Amari? Did we forget about her?

[TCC Kid]

I hated that when I saw it live, and do now. I gave just as much effort in practice as in games in HS and College, and really had no time for teammates than didn't do the same.
How did Iverson think he got so good? Could it been from all those hours on the playground (essentially unstructured PRACTICE)?

Ivesons, Mothers, relatives, friends as a very young child told him how "great" he was over and over. You don't have to be great, you just have to believe you ARE great. Often those that feel it, are it.

 

[Carnac]

It's more than just scoring and defensive skills. She needs to run offenses and know whether her teammate is cutting or faking a cut. UConn is all about integrating yourself into the system. You have to practice like the life of your first-born is at stake. I have no idea what went on last season but when they could have used her she wasn't used.

Unless Geno or one of the coaches share with us the reason why she wasn't used more, we'll never know. One thing I do know is that Geno has said many times that he's not going to put a player out on the floor that's not ready to play "UConn basketball." Obviously Amari was not ready to play.

I remember Gabby Williams saying to reporters during a presser at the beginning of her sophomore year, the reason she did not play in the overtime lost to Stanford (2014) the year before. She admitted that she wasn't ready. She knew it and Geno knew it. Geno knows who is ready, who can play and who can't. In Geno I trust. Folks in hell want "ice water", but we don't always get what we want. I'm not going to try and coach the team from here (Southern California). I'll just root and cheer for whoever is on the floor at any given time, and celebrate every victory they produce this season. At some point Amari will be ready to play. It may be at the beginning of the season or sometime thereafter. We won't have to guess when that is. She'll show us by making lots of BIG plays.

 

[TCC Kid]

Yea, need to see a big, big, sense of urgency from her, esp on defense - have a real active, fire in the belly, don't come in here mentality, essentially with a "we got this thing" aura to her. Maybe I'm wishing and hoping too much, but it's June, warm weather can do that to me.

You'll and others will say TINA was great. No she came to Uconn PRETTY GOOD. About her Junior year something happened a good became GREAT. Shall Ameri become great? This year ? Ever? Not even Geno knows. I surely hope she becomes VERY GOOD. A good kid, everyone likes her, nice kids don't have to finish last.

 

[TCC Kid]

A lot of people succeed with great accolades in high school, in various sports, due to little more than the nature of their birth. They are bigger, stronger and faster earlier. Some retain this advantage as to move too higher levels of competition, but no longe
r just by " showing up." As the competition toughens, so must each athlete. Otherwise, they fade away and, eventually, enter the portal to move down a level of competition. It is a good sign that Amari seems to recognize this in herself, and is eager to spend the summer at UCONN working on her game.

Ameri is big, she has talent. Probably for the past 10 years all she had to do was show up--BIG you can't teach. She was probably a Star since at least 7th grade. Without good/great coaching, in some AAU situations, (excuse the term, there must be a good synonym for Lazy, but right now I don't have it--so excuse an old addled (old word for mixed up) brain. With just being you it is easy to not expend the effort to be better. Is that Ameri, probably not, but it happens to too many good possibly great Posts.

 

[Bone Dog]

The thing I look for with bigs is 1) will they run the court and 2) will they move their feet in half court defense. Lots of them just lope up the court, or when they go faster it’s with long strides (which is only natural but also why you don’t want them to bring the ball up). But Aaliyah sprints the floor, and so does Dorka sometimes. If they don’t move their feet well on D, they tend to get in foul trouble.

 

[Carnac]

Amari is big, she has talent. Probably for the past 10 years all she had to do was show up--BIG you can't teach. She was probably a Star since at least 7th grade. Without good/great coaching, in some AAU situations, (excuse the term, there must be a good synonym for Lazy, but right now I don't have it--so excuse an old addled (old word for mixed up) brain. With just being you it is easy to not expend the effort to be better. Is that Ameri, probably not, but it happens to too many good possibly great Posts.

