Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="JoePgh, post: 2906742, member: 1131"] I agree that this is a precise description of his substitution pattern. But it doesn't directly address the question of why he doesn't let subs play with starters earlier in the game, when the lead is perhaps 15-20 points in the second quarter rather than 40 points in the late 3rd or 4th quarters. I think the answer is that minutes in games, outside of garbage time, are the reward that he pays to players who prove in practice that they are BOTH working hard and "getting it". Last year, Molly certainly worked hard but did not really "get it", i.e., she failed to take open shots and had too many turnovers. I'm guessing she did the same thing in practice, and Geno wasn't going to give her real minutes until she demonstrated in practice that those problems were behind her. Other players, especially Megan (last year) and Mikayla, were neither working hard nor getting it very often, and that is why their minutes lagged. Again, last year was an unusual case. In other years, freshman such as Kia (but not Gabby), KLS, Napheesa, Stef, Bria, Kelly Faris, and Caroline Doty demonstrated in practice that they were both working hard and getting it, and they played serious minutes. That appears to be the case this year with Christyn and hopefully also with ONO. Geno has said that if a coach gives players (especially freshmen) minutes even when they aren't practicing well, then "there's no coaching them" in later years. They have to gain an appreciation that practice counts, and high school resumes don't. That's why (he believes) it benefits the subs not to play them outside garbage time even in a 40-point game if they haven't been practicing well. And that approach seems to be working (finally) with Megan and Mikayla. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach