Ashlynn Shade? Not a lot of talk about her

[SVCBeercats]

Why is there loads of talk about every other guard as a starter and/or contributor but not much if any talk about Ash? Seriously, not being snide. Seems she should be seriously considered as a starter. Could be a misperception on my part.

 

[HuskyNan]

 

[EricLA]

See the "who will start poll"... the 340 or so fans who voted feel she should