An ode to Jana

[husky98]

IMHO both Jana and Caroline are the heart and soul of this team!

I was at Mohegan Sun in Caroline's freshman year when we lost to Louisville. She was the ONLY husky on that floor that believed. We forget how friggin good she was pre-concussion. She was awkward, she did it her way, but damn.

 

[husky98]

Jana has had a good year. Her biggest issue is that her team has been incredible. Blanca was thought to be more like 6'1 - she looks 6'3 and she looks bigger so it means she can easily play the 4. moving Sarah to the 5 as their best lineup which cut into Jana's minutes. If she isn't better than Sarah or Serah at the 5, and the bench players of Blanca and Allie are better - she just got squeezed this year. Otherwise she was better, She didn't regress.

I think Blanca's skillset makes her more of a wing. She can rebound when needed, but she's better on the perimeter on both sides of the ball. Shooting threes and slashing to the cup on offense, jumping passing lanes on defense.

You're not wrong, against smaller teams Sarah and Blanca can hold their own in the post and then create nightmare matchups when they pull their defenders outside.

 

[husky98]

Jana needs to work on her post moves where they become reflexive. You can see her thinking before she makes her move to the rim and by then its too late. Was in the SC game last year where she started at the top of the key, put a crossover move on her defender and made an easy layup? She can do it, just needs to let it flow.

Her strengths are defense, rebounding, heart. She yells the loudest when someone else makes a great play and the love for her teammates is obvious. If she can regain her confidence and lean into those strengths this team is unbeatable.

 

[TheGOAT23]

Jana needs to work on her post moves where they become reflexive. You can see her thinking before she makes her move to the rim and by then its too late. Was in the SC game last year where she started at the top of the key, put a crossover move on her defender and made an easy layup? She can do it, just needs to let it flow.

Her strengths are defense, rebounding, heart. She yells the loudest when someone else makes a great play and the love for her teammates is obvious. If she can regain her confidence and lean into those strengths this team is unbeatable.

That crossover was on Joyce Edwards. Had her on skates and she made the layup. I wanted more. She had another shot where she missed. I yelled, use the backboard. It’s your friend.

 

[hoophuskee]

I think Blanca's skillset makes her more of a wing. She can rebound when needed, but she's better on the perimeter on both sides of the ball. Shooting threes and slashing to the cup on offense, jumping passing lanes on defense.

You're not wrong, against smaller teams Sarah and Blanca can hold their own in the post and then create nightmare matchups when they pull their defenders outside.

I don't agree. her shooting from distance similar to what we think of a Wing is overrated imo. If a team is vying for titles then she is not a shooter. A bottom team you can afford inaccuracy just because a team is desperate for points- so in that case sure whatever position as long as you get points and aren’t seeking to do much.

. But for top ranked teams and playing at the highest level she is not a wing. For example her free throw shooting is terrible. This poor free throw should have nothing to do with her playing center; unless she shows different. Which she hasn't. If she can't hit wide open free throws at better than 58.3% then other parts of her outside shooting aren't strong either. Nor has she shown to be much of a passer. And can’t see her at all as a slasher at the wing. She doesn’t have the quickness. And if you don't pass well and you're not very quick, and you don’t shoot very well from the outside then you're not a Wing on a good team. On a bad team – sure -- anything.

What's wrong with what she is doing as a center? She's very efficient. A pretty good rebounder. Does well enough defending on the inside. And is only a sophomore. And all of her stats point to an improved player this year from last.

 

[JoePgh]

I don't agree. her shooting from distance similar to what we think of a Wing is overrated imo. If a team is vying for titles then she is not a shooter. A bottom team you can afford inaccuracy just because a team is desperate for points- so in that case sure whatever position as long as you get points and aren’t seeking to do much.

. But for top ranked teams and playing at the highest level she is not a wing. For example her free throw shooting is terrible. This poor free throw should have nothing to do with her playing center; unless she shows different. Which she hasn't. If she can't hit wide open free throws at better than 58.3% then other parts of her outside shooting aren't strong either. Nor has she shown to be much of a passer. And can’t see her at all as a slasher at the wing. She doesn’t have the quickness. And if you don't pass well and you're not very quick, and you don’t shoot very well from the outside then you're not a Wing on a good team. On a bad team – sure -- anything.

What's wrong with what she is doing as a center? She's very efficient. A pretty good rebounder. Does well enough defending on the inside. And is only a sophomore. And all of her stats point to an improved player this year from last.

Are you talking about Blanca in this post, or Jana? You didn't name the person you are talking about, but the post you are responding to refers to Blanca. Then, in the last line, you say she is "only a sophomore". That applies to Jana (in eligibility years), but not to Blanca, who is a freshman.

Blanca almost never plays center -- sometimes she plays the "4" with Sarah as the center in a small lineup.

 

[hoophuskee]

Are you talking about Blanca in this post, or Jana? You didn't name the person you are talking about, but the post you are responding to refers to Blanca. Then, in the last line, you say she is "only a sophomore". That applies to Jana (in eligibility years), but not to Blanca, who is a freshman.

Blanca almost never plays center -- sometimes she plays the "4" with Sarah as the center in a small lineup.

oooooooooooooooppppppppppppsssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My mistake. Yes I meant Jana. My mistake.