An Intriguing Tease Out of Geno

[RockyMTblue2]

In what is dubbed his Tournament Selection interview ( I call it his sandwich or root around in his mouth interview) Geno, toward the end, is talking Lou and says "this tournament we'll see a lot more things from her ...I hope." Before that he strongly implied, if not directly stated, that as Lou goes so does our tournament and there has never been a sophomore with greater weight of responsibility on her. He has previously mentioned that Lou has the ability to take over a game, quickly scoring in bunches, energizing our team while deflating an opponent. Is this what he's talking about? Or is he just saying Lou can't act like our designated 3 point shooter? Or? Or?

 

[bags27]

Offensive boards, offensive boards, offensive boards. It's like she runs away from rebounds, whereas the very few times she's actually crashed the boards, good things have generally happened. She's the tallest starter and needs to play like that.

 

[eebmg]

I think this fall's under the title of "micro-parsing Genos words" and his statements may be related to the euphoria of Lou's last game so the reporters focus on Lou and he needs to respond with some sound bites. Of course, this exact scenario played out with Gabby with her triple double and Naphessa's 39 pt masterpiece etc.

To put it simply, I cant imagine that we will go all the way unless Naphessa, Lou and Gabby consistently play at (or relatively near) their best. I don't see any reason to put any more pressure on one of those 3 over the others. We need them all equally for the different gifts they provide, they know that and there is no reason to expect that they will not come through as a group when the team needs them.

 

[bizarro aj]

KLS is the heart and soul of this team and they will go as far as she takes them. Did you watch last years tournament? She out scored the great stewie in 3 of the 5 tournament games she played in before getting hurt.

 

[CocoHusky]

Or... Geno is creating a mass distraction to get the other teams to focus on KLS while the other players beat you. Think about it Napheesa is a Sophomore also and Geno 6th man (Crystal) is a Freshmen.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

I call it "Loutivation".... or Lou Motivation if you will. He knows what buttons to push for each player and uses it. He wants to get the best out everyone of his players and he knows Lou can "take over a game"... (i.e., AAC Championship, 2nd half of MD, SMU when she was "sick" in days leading up to it...and the game I can't remember when she had a bad shoot around and Geno gave her a hard time and during the game was lights out). Geno wants to have Lou aggressive at both ends, to take her shots when they are there and to play "I'll show you, Coach" type of basketball. I'm sure he envisions something like: 20 points from Phe, 20 points from Lou, 15 points from Gabby and Kia, 10 points from Saniya, Danger and Nat... that's 100 points (if my math is right??)... with good defense, there won't be too many teams that can beat that!!!

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Or... Geno is creating a mass distraction to get the other teams to focus on KLS while the other players beat you. Think about it Napheesa is a Sophomore also and Geno 6th man (Crystal) is a Freshmen.

And this is another thing... Geno knows if teams focus on Lou, it opens up the middle underneath for Phessa and Gabby. Gotta Say... Geno is "sly...as a fox!"

 

[chrissaran]

eebmg, I agree with you. They each have unbelievable talent, but their talent is in different areas. When each plays their best, they are overwhelming. If all three play their best in the same game, UConn will not be beaten. Also, Lou is on the perimeter a lot more than Gabby and Pheesa. They should have more rebounds. Can Lou improve her rebounding? Of course she can. However, being the tallest player doesn't make you a great rebounder as Gabby has proven again and again against much taller opponents. Lou will get better in every area because she wants to be a great player. Lou is the most explosive offensive player UConn has, but Gabby and Pheesa have more well-rounded games. When Lou improves her rebounding and defense, she has a chance to be one of the greatest.

 

[jonson]

KLS is the heart and soul of this team and they will go as far as she takes them. Did you watch last years tournament? She out scored the great stewie in 3 of the 5 tournament games she played in before getting hurt.

Although I agree that Lou is an invaluable part of the team's success, I also find statements that player x or y is "the heart and soul of the team" a little problematic, since (in this instance) saying so shortchanges in my view Pheesa and Gabby, both of whom were the engines that drove the victories over Notre Dame and South Carolina, with Pheesa the key to the team's victory over Florida State. I say this not to denigrate in any way Lou's contributions, but I wish we could find a way of praising one that doesn't seem to diminish the others.

 

[huskeynut]

Geno is being Geno and teasing the press. You know he has had Lou and the others working on their games all season. Much of his focus is always tournment time. I'm sure there is a suprise or two or three awaiting.

With Kia (let's not forget her), Lou, Pheesa and Gabby and of course Saniya ( another not to overlook), this team is balanced and dangerous. Let a team try to shut Lou down. Let them try gimmick defenses to stop her. That just opens up things for the others. We have 4 starters averaging double figures so to our opponents - pick your poison!

Now I caution, it make take a quarter plus for the team to adjust, but adjust they will.