In my opinion, a very accurate observation TCC Two thoughts here,
1. I'm not worried or concerned about were Amari is right now on Tuesday September 6. I think she's better than she was this time last year, even better than she was 6 months ago. She admitted that she was not use to playing against players as tall as she was. She will. Remember, she went against other 6'5" players in practice all last season, and will again this year.

What I will be EXTREMELY concerned about is her mindset and focus 90 days from now on December 6. On December 6, UConn will have played 6 games against Northeastern, Texas, NC State, Duke, Iowa or Oregon St (The Phil Knight Legacy Tournament in Portland) and Notre Dame. I have every confidence in the world that we will have seen Amari's "hole card" by then. All of the questions we have about her now, will be answered by then. There is NO WAY Amari can be around her teammates everyday and not assume their mindset, work ethic and goals. One for all and all for one. There's no I in team. Amari does not want to be THAT player on this team. There are no cheerleaders on this year's team except for Paige who can't play and won't dress.

2. You can't rush a player's development. Remember, it took Tina Charles two years before she blossomed. But blossom she did. Can UConn use Amari THIS year, of course they can. That's high on every UConn fan's wish list. Geno would not have recruited her if he didn't see some potential in her he thought he could bring out, and would benefit the program. Some players come gift wrapped ready to play the day you open them (Maya Moore, Paige Bueckers etc.), and some you have to let ripen (age) a bit before they're ready. Brianna Stewart had to "ripen" a bit before she was ready for prime time action her freshman year. There is something there that Geno saw that he liked. In Geno I trust. I'll go with that.

 

[Alydar]

This not a negative, it is an honest question. First, I know as a player DeBerry must know all you say. I'm wondering, what you read that leads to believe this is a weakness for her? Guards, in my limited knowledge, typically are required to KNOW their scorers--i.e. where and how hard or soft all guards, forwards, posts want to receive the ball.

At UConn posts pass as much as receive. And I wasn't describing DeBerry. I was commenting on those who say she has to improve her individual skills. From the video I've seen she seems comfortable with the ball in her hands and she is very fluid out on the perimeter. Other than that we know nothing.
Patterson stated in an interview that in HS her size was sufficient but in college that's not enough. That may sum it up for DeBerry. She looks amazing. So why did she get Gabriel minutes?

 

[Bone Dog]

From the video I've seen she seems comfortable with the ball in her hands and she is very fluid out on the perimeter.

That about catches it. She also knows better than to bring the ball down when she catches it. She can just turn and shoot with the ball up high. And what you say about comfortable with the ball in her hands sounds just about right. With Liv, the ball seemed like an alien object in her hands, especially at the FT line. Amari looks comfortable shooting the ball.

 

[JoePgh]

The first thing I would like to see from Amari (and I suspect that Geno would agree) is a readiness to mix it up under the basket -- protect the rim on defense, box out, contest rebounds, hang onto rebounds when she gets them, look first for a putback rather than someone to pass to, and (in general) don't pass unless/until she is double-teamed. After she shows those credentials, shooting from 10 or 15 feet may be the next priority, but it's somewhere quite a ways down the list.

If she just wants to be a big who can make midrange shots, there are other players on the roster (Aaliyah, Ice, Ayanna, Caroline, maybe even Aubrey) who can do that -- and those players can also attack the basket and contest rebounds. For Amari to make enough of a contribution to get serious minutes, she needs to use her 6-5 frame and be a credible backup for Dorka or Aaliyah when they are unavailable for whatever reason.

 

[Stymie]

I’m very comfortable with Dorka and Aaliyah getting plugged in for the majority of time up front with the soph and 2 freshman slugging it out for minutes.
Stiff competition amongst the newbies will hasten their development.
I mean, who wants to be the odd one out?
Gonna be VERY energized, competitive practices!!!

 

[Carnac]

To me it was never about the skills, it was about the physicality and the toughness. If she progresses in the strength department, which I am sure is being worked on now, we may hopefully see an improvement which can make her a consistent contributor under the basket. We already know that she can shoot. A lot of upside for her.

