Another starting five prediction

[Bigboote]

I think there is something to that. Out of the 5 starters in the exhibition, KK and Ash are the ones that are most likely subbed for first. Azzi, Sarah, and Serah are expected to get significantly more minutes. As a result how Kayleigh and Blanca play with the big 3 is a question Geno wants to answer if that would happen frequently when the season starts.

Plus, bringing in two high-energy disruptors proved very effective last year. Kayleigh and either Blanca or Morgan would be the closest thing on this year's team. If the two of them (especially Kayleigh) can be effective, that would be 40 minutes of disruption.

 

[FanSince17]

I rewatched the exhibition last night with somewhat lower expectations. I noticed more who was in the game as I was watching and analyzing. I noticed quickly that Blanca got to spots on the floor in a flash. I remember a trap she was involved in on the sideline a bit outside the 3-point line. Boom, 3 steps from the top of the key, long as heck, a steal and a pass downcourt. Bam
I'll say it again, we watch these games from an angle. The cameras are on the second level poined downward. from that angle, we cannot "feel" the impact of size- height and weight, length, and strength. She's got all the above. Is she not one of the most athletic players in the country? How about NaLyssa Smith or DiJonai Carrington.......comparisons.
If she catches on, doesn't she have to start? OMG UConn's gunna carve people up. It'll be unfair. Bad for basketball. (just kidding)

 

[Bone Dog]

She's got all the above. Is she not one of the most athletic players in the country? How about NaLyssa Smith or DiJonai

Yup. Blanca is a formidable athlete. Way quicker than Nalyssa and much bigger and longer than Dijonnai. I think this may be the most athletic roster we’ve seen in many years.

At one point, when a BC player was shooting free throws, I was struck by the UConn players lined up for the rebound. Ice and Sarah (iirc) in the forward spots and Blanca in the elbow spot — what a huge group to see together! And they aren’t even the tallest players on the roster. I think kids can seem larger or smaller than their measured height in inches. Sarah is a big 6’2”. Ice is a very big 6’3” as was Aaliyah. Ayanna has always seemed like she’s a very big 6’2”. And Blanca seems like another one, longer than you’d expect and seems very strong. And Serah at 6’4” is another formidable rim protector, but one who can run in transition. I expect to see Serah finishing on the break often.

 

[DEpup]

I heard Geno say "second unit" and that's the first time I've heard him say that and that makes me think he'd really like to get to 10 players seeing significant minutes in a majority of games. (I worded that carefully because of course a really big game could be down to 7ish.)

Just based on what I saw, for me as of now that would be:

KK/Kayleigh
Azzi/Zeibel
Ash/Blanca
Sarah/Ice
Serah/Jana

I think Caroline and Patterson are the next group and could easily push into the 10 and dislodge Zeibel and Jana if they can remain healthy and catch up after all the lost time.

I think Kelis and Gandy will be freshman BE and 4th quarter players. Not terrible, players like Gabby started that way. I doubt Cheli ever hits the floor this year and I bet that will be good for her in the long run. A foot issue is not something to rush.

 

[FanSince17]

Yup. Blanca is a formidable athlete. Way quicker than Nalyssa and much bigger and longer than Dijonnai. I think this may be the most athletic roster we’ve seen in many years.

At one point, when a BC player was shooting free throws, I was struck by the UConn players lined up for the rebound. Ice and Sarah (iirc) in the forward spots and Blanca in the elbow spot — what a huge group to see together! And they aren’t even the tallest players on the roster. I think kids can seem larger or smaller than their measured height in inches. Sarah is a big 6’2”. Ice is a very big 6’3” as was Aaliyah. Ayanna has always seemed like she’s a very big 6’2”. And Blanca seems like another one, longer than you’d expect and seems very strong. And Serah at 6’4” is another formidable rim protector, but one who can run in transition. I expect to see Serah finishing on the break often.

Watch out. I coached varsity girls and I called my center "thick" one time and she looked at me like she could scratch my eyeballs out.
These are big people. It's the supreme basketball compliment. Not just tall. Look at Blanca's shoulders. No amount of contact bothers Sarah. In the Natty game, remember when Joyce flew at Sarah trying to get a steal and knocked Sarah flat. Sarah was still going to catch that ball and if she had to she could have probably passed it. Unbelievable.

 

[Cuango]

Watch out. I coached varsity girls and I called my center "thick" one time and she looked at me like she could scratch my eyeballs out.
These are big people. It's the supreme basketball compliment. Not just tall. Look at Blanca's shoulders. No amount of contact bothers Sarah. In the Natty game, remember when Joyce flew at Sarah trying to get a steal and knocked Sarah flat. Sarah was still going to catch that ball and if she had to she could have probably passed it. Unbelievable.

Sarah’s hands are like velcro! If she can get her hand on it, it’s hers. Best hands I’ve ever seen!

 

[DefenseBB]

Sarah’s hands are like velcro! If she can get her hand on it, it’s hers. Best hands I’ve ever seen!

So are you saying any defender would need to RIP the ball away? 🤣

 

[freshler40]

Plus, bringing in two high-energy disruptors proved very effective last year. Kayleigh and either Blanca or Morgan would be the closest thing on this year's team. If the two of them (especially Kayleigh) can be effective, that would be 40 minutes of disruption.

The full game full court press in the BC game supports this experiment. A more mobile 5 needed to be involved for this press to be effective. Our press didn't work well for much of the game and gave BC a lot of open 3 pointers. Eleven, I think? Maybe we didn't think they could shoot that well this early in the season, but it happened.

 

[Bone Dog]

The full game full court press in the BC game supports this experiment. A more mobile 5 needed to be involved for this press to be effective. Our press didn't work well for much of the game and gave BC a lot of open 3 pointers. Eleven, I think? Maybe we didn't think they could shoot that well this early in the season, but it happened.

I don’t think there is “a more mobile 5” in all of D1. Like all experiments, this press needs a little more practice. But Geno seems to have announced his intentions. As John Paul Jones famously quipped, “I have not yet begun to run!”

 

[FanSince17]

Her press break involved flashing their 5 to the free throw line in the backcourt. Our 5 did not take that away. Hard to believe it was by design. (Geno) Then she had players sprint in their lanes to attack. They spotted up and moved the ball to the openings and took open 3's. Reason we could not pull away until Azzi's onslaught in the 3rd period. We also were not able to keep ball-handlers trapped. They escaped virtually every time. I can understand the physical stuff, like being overly gassed in the first game with fans, but not the mental stuff. Serah's a 4 at the next level, she has to be able to move and anticipate if we're going to be able to press with her in the lineup. Ice- same.