 

[eebmg]

eebmg, I agree with you. They each have unbelievable talent, but their talent is in different areas. When each plays their best, they are overwhelming. If all three play their best in the same game, UConn will not be beaten. Also, Lou is on the perimeter a lot more than Gabby and Pheesa. They should have more rebounds. Can Lou improve her rebounding? Of course she can. However, being the tallest player doesn't make you a great rebounder as Gabby has proven again and again against much taller opponents. Lou will get better in every area because she wants to be a great player. Lou is the most explosive offensive player UConn has, but Gabby and Pheesa have more well-rounded games. When Lou improves her rebounding and defense, she has a chance to be one of the greatest.

By explosive you clearly mean scoring and as Geno points out again and again scoring is just a part (small?)
of the game. When Gabby rips a ball from the opponents hands and sets the defensive tone or Phessa makes a great block, that is just as explosive and important to the team imho.

I am not ready to say one of them is or will be greater than the other 2. They each have weaknesses to work on which if successfully developed will have them all in the NPOY race with Azura I imagine.


1) Lou improves her rebounding and 1-1 defense
2) Pheesa improves and utilizes her 3 pt shot (at least 4 attempts a game?)
3) Gabby improves and gets confidence in her mid range shot ( 5-6 attempts with at least 3 made)

There may be other skills they need to improve that my untrained eye does not see but if they become the best they can, I really do not see one better than the others.

 

[Scotter]

He is saying that Lou needs to do the other things that he has been demanding from her. Now that it is tournament time, Geno will also likely be more proactive in running some actual plays for Lou inside the 3-point line to either get her open off screens or posting up a small defender.

 

[ricky]

Or... Geno is creating a mass distraction to get the other teams to focus on KLS while the other players beat you. Think about it Napheesa is a Sophomore also and Geno 6th man (Crystal) is a Freshmen.

Yes I agree. It would be great if Lou could pull a couple guys out to her spot. But Collier is so successful at scoring and rebounding while being double and triple teamed. I kind of feel it will be a mute point and this team will take everything as long as Collier is on the floor full time.

 

[FanHam]

I think it may be a misdirection by Geno but Lou may be ready to reveal some blocking out skills along with more aggressive rebounding. Rebounding and blocking out are two facets of the game mostly missing from Lou's repertoire as yet. She seems to be bulking up a bit this year, so who knows?

That's one of the joys of watching this team this year. Previously unrevealed skills just keep popping up.

 

[bizarro aj]

Geno said in the last geno show that great players have a different look when it comes tournament time and he said you can tell the difference in her demeanor at practice before the aac tournament started. I guarantee she will be the mop of the final 4 this season, unless the other teams are going to strictly game plan for her and make the rest of the team beat them. I know teams have been doing that all season but after her performance in the aac championship game i think they are really going to try to pressure her even more.

 

[UcMiami]

I remember watching Maya in a WC tournament, and DT in an Olympics, and they both shoulder the responsibility of being the player who scored early and often in the first quarter, and you could just see the rest of the team take a collective breath and go 'OK, we got this, Maya/DT is taking the lid off the basket.' For the last four years, from that FF game against ND, Breanna took on that role. And the only blemish came when the rest of the team sort of forgot that they needed to do something too. This year while various players have led the team in scoring, and Lou has stumbled in a few games, there is, when she hits early, that same collective exhalation and comfort that 'we got this.' When she doesn't hit early, the team still finds a way, but it is seldom as 'easy'.

Does that make Lou the team leader - no, just as Maya wasn't and DT wasn't, and Breanna never was - it is just the specific role they have on the their team, a burden they have assumed.

 

[BroadwayVa]

In what is dubbed his Tournament Selection interview ( I call it his sandwich or root around in his mouth interview) Geno, toward the end, is talking Lou and says "this tournament we'll see a lot more things from her ...I hope." Before that he strongly implied, if not directly stated, that as Lou goes so does our tournament and there has never been a sophomore with greater weight of responsibility on her. He has previously mentioned that Lou has the ability to take over a game, quickly scoring in bunches, energizing our team while deflating an opponent. Is this what he's talking about? Or is he just saying Lou can't act like our designated 3 point shooter? Or? Or?

\

Lou CAN"T ACT like the designated (KML type) three point shooter---but 3 point shooter she must be--and as the ALL Around player she is--she must rebound on both ends of the floor. Loads of responsibility--but not more than DT had at the same age. Geno tends to put responsibility on the shoulders of those who can handle it: DT, Rene, Maya, Stew, Tuck, Moriah, Napheesa, (jr) Gabby--I'm so proud of where this group has taken me--I could spit--thewey.
Remember the ride and final game of her Freshman year , Stewie, I mean--fantastic--and she was supposed to be just a three ball shooter. Geno jumped on her back starting with the first game and rode that back to the first of 4 NC.
I'm happy to see this team plays in the post season--if they win it all--icing on my cake--if they don't --HEY they weren't suppose to win only the AAC games this year--has this been a great ride or what???

