to her freshman year. Personally I would rather see Liv and Aaliyah running high low and both working for offensive boards than Anna camped in the corner waiting for an open look. Aubrey is a defensive wiz and will see minutes at the 2/3. Caroline Ducharme and Saylor are options

At the point - Nika and Paige split time

Of course I am assuming that E is going pro. If she wins a natty this year, I think that is a lock. If she gets to the Final four its a very strong probability

My answer to who gets 25 minutes a game next year - Liv, Aaliyah, Paige, Christyn, Nika, Azzi. Leaving 50 minutes for Aubrey, Anna, Amari, Piath, Mir, Caroline Ducharme, Saylor, and Autumn
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We will see more players sitting for a game than in past short bench seasons. Injuries happen. Players' minutes will vary over the season and game to game. This season's freshmen came into a roster that had 6 total years experience. Next season's freshmen will face a returnee roster with 16 years experience. They'll be way behind, Fudd included. That's been the case more often than not over the last 25 years. With the exception of Fudd next year's freshmen will be role players with few minutes, not because they aren't good but because others are better.
 
browns said:
Or A. Wilson and A. Boston plus Paige..seems to be a once in a generation comes around quite a bit
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Every class coming out of HS now has 3-4. Right now a generation is around 6 months. The media would like to lower it to about 6 weeks because it makes for great clickbait. ;)
 
Alydar said:
We will see more players sitting for a game than in past short bench seasons. Injuries happen. Players' minutes will vary over the season and game to game. This season's freshmen came into a roster that had 6 total years experience. Next season's freshmen will face a returnee roster with 16 years experience. They'll be way behind, Fudd included. That's been the case more often than not over the last 25 years. With the exception of Fudd next year's freshmen will be role players with few minutes, not because they aren't good but because others are better.
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Ducharme is going to push for decent minutes next season, I’m sure her, Edwards, Nika, Griffin, and Ana will all battle it out for the 6th, 7th, and 8th spots in the rotation.
 
Alydar said:
We will see more players sitting for a game than in past short bench seasons. Injuries happen. Players' minutes will vary over the season and game to game. This season's freshmen came into a roster that had 6 total years experience. Next season's freshmen will face a returnee roster with 16 years experience. They'll be way behind, Fudd included. That's been the case more often than not over the last 25 years. With the exception of Fudd next year's freshmen will be role players with few minutes, not because they aren't good but because others are better.
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Alydar said:
They'll be way behind, Fudd included.
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And how "far behind" was Paige? Folks say that Fudd is coming in as a more accomplished shooter than Slim. With Bueckers on the ball and Azzi firing away, such is the stuff of dreams. "Others are better"? You're kidding. (I agree about the other freshman, however.)
 
huskyd said:
And how "far behind" was Paige? Folks say that Fudd is coming in as a more accomplished shooter than Slim. With Bueckers on the ball and Azzi firing away, such is the stuff of dreams. "Others are better"? You're kidding. (I agree about the other freshman, however.)
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First, I never said "other were better than the Bueckers/Fudd duo. I was talking about the '21 class as a whole with regards to minutes.
Compare Bueckers defensive skills in Dec to now. She was behind but a lot less than Ducharme & Poffenbarger will be because now they have to beat Bueckers, Müle and Williams. And those 3 will be a lot better next fall than Makurat/Williams were this year.
 
.-.
I won’t be surprised if Fudd comes off the bench, sixth man role, to start the season.

I’ll be absolutely shocked if Azzi hasn’t taken Nika’s starting spot by January.

And what about Evina? Will she come back next year? If she does, I think AE will take her starting spot by January.

November starters: Paige, CW, Ono, Nika, Evina

January starters: Paige, CW, Ono, AE, Azzi
 
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