April Recruiting Thread

[uconnfan68]

I've seen the quote and I've seen her shot. Yes, her form is good, though not great. Yet I've seen shooters with good form that never became good shooters. Hopefully Ayanna becomes the latter, but, again, that's going to take work. What's also going to take work is learning to work and shoot off of the myriad screens Geno runs.

Haven’t seen her, but the only question I have is… can she make shots from inside 10’, especially from in close? That’s the only place that matters for next year.

 

[nomdoux]

I’m confident that Ayanna will develop her shot during her UConn tenure to point of mid-range efficacy & even out to 3-pt line by her senior year. Driven gym rat with strong work ethic combined with great coaching & resources. Plus, game ever evolving to pace & space requiring shooters at every position on floor. Geno looks to play this way & pro game necessitates it. Ayanna has potential & aspiration to be a top W pick so she knows this as well. Finally, player comp NaLyssa Smith just showed her road map, of sorts, expanding her paint-intensive game senior season under ex-pro coach Nicki Collen’s auspices.

 

[CocoHusky]

I’m confident that Ayanna will develop her shot during her UConn tenure to point of mid-range efficacy & even out to 3-pt line by her senior year. Driven gym rat with strong work ethic combined with great coaching & resources. Plus, game ever evolving to pace & space requiring shooters at every position on floor. Geno looks to play this way & pro game necessitates it. Ayanna has potential & aspiration to be a top W pick so she knows this as well. Finally, player comp NaLyssa Smith just showed her road map, of sorts, expanding her paint-intensive game senior season under ex-pro coach Nicki Collen’s auspices.

This concept is so important it bears repeating not to lament last season but UCONN opponents were be entirely disrespectful of several UCONN shooters often conceding shots and touches from large areas of the floor. Those areas of the floor are being conceded to Liv, Nika, Aaliyah Edwards and Aubrey when she was healthy. Ice Brady and Ayanna will help simply by having to be guarded from all areas of the floor.

 

[Blakeon18]

I agree that opponents were perfectly content to leave several of our players unguarded from mid-range to deep.
Next year it would take many shots going in from that range to not put Ayanna in that category...were I an opposing coach.

Hope that changes as the games and years go by. I think her value in her frosh year will in fact be all over the court...
defensively. Offensive and defensive rebounding...put backs...receiving fast break passes from our guards for lay-ups...those will be her calling cards against weaker teams and top 10 types.

Leave Ice open from trey range and in...you will pay.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Shane Laflin names Jordy Griggs ('23) and Kyndall Walker ('24) as players with rising stocks after last weekend's play.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Continued from above,

Laflin also lauded Aalyah Del Rosario, Kate Koval, Joyce Edwards, and Jaloni Cambridge for their play in the same tourney.

 

[sweetspot]

One of these days someone will explain to me how the adjective "dominant" became "dominate."

 

[oldhusky]

This concept is so important it bears repeating not to lament last season but UCONN opponents were be entirely disrespectful of several UCONN shooters often conceding shots and touches from large areas of the floor. Those areas of the floor are being conceded to Liv, Nika, Aaliyah Edwards and Aubrey when she was healthy. Ice Brady and Ayanna will help simply by having to be guarded from all areas of the floor.

I agree that many were given mid-range jumpers by our opponents and that was a spacing problem. In addition to that, while not exactly given, most opponents did not fear giving an open 3 to Nika, Evina, or Christyn. If they did, so what, still better than an easy basket inside. For us, those were just ok shots, we would like to find something better, but if it was there take it.

That is certainly not the case for Paige or Azzi, if the defense left them open that was a major mistake, and I believe although she didn't shoot as well from 3 as I expected, I think Caroline will be way above average from there in the future.

Problem is Paige and Azzi missed 30 games between them, and for quite a few they were both out. In those games we pretty much had no spacing. Next year spacing should be much better with Paige, Azzi, and probably Caroline requiring defenses to guard the three at three positions, and hopefully Ice and Ayanna providing a more serious mid range threat than Liv or Aaliyah did. As a result I expect the interior opportunities to be much better too.

