"An Airport Player?" Amari Get's An Outsider's Look | The Boneyard

"An Airport Player?" Amari Get's An Outsider's Look

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Fair and evenhanded look at Amari. He’s right that it’s basically “a coin flip,” whether she’ll continue to be an 8 min/g player or step it up a level and become a 15 min/g player. I think we’re likely to see Ice and Ayanna pass Amari on the depth chart, and Ice could even start games in the second half of the season. Geno likes high-low post sets.

On a related note, I think he exaggerates the threat of opposing “super bigs.” Yes, Kamila dominated in the Americup games. And yet I don’t think that will translate directly to D1 competition. Don’t get me wrong, I think Kamila will have a great year, maybe even be in the NPOY conversation. But in the second half of the season, the competition gets harder and opponents will have designed strategies to contain her.
 
Bone Dog said:
Fair and evenhanded look at Amari. He’s right that it’s basically “a coin flip,” whether she’ll continue to be an 8 min/g player or step it up a level and become a 15 min/g player. I think we’re likely to see Ice and Ayanna pass Amari on the depth chart, and Ice could even start games in the second half of the season. Geno likes high-low post sets.

On a related note, I think he exaggerates the threat of opposing “super bigs.” Yes, Kamila dominated in the Americup games. And yet I don’t think that will translate directly to D1 competition. Don’t get me wrong, I think Kamila will have a great year, maybe even be in the NPOY conversation. But in the second half of the season, the competition gets harder and opponents will have designed strategies to contain her.
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Cardoso is a dominant player, 2-5’ from the basket. If you force her away from the basket, something that several Husky forwards are capable of, Cardoso’s size can be neutralized.
 
This is exactly what I saw from her in high school. I saw her play twice and she really played the same as she does now. The funny thing is that I know she has what it takes but at this point, she has to want it for herself more than anything. Maybe she doesn’t have the mindset for it. I watch her move and her body and some of her skills all seem to scream double double at least. For me I want her to be able to contribute on a consistent basis this year the most. I’m really really rooting for her.
 
oldude said:
Cardoso is a dominant player, 2-5’ from the basket. If you force her away from the basket, something that several Husky forwards are capable of, Cardoso’s size can be neutralized.
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The thing about Kamila that stands out for me is how well she runs the floor. Her offensive game may be limited to the low post, but when she gets position, she's hard to stop. The big who lumbers too much takes herself out of a lot of plays. Betts has yet to develop this side of her game. Amari can sometimes run the floor well, but she can improve in this area. It's like they used to say about armies -- the side that gets there early has a huge advantage.
 
By the way, his read of Reese seems exactly right to me. He suggests conceding the midrange and set up in the paint to hinder drives and rebounds. As with Morrow, it's important not to bother going for blocks. Just don't send them to the ft line. Reese got more than a 1/4 of her points that way last season. Giving up a few 15 footers is better than getting into foul trouble on her 3' putbacks. That's where she does her damage. This is also why she does so badly against taller opponents. This also means Kim may have to play Rosario more than she's ready for, just to force the opposing bigs to give Reese more room to work with.
 
Theres a big difference between a SUPER big and a super big. Just cause a girl is very tall doesn't mean shes gonna be a SUPER player. From what Ive seen DeBarry is very tall but shes not super. Maybe it will come all together for her and she will be an improved player. I sure hope so.
But I'm not gonna stress because our two tall staters are 2 inches shorter than the other teams bigs. Talent and determination will make up for that.
 
Though an interesting and well researched take, he lost me when he said "she reached down to tie her shoes so her back must have been ok". Pretty extensive surgery that she is still recovering from. I am guessing that she was not OK and had not been for a long time.
 
OT to the thread, but related to the video: He quotes someone as saying, "Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane." That reminded me of a sign I saw on the broadcast of a Sox-Yanks game. This was the first game Johnny Damon played in Fenway after he signed with the Yankees as a free agent. It said, "Looks like acts like Judas, throws like Mary." I'm a Sox fan who stung a little when Damon signed with the Yanks, but I never stopped liking him, and I just abut busted a gut when I saw that sign.
 
The best way to stop a big is to pressure the guards. Guards under pressure tend to make entry passes when they can, not always when the post is in position to score. Also when guards are under pressure the big has to come out and provide an outlet. I will reference last years UConn-Iowa game when Cinzano scored 8 points. (And Caitlin Clark was heard exhorting her teammates, "Someone get her (Nika) off of me!" This UConn team is the first since 2016 that has the ability to pressure just about any group of guards in the country (my only hesitation is UCLA). That is one reason why I expect our highly mobile bigs to have their career highs in steals this year.
 
oldude said:
Cardoso is a dominant player, 2-5’ from the basket. If you force her away from the basket, something that several Husky forwards are capable of, Cardoso’s size can be neutralized.
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Your point well taken. Cardoso is not necessarily the player you saw last year. It is possible even South Carolina players improve.
On DeBerry: Can she improve--obviously she CAN. The question is: Will she? A second question: Does she have the desire to do the work (or has she done the work) to become THAT player she CAN be? My sincere hope is----she'll be all she can be. Nice kid, good shooter, very good Forward. Can she LIKE playing post?
 
Bone Dog said:
The thing about Kamila that stands out for me is how well she runs the floor. Her offensive game may be limited to the low post, but when she gets position, she's hard to stop. The big who lumbers too much takes herself out of a lot of plays. Betts has yet to develop this side of her game. Amari can sometimes run the floor well, but she can improve in this area. It's like they used to say about armies -- the side that gets there early has a huge advantage.
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Wasn't the quote more like: The side that gets there early with the most firepower has the advantage?
?
 
Gotta love Dickie V with the colorful comparisons "All Airport Player". But on the real, I am a huge Amari fan and each year, I keep saying "This is Amari's year". I am staying with that mindset. If the back issues slowed her down over the years, hopefully the surgery over the summer will help reduced any pain or discomfort. Like someone said, and I have said it as well, Amari has to want it more than her fans want it. Like I always tell my players, you gotta get uncomfortable with being comfortable. Get out of that comfort zone. I think Amari is going to have a solid year and get out of her comfort zone. She is going to play a huge part in our march for title #12.
 
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