Adamec: lengthy article on Kiah Stokes

[Blakeon18]

http://snyuconn.com/uconn/stokes-seeks-to-achieve-consistency-as-junior/#more-8811

The link is to Carl's latest blog. Sounds like Kiah is going to embrace the challenges before her. I think she can be the best back-up center in the land this year and way beyond that next year....with a pro career waiting after that if she so chooses. She is one of the keys to this year....imo.

 

[HGN]

I agree BlakeOn..........Kiak is one of the main keys to getting to the FF and defending the NC this season. Her demeanor and potential reminds me a little of Tina Charles early in her career a few years back at UConn.. Hopefully Kiah's upside is just as high. But if she can play up to her potential and fill in at the 4/5 this can be a dominating team. If not , we will have a more difficult time repeating.

But you know what really makes you mad is knowing she has all this talent and potential and hasn't played up to it. I don't believe that Geno and CD missed on evaluating her during her recruitment.... She has stardom in her but has only shown flashes so far. Maybe this is the year.

Let's Go Kiah.!! Let's Go.

 

[Blakeon18]

I recall the game that Carl references against Duke and Elizabeth Williams. She rebounded, played wonderful defense and hit shots around the basket.
This season if Kiah does the first two on a consistently high basis, I would sign for that. Next year...add the third component on a regular basis and she will go in the first round of the WNBA draft in April of 2015.

 

[EricLA]

For all the talk in her hometown of transferring out of UCONN, I'm glad she never considered it. There was a lot of PT to be had last season as well, but it's clear something was missing in practice and therefore she was not called on to play in the games (for the most part). She has said all the right things and seems to be prepared mentally for the season ahead. I know we are all rooting for her to succeed in every way she has set her mind to.

 

[msf22b]

I agree BlakeOn..........Kiak is one of the main keys to getting to the FF and defending the NC this season.… But if she can play up to her potential and fill in at the 4/5 this can be a dominating team. If not , we will have a more difficult time repeating..

For the most part, Kiah was not relied on at all in the NCAA tourney. It's a huge leap to jump to the conclusion that it will be more difficult for the team to repeat w/o improved play from her.

On the other hand, her upside remains high, the working on moves with her father surely helped and it would be wonderful if her play more closely approximates her potential. On that all can agree.

 

[Tonyc]

When she realizes what we as fans see in her, and she realizes what shes got in talent and coaching, she will be a star. Until then ... we will have to wait.

 

[Samanthabrown3]

For all the talk in her hometown of transferring out of UCONN, I'm glad she never considered it.

I'm glad, too, that she never considered transferring.

I wonder if her injury early in the season weighed on her somehow for the rest of it.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

It is hard to think about Kiah. All that potential as yet unrealized. If her head is right, everything else will fall into place. Rooting for her to become a very good piece of the Husky machine. She should do it for herself.

 

[caramel]

To me,this is exciting as a read.No whining,no crying,no pointing blame for her lack of playing time.She is really growing up,and realizing it all depends on her.She is making a personal goal to be more than she has been,not just for her,her coach,her community,or her family,but for the team.This thinking that I see in her quotations,is big,and as big of a fan that I have been of hers before,I am even a bigger fan now.You go,Kiah!It will be a joy,to see her prove the next two years,that her doubters are wrong!

 

[Forty_four]

She has heard the message, lets hope she acts on it!

 

[HGN]

For the most part, Kiah was not relied on at all in the NCAA tourney. It's a huge leap to jump to the conclusion that it will be more difficult for the team to repeat w/o improved play from her.

On the other hand, her upside remains high, the working on moves with her father surely helped and it would be wonderful if her play more closely approximates her potential. On that all can agree.

Msf, I don't think its a huge leap to say that it will be more difficult to repeat with the improved play of Stokes. We had more able-bodied players and contributors last year than we do this year. Faris provided defense at the 1, 2 , 3, and 4. Along with some scoring help. Kiah's play is critical because we are 2-3 scholarship players down this year. ( No Faris , Doty , or Buck). We need her to step up more this year than last. (We need the size, rebounding , and scoring). Its not a huge leap at all when you consider what she can bring. And consider what we lost with the graduation of the aforementioned 3.

 

[msf22b]

Msf, I don't think its a huge leap to say that it will be more difficult to repeat with the improved play of Stokes. We had more able-bodied players and contributors last year than we do this year. Faris provided defense at the 1, 2 , 3, and 4. Along with some scoring help. Kiah's play is critical because we are 2-3 scholarship players down this year. ( No Faris , Doty , or Buck). We need her to step up more this year than last. (We need the size, rebounding , and scoring). Its not a huge leap at all when you consider what she can bring. And consider what we lost with the graduation of the aforementioned 3.