 

[Charliebball]

This concept is so important it bears repeating not to lament last season but UCONN opponents were be entirely disrespectful of several UCONN shooters often conceding shots and touches from large areas of the floor. Those areas of the floor are being conceded to Liv, Nika, Aaliyah Edwards and Aubrey when she was healthy. Ice Brady and Ayanna will help simply by having to be guarded from all areas of the floor.

I thought Edwards made good strides with her midrange and foul shooting last season (.521/.740)..........I'm hopeful she continues to improve her range and consistency next year......

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Blond D.]

One of these days someone will explain to me how the adjective "dominant" became "dominate."

They are misspelling it. Dominant is an adjective as in "she is a dominant player" and dominate is a verb as in "she will dominate the opposition"

 

[jaydee602]

"Oral Roberts Katie Scott (6-3 SO center) has entered her name into the portal. Scott averaged 9.3 PPG and 4.5 RPG in 2021-22 season. She spent her freshman year at Grand Canyon, earning WAC Freshman and Newcomer of the Year honors."
I've seen Katie play against some top opponents. She is a tough competitor, but she needs some refining. Not sure if she fits Geno's style, but she is an interesting option.

 

[Mdoggie]

Since the recruit thread has become a post whoever thread regardless if a recruir or POI. I want to know if Jenna Bandy has any eligibility left?

Jenna Bandy With The SPECIAL MOVE FOR XMAS⚡ #shorts

✔️Subscribe to ESPN+ http://espnplus.com/youtube✔️ Get the ESPN App: http://www.espn.com/espn/apps/espn✔️Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBE...

youtube.com

 

[Fossil]

I thought Deberry was the project ?

She’s not supposed to be. Hopefully this summer training goes well

 

[Fossil]

This concept is so important it bears repeating not to lament last season but UCONN opponents were be entirely disrespectful of several UCONN shooters often conceding shots and touches from large areas of the floor. Those areas of the floor are being conceded to Liv, Nika, Aaliyah Edwards and Aubrey when she was healthy. Ice Brady and Ayanna will help simply by having to be guarded from all areas of the floor.

I feel like Connecticut is getting something backward. The bigger player shoots from further away and the smaller player goes for the rebounds. Is this a recruiting philosophy or just kind of the way it is. Isn’t it traditional for the bigger player to get the rebounds and the smaller player to shoot from distance I don’t know just a thought

 

[CocoHusky]

I feel like Connecticut is getting something backward. The bigger player shoots from further away and the smaller player goes for the rebounds. Is this a recruiting philosophy or just kind of the way it is. Isn’t it traditional for the bigger player to get the rebounds and the smaller player to shoot from distance I don’t know just a thought

Just think it is a generational thing. regardless of the size players are being taught to shoot from further away from the basket. Cunningham is a sort of a throw back if UCONN can get her to leave the west coast.

 

[jabstep]

WOW! It's like someone said she CAN'T go to the left as a right-handed player. This would be video evidence to the contrary! I particularly liked the double-spin move to collapse the defense, and the pass for the 3-pt assist....

Very calm and creative. Keeps the ball up away from the defense. The short, crisp left-handed hook shot is a thing of beauty....

Hopefully, she will commit to UCONN before Thanksgiving...

She could help in the the offense as a freshmen. Hopefully we get get her.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Del Rosario has lost quite a bit of her baby fat. You can see she has improved as a player. Maybe she has matured in several other ways and would be a better fit than I thought. Kids can mature. She's a strong athlete. Could be a real force.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

MaxPreps' Freshman all-american team:


Nyla Brooks, Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.)
6-0 | Forward | Uncommitted

She was thrown into the fire for the Cardinals, as the freshman had to contend with Washington Catholic Athletic Conference competition and some tough out-of-state opponents. She managed 16.1 points and 5.0 rebounds a game.



Aaliyah Chavez, Monterey (Lubbock, Texas)
5-9 | Point guard | Uncommitted

The Plainsmen won 30 games and Chavez did more than her part, scoring 25.7 points a game and grabbing 7.7 rebounds. She also had a 2.9 assist/turnover ratio and made 40 percent of her 3s and 85 percent of her free throws.



