Adamec: Geno helps out local star Ashley Perez

[Blakeon18]

http://www.journalinquirer.com/articles/2012/03/06/sports/doc4f565632d1140561279685.txt

Scroll down a bit in the link to 'helping hand'. It seems Geno gave Manchester star senior some advice on college selection. Hope she does great in the BE except when they play UConn.
I think Manchester is in the LL semis...a state title would be a nice way to end her high school career.

 

[Wbbfan1]

If Ashley is good enough to play for St Johns, then why isn't she good enough to play for UConn? Is she good enough to start at St Johns and not at UConn or will she be a role player at St Johns. If she's only going to be a role player at St Johns, then I would have liked to see Geno offer her a scholarship. Its obvious that Geno wasn't recruiting her since she wanted to play in the Big East and close to home. Its obvious Geno does recruit players that he knows will most likely be role players for their UConn career, I would like to see more players from CT or the Northeast fill those roles if the talent is equal.

 

[alexrgct]

The talent isn't equal. He's got kids like Brianna Banks who will probably never start at UConn.

UConn certainly evaluated Ashley, and there may have been years when Geno would have taken a flier on a local kid like her, but he's going to have 13 kids on roster next season and wants to have 13-14 kids on the roster in 2013-14 (pending the outcome of recruiting). Yes, there's theoretically an open scholarship, but there simply isn't room. Whether she starts at SJU is up to her and KBA, but she certainly has a much better chance of being a significant contributor there.

 

[EricLA]

if you had to choose between Chong or Perez, which way would you go, Wbbfan? i know UCONN fans would like to get every talented kid they can, and especially local kids who seem to be good like Bria Holmes and Ashley Perez, but i get why it can't always be that way.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Eric is right. Ashley could have played at UConn and likely would have contributed more than Jackie Fernandez, but not that much more. She'd be behind Brianna Banks, Saniya Chong (if we get her), Bria Hartley, and Moriah Jefferson at least.

Geno keeps helping these St. John's kids. He talked to Shenneika Smith, as noted in other threads. I wonder if he also met with Keylantra Langley.

 

[alexrgct]

It is amazing to think about the perfect storm of events that led to 1995. First, Bascom's family situation required her to stay close to home. Then she was better than Geno could have dared to hope. Then Lobo sees Uconn emerge in her backyard and decides to come. Then Geno gets two New England girls who were not highly regarded (Jen and Kara). And right as all of this is coming together, the #1 high school player in the class of 1994 is right down the road. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity, but that was a unique opportunity.

Geno indirectly acknowledged this by immediately recruiting far and wide once he had the NC in his back pocket. And now he's encouraging local kids to go league rivals.

I'd love to see a local kid come here and have a Rebecca or Kesh kind of career though. Someone who grew up coming to games and dreaming of playing for UConn, and then being a star high school player with that opportunity. That would be very special.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I'd love to see a local kid come here and have a Rebecca or Kesh kind of career though. Someone who grew up coming to games and dreaming of playing for UConn, and then being a star high school player with that opportunity. That would be very special.

Ossining, New York, is slightly across the state line and just over 100 miles from Storrs.

 

[Huskyfaninsd]

To be fair, I think Geno has given some local kids opportunity to develop and flourish at UConn. It may not be many, but he has given them the opportunity. Geno never promises recruits playing time, but I think when it comes down to recruiting, he has to consider playing time to keep the team balanced (even though he may not disclose that to recruits). I'm actually pretty happy he has not given Ashley Perez a scholarship because that means that UConn is recruiting very well and there is no enough space on the roster to include her.

 

[CalifHusky]

Eric is right. Ashley could have played at UConn and likely would have contributed more than Jackie Fernandez, but not that much more. She'd be behind Brianna Banks, Saniya Chong (if we get her), Bria Hartley, and Moriah Jefferson at least.

Geno keeps helping these St. John's kids. He talked to Shenneika Smith, as noted in other threads. I wonder if he also met with Keylantra Langley.

Lets not forget Kia Wright - who left UConn and Geno helped her to go to StJ's
"

Wright said Auriemma was very helpful in finding her a new home. After Wright said she wasn't interested in junior college or prep school, St. John's became her new destination. Auriemma called the Red Storm."​

This is the link to the article about Geno calling Kim and her thinking it was a joke.​

http://www.dailyorange.com/2.8655/g...r-short-stint-at-uconn-1.1235461#.T1kEk8D2ZrU​

 

[Blueballer]

We see lots of discussions about "Why don't we get this kid, or that kid". Our discussions are pretty much based on 2 things: Talent of course and also where they are. The closer to CT (Or in CT) and we always wonder why they aren't going to be offered a scholly at UCONN. But as we have seen time and time again there is another huge ingredient that goes into the UCONN staff targeting players. Will they "Fit in". Fit in that is to the UCONN style of person, player and student. For whatever reason if they don't then will not be offered. It doesn't mean a particular kid is a bad person but just that they aren't identified as having the right make-up for UCONN.
We can toss it around til we're blue in the face but we will never be privy to the in-depth internal staff meetings that UCONN coaches have to determine their targets and why.

 

[DaddyChoc]

DaShena Stevens is also "local talent" at St Johns... her and Heather Buck were neck & neck in CT HS POY a few yrs in a row

 

[MilfordHusky]

Lets not forget Kia Wright - who left UConn and Geno helped her to go to StJ's
"

Wright said Auriemma was very helpful in finding her a new home. After Wright said she wasn't interested in junior college or prep school, St. John's became her new destination. Auriemma called the Red Storm."​

This is the link to the article about Geno calling Kim and her thinking it was a joke.​

http://www.dailyorange.com/2.8655/g...r-short-stint-at-uconn-1.1235461#.T1kEk8D2ZrU​

Thanks for the reminder on Kia. She had a nice career there. I think she was part of the team that first got into the top 25 rankings.

So UConn is a feeder school for St. John's! Who knew?

 

[Brad Palmer]

“You always want to go to the school where they want you the most,” Auriemma said.

FYI--St. John's never offered Perez until late August, after other guards turned them down.

 

[MarieM]

The talent isn't equal. He's got kids like Brianna Banks who will probably never start at UConn.

UConn certainly evaluated Ashley, and there may have been years when Geno would have taken a flier on a local kid like her, but he's going to have 13 kids on roster next season and wants to have 13-14 kids on the roster in 2013-14 (pending the outcome of recruiting). Yes, there's theoretically an open scholarship, but there simply isn't room. Whether she starts at SJU is up to her and KBA, but she certainly has a much better chance of being a significant contributor there.

i bet you she would get the start on her senior night lol

 

[Blakeon18]

Mercy beat Manchester in the state LL semis yesterday.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Hillhouse (Bria Holmes) loss to Newtown