I have a hard time equating Stoke's hoped for improvement with the overall prospects of the team especially when described as an imperative: "main key(s) to getting back to final 4."
Certainly a leap in performance from her would simplify rotations at the 5.

Of the three graduates:

Kelly is a huge loss in many areas, her leadership, defensive prowess and improved offense will have to be replaced (if possible) by a combination of last season's three freshman (who were …imho, slightly…shall we say) under-utilized last season, until the NCAA's, whatever Banks can bring, Saniya and lastly Stokes.

Although Doty started, it's hard to quantify her contribution and I can't imagine that replacing her output is a concern of the staff.

Heather, like Stokes was largely relegated to mop up.

So we're essentially speaking of replacing one super-star guard/forward and two under-utililized bodies.

I believe that even without Stokes, we have very decent size and rebounding acumen in the front court from the foursome of Stewie, Morgan, KML and Dolson and Geno successfully played variations of that combo throughout the NCAA's and they destroyed the best of the country even with a hobbled Steff.

It would be great for Stokes to step up and would ease any slight doubts about the front court rotations but it is hard to equate concern over her output with difficulty in returning a national championship.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Kiah has had 2 real problems: intensity and injury. The latter may have made the former worse. I believe she is now 100%, so I look forward to her performing closer to her enormous potential. I like the fact that she worked hard with her father and brother over the summer.

 

[Geno-ista]

I totally agree with mfs22b just above! I don't see Kiah as a key to our team this year at all, or very low on a long list. Having said that, I love her, can see the potential , the physical gifts etc.... She seams like a great young woman! I'm thrilled she stayed and encouraged by the article. If she can improve and help facilitate our offense this year, in addition to her natural prowess on the defensive end, she will be a big help this year. She is going to be a much bigger key for us this year only if some bad things happen to Steph/Stewie/Tuck/Kml.
She will become a big key in 2014-15 whenwe lose Steph with no young bigs gaining experience yet and with no bigs committed yet. Obviously , if she improves it helps us and I hope she does. She may just be a late bloomer also. She has to develop a jump shot, and become more comfortable with the ball in her hands. More quality depth is important and great.

 

[Kibitzer]

I posted my view of Kiah some time ago. There is no question in my mind about her physical gifts, her skills, or her motivation. But when I think of Kiah, the first thing about her that pops into my mind is that great smile.

I simply think of that smile and I never ever think of her as a badass (on the court). Stef and Breanna are happy-go-lucky young ladies -- until the clock starts ticking, at which time they become badasses. Kaleena has a million dollar smile until tip-off, then she becomes a real badass. Ditto Morgan and Bria.

The moment Kiah becomes a badass, look out! She will be a force!

 

[Bigpetunia]

I agree BlakeOn..........Kiak is one of the main keys to getting to the FF and defending the NC this season. Her demeanor and potential reminds me a little of Tina Charles early in her career a few years back at UConn.. Hopefully Kiah's upside is just as high. But if she can play up to her potential and fill in at the 4/5 this can be a dominating team. If not , we will have a more difficult time repeating.

But you know what really makes you mad is knowing she has all this talent and potential and hasn't played up to it. I don't believe that Geno and CD missed on evaluating her during her recruitment.... She has stardom in her but has only shown flashes so far. Maybe this is the year.

Let's Go Kiah.!! Let's Go.

People may think it a kind of anathema to compare Kiah to the young incarnation of Tina, but I also see that point. Tina, during her first two years, was clearly capable of being very special, but, on the court, she was, like Kiah, way too much of a "sweetheart." At long last, Geno and CD turned her into a "beast" in the paint, blocking out and rebounding ferociously. Kiah needs a similar transformation...her natural personality notwithstanding, we all know that what she needs is to become much more of a physical "badass" on the floor. If she does that, our path to another NC will be significantly smoother, because, apart from unforeseen injury, Stef getting into foul trouble in big games looms as one of the few real obstacles in our path to that goal.

 

[Geno-ista]

I posted my view of Kiah some time ago. There is no question in my mind about her physical gifts, her skills, or her motivation. But when I think of Kiah, the first thing about her that pops into my mind is that great smile.

I simply think of that smile and I never ever think of her as a badass (on the court). Stef and Breanna are happy-go-lucky young ladies -- until the clock starts ticking, at which time they become badasses. Kaleena has a million dollar smile until tip-off, then she becomes a real badass. Ditto Morgan and Bria.

The moment Kiah becomes a badass, look out! She will be a force!

Great reply from someone who I'm sure really understands very well what he just stated!