Jazzy Davidson, Clackamas (Ore.)
6-1 | Guard | Uncommitted

Her athleticism is off the charts and her 21.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 1.5 blocks a game don't tell the whole story. On top of all that, she's left-handed — which always gives opponents fits — and she's a fine defender.



Keziah Lofton, Bethany (Okla.)
6-0 | Point guard | Uncommitted

The Bronchos rode Lofton's 17.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists a game to a 19-6 season.

2021-22 MaxPreps Freshman All-America Team: ZaKiyah Johnson of Sacred Heart headlines high school girls basketball's best from the Class of 2025

MaxPreps News - Valkyries 'Diaper Dandy' led squad to 36-3 record, Kentucky state title while surpassing 1,400 point mark for career.

www.maxpreps.com

 

[HopJim]

She’s not supposed to be. Hopefully this summer training goes well

In the beginning of last season, DeBerry was part of the rotation, getting off the bench for a few minutes in the 2nd or 3rd Q of each game. Not sure what happened but Geno rarely gives frosh any minutes until mop up time if they are "a project." Hopefully we will see the real DeBerry this year.

 

[visitingcock]

MaxPreps' Freshman all-american team:


Nyla Brooks, Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.)
6-0 | Forward | Uncommitted

She was thrown into the fire for the Cardinals, as the freshman had to contend with Washington Catholic Athletic Conference competition and some tough out-of-state opponents. She managed 16.1 points and 5.0 rebounds a game.



Aaliyah Chavez, Monterey (Lubbock, Texas)
5-9 | Point guard | Uncommitted

The Plainsmen won 30 games and Chavez did more than her part, scoring 25.7 points a game and grabbing 7.7 rebounds. She also had a 2.9 assist/turnover ratio and made 40 percent of her 3s and 85 percent of her free throws.



Jazzy Davidson, Clackamas (Ore.)
6-1 | Guard | Uncommitted

Her athleticism is off the charts and her 21.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 1.5 blocks a game don't tell the whole story. On top of all that, she's left-handed — which always gives opponents fits — and she's a fine defender.



Keziah Lofton, Bethany (Okla.)
6-0 | Point guard | Uncommitted

The Bronchos rode Lofton's 17.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists a game to a 19-6 season.

2021-22 MaxPreps Freshman All-America Team: ZaKiyah Johnson of Sacred Heart headlines high school girls basketball's best from the Class of 2025

MaxPreps News - Valkyries 'Diaper Dandy' led squad to 36-3 record, Kentucky state title while surpassing 1,400 point mark for career.

www.maxpreps.com

I get confused with these way-too-early awards. Recruiting class of 25. Lotta time for development. Nyla Brooks does not appear to be on Hoopgurlz watch-list for that class (yet?). The others are. I haven't checked the other services.

Does MaxPreps evaluate or just go on the numbers/stats. Have never followed their stuff except for numbers/stats/

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I get confused with these way-too-early awards. Recruiting class of 25. Lotta time for development. Nyla Brooks does not appear to be on Hoopgurlz watch-list for that class (yet?). The others are. I haven't checked the other services.

Does MaxPreps evaluate or just go on the numbers/stats. Have never followed their stuff except for numbers/stats/

MaxPreps is basically noting which players (most if not all of them legit prospects) had good seasons by class.

I don't know how much they see of these players. Clay Kallam does the write-ups so it's a legit endeavor. It is a good question though.

 

[sweetspot]

I get confused with these way-too-early awards. Recruiting class of 25. Lotta time for development. Nyla Brooks does not appear to be on Hoopgurlz watch-list for that class (yet?). The others are. I haven't checked the other services.

Does MaxPreps evaluate or just go on the numbers/stats. Have never followed their stuff except for numbers/stats/

Brooks just earned all-conference honors in the same league that Azzi played in, she's very good.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Brooks just earned all-conference honors in the same league that Azzi played in, she's very good.

Brooks is a local kid. Note to self: Get over to Ireton in November and December.