She scored over 2,000 points in HS, and made two USA youth teams. There is talent there. It just has to be cultivated, nurtured and coached. Geno and staff will provide this.

 

[BobbyJ]

The first thing I would like to see from Amari (and I suspect that Geno would agree) is a readiness to mix it up under the basket -- protect the rim on defense, box out, contest rebounds, hang onto rebounds when she gets them, look first for a putback rather than someone to pass to, and (in general) don't pass unless/until she is double-teamed. After she shows those credentials, shooting from 10 or 15 feet may be the next priority, but it's somewhere quite a ways down the list.

If she just wants to be a big who can make midrange shots, there are other players on the roster (Aaliyah, Ice, Ayanna, Caroline, maybe even Aubrey) who can do that -- and those players can also attack the basket and contest rebounds. For Amari to make enough of a contribution to get serious minutes, she needs to use her 6-5 frame and be a credible backup for Dorka or Aaliyah when they are unavailable for whatever reason.

All things that can be developed with hard work and one key tool, a motor that runs hot. At 6-5, lacking those two things is the only way you go through a whole season with that coaching staff and still be on the bench with all the PT that was available.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

She scored over 2,000 points in HS, and made two USA youth teams. There is talent there. It just has to be cultivated, nurtured and coached. Geno and staff will provide this.

@Carnac my friend, don't forget what she heard when she arrived, but apparently did not take seriously. "We don't teach effort."

 

[Carnac]

@Carnac my friend, don't forget what she heard when she arrived, but apparently did not take seriously. "We don't teach effort."

Yes Sir!!! If she forgot, or didn't take Geno seriously, she was reminded about that program dynamic EVERY GAME she did not get off the bench. Remember what Former UCLA coach John Wooden said about the bench.............................."it's an excellent teacher." So I guess if there's any question about whether she heard or understood what Geno said regarding effort, we can ask her.....................

 

[Carnac]

All things that can be developed with hard work and one key tool, a motor that runs hot. At 6-5, lacking those two things is the only way you go through a whole season with that coaching staff and still be on the bench with all the PT that was available.

For extra motivation, perhaps Amari can pick a 6'5" player in the WNBA, and pattern HER game after her. The first player I thought of is A'ja Wilson, followed closely by Elena Delle Donne.

Two class of 2022 players that I also like are 6'2" Rhyne Howard, the 2022 SEC POY and WNBA Rookie of the year, and 6'4" NaLyssa Smith. Both players lived up to their hype coming in to the league. That said, I'd be happy with her being the best Amari DeBerry she can be.

 

[BobbyJ]

For extra motivation, perhaps Amari can pick a 6'5" player in the WNBA, and pattern HER game after her. The first player I thought of is A'ja Wilson, followed closely by Elena Delle Donne.

Two class of 2022 players that I also like are 6'2" Rhyne Howard, the 2022 SEC POY and WNBA Rookie of the year, and 6'4" NaLyssa Smith. Both players lived up to their hype coming in to the league. That said, I'd be happy with her being the best Amari DeBerry she can be.

I don’t think those two are realistic for her. I’d tell her to watch video of Morrow from DePaul to see what all out effort can do for her.

 

[Stymie]

I don’t think those two are realistic for her. I’d tell her to watch video of Morrow from DePaul to see what all out effort can do for her.

I don’t think those two are realistic for her. I’d tell her to watch video of Morrow from DePaul to see what all out effort can do for her.

Not sure she has anywhere the motor of Morrow, but maybe she can develop Morrow’s hip check.

 

[eebmg]

Not sure she has anywhere the motor of Morrow, but maybe she can develop Morrow’s hip check.

Morrow has very quick feet / leaper. Not sure you can teach that.

 

[BobbyJ]

Not sure she has anywhere the motor of Morrow, but maybe she can develop Morrow’s hip check.

All UConn’s bigs should develop it. It works great and doesn’t get called much.