 

[BroadwayVa]

I remember watching Maya in a WC tournament, and DT in an Olympics, and they both shoulder the responsibility of being the player who scored early and often in the first quarter, and you could just see the rest of the team take a collective breath and go 'OK, we got this, Maya/DT is taking the lid off the basket.' For the last four years, from that FF game against ND, Breanna took on that role. And the only blemish came when the rest of the team sort of forgot that they needed to do something too. This year while various players have led the team in scoring, and Lou has stumbled in a few games, there is, when she hits early, that same collective exhalation and comfort that 'we got this.' When she doesn't hit early, the team still finds a way, but it is seldom as 'easy'.

Does that make Lou the team leader - no, just as Maya wasn't and DT wasn't, and Breanna never was - it is just the specific role they have on the their team, a burden they have assumed.

I would have chosen a better word than --"stumble" for Lou's issues in a few games--Illness--slump--bad night-
Her scoring may have stumbled down but her game continued--
Having said that--I wrote nearly they same piece about responsibilities--obviously I agree with it.
Excuse the nitpicking---but Katie Lou has given just about everything she had this year --and not scoring
in the high 20's a few games should be take as normal--in one game she got 17 and some writer--professional--bemoaned --her continued slump.

 

[hussybulldog]

Before FF, if KLS can score a bunch, other players can afford to play mediocrely. If she is off, then at least two other players need to up their game. Once in FF, KLS and one other player need to perform well. If she is off, three other players need to score well. It is Chong's last games, I hope she can blast off a few crucial baskets, especially in the championship game. That will increase her stock to make decent career oversea, maybe in China? She will be the first two players who can boast to have only lost one game in college games.

 

[bags27]

I don't buy the "Lou might be off" narrative. If Lou's 3's aren't falling, then she needs to do the curl, drive, or rebound offensive boards. Everyone knows this is what you do in single elimination: help anyway you can...and pretty soon everything starts to work. She needs to be prepared for a bad shooting night and be ready to go into "plan B" mode. And my money's on that she will.

 

[tomcat]

It's obvious that the only gift for the Coach Who Has Everything is dental floss. Lots of dental floss.

 

[jonson]

I agree about the sigh of relief and comfort that follows from Lou's 3's falling early (and often). I would add, however, that the team's security blanket, whatever else is happening, is Pheesa's ability to score inside with such consistency.

 

[Lynx23]

Geno is being Geno and teasing the press. You know he has had Lou and the others working on their games all season. Much of his focus is always tournment time. I'm sure there is a suprise or two or three awaiting.

With Kia (let's not forget her), Lou, Pheesa and Gabby and of course Saniya ( another not to overlook), this team is balanced and dangerous. Let a team try to shut Lou down. Let them try gimmick defenses to stop her. That just opens up things for the others. We have 4 starters averaging double figures so to our opponents - pick your poison!

Now I caution, it make take a quarter plus for the team to adjust, but adjust they will.

Oh, yeah, they're on the team too (Kia and Saniya). I read this thread and for a minute there thought UCONN was just playing three on five. Sarcasm aside, I think Geno's point was that if Lou (or anyone) is not having a good shooting night (e.g., going 3 for 10, his example), she better find other ways to help the team if the team expects to win. I think THAT is the pressure being placed on Lou. This is precisely why Kia starts every game even when she isn't shooting well. Also, if Lou, Pheesa, and Gabby (I disdain the "Big Three" label) are scoring a lot of points chances are its because somebody is passing them the ball (think Crystal and Saniya). Everyone contributes. I understand the "love affair" many on the board have with Lou these days and she's great, don't get me wrong, but the bottom line is these ladies are about to face a level of pressure they haven't encountered before (some of it psychological) and it will be interesting to see who can handle it and who can't. It will be against the better teams that each player will need to bring her "A" game, not the weaker AAC teams. Honestly, the impression I get from Geno is this. It's a players job to score points; that's one reason she was recruited. I don't think he's overly impressed with a lot of scoring because its expected. I think he's more excited about the little things a player does to help the team and defense is especially important in this regard. Remember Saniya in the Stanford loss. She had an offensive explosion as a starter and lost her starting role to Kia because of what he perceived to be her weak defensive effort. I believe Geno sees the game though a different lens than most of us, maybe all of us.

 

[ricky]

I agree about the sigh of relief and comfort that follows from Lou's 3's falling early (and often). I would add, however, that the team's security blanket, whatever else is happening, is Pheesa's ability to score inside with such consistency.

That inside ability is so important. Lou has a sweet shot from the arc. But when you can operate like Collier inside, you can affectively get a 5 or more-point play. You get the old fashioned 3 and also put fouls on a valuable opponent. Then you are in position for a big offensive rebound for which Collier always nabs.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

IMO, it is Geno being Geno, trolling the press. In this case, since he makes it clear all the time that Lou isn't <insert stat verb here>, he gets in an extra barb at the same time, AND gives other coaches something to think about.

An unassisted triple play!