 

[hoophuskee]

At UConn posts pass as much as receive. And I wasn't describing DeBerry. I was commenting on those who say she has to improve her individual skills. From the video I've seen she seems comfortable with the ball in her hands and she is very fluid out on the perimeter. Other than that we know nothing.
Patterson stated in an interview that in HS her size was sufficient but in college that's not enough. That may sum it up for DeBerry. She looks amazing. So why did she get Gabriel minutes?

I can only offer an opinion, so imo it would be because of her defense and the talent on the UCONN team. IMO unless you're elite at something specific, just being all-offense or all-defense at one side of the court isn't enough for a team like UCONN always getting elite recruits and vying for titles, you're going to be hard pressed to get minutes unless the team is desperate.

I'll take Geno's word for it when he said she was not a good practice player. I can only offer an opinion but it seems reasonable to assume that many freshmen are inconsistent at many things, and DeBerry can only score vs top competition on with a jump shot. Your jump shot can come and go especially as a frosh. So if you are competing against superior players and your shot is off, which happens to even super shooters go into slumps, then what would she bring vs getting wiped out on the other side of the floor with the type of talent she was competing against?. And it's not just one day. It's over and over. Even if she is playing her best - her best would not be better than 8 of last year's players at their best. And how often are you at your best especially as a frosh?

So being 9th on depth chart if at your best which you aren't often at (because Geno said she didn't practice well), why would anyone expect her frosh year to not be "Piath?" She’s better than Piath but not the others as of last year.

There’s no shame in this; she was a freshman competing against better players.

 

[Bone Dog]

I liked Piath, too. Her skills were limited, and she didn't make much progress in two years. But what she could do, she did with aplomb. I enjoyed watching her play. I hope she finds a school and a conference where her skills make sense.

 

[cancontent]

I liked Piath, too. Her skills were limited, and she didn't make much progress in two years. But what she could do, she did with aplomb. I enjoyed watching her play. I hope she finds a school and a conference where her skills make sense.

She transferred to UMass and also gets to be closer to home.

 

[BobbyJ]

She transferred to UMass and also gets to be closer to home.

Only about 15 minutes drive time.

 

[cancontent]

Only about 15 minutes drive time.

Damn. Literally close to home.

 

[BobbyJ]

Damn. Literally close to home.

No, I meant the difference in the distance from her home in Manchester, NH to Amherst, Mass. as opposed to the distance from home to Storrs, CT.

 

[cancontent]

No, I meant the difference in the distance from her home in Manchester, NH to Amherst, Mass. as opposed to the distance from home to Storrs, CT.

That's what I meant with my response.

 

[Stymie]

I will say I never even heard a whisper of Piath not making maximum effort.
And she did show significant improvement during her tenure.
Of course wishing her the best.

 

[Carnac]

I don’t think those two are realistic for her. I’d tell her to watch video of Morrow from DePaul to see what all out effort can do for her.

Morrow is not 6'5". I was thinking of someone her own size to possibly emulate. However, I could not agree more with your suggestion of her watching tape of Aneesah Morrow's freshman year. Morrow is listed at 6'1", and may not be that tall. If Morrow can do the things she did as a freshman at 6'1", DeBerry should be able to do most of them as a sophomore at 6'5".

Morrow has an incredible motor, and is relentless in her approach. Her career highs are 41 pts vs Creighton (2/27), and 27 rebounds vs Seton Hall (1/30). DePaul lost to Dayton 88-57 in the Greensboro region first four of the NCAA tournament earlier this year. Morrow had 28/17. She had 27-28 double-doubles in a row at one time during the season. She's going to be a nightmare for DePaul opponents this year.

 

[Bone Dog]

I was casting about for analogies for Morrow in the men's game and came up with Moses Malone -- slightly undersized as a center, but relentless on rebounds, putbacks, and got tons of points from the free throw line.

 

[ConnMotors]

With Ice now out for the year which sucks I'm counting on Amari to have a breakthrough season. Have always liked this young lady. And she will be counted on heavily for quality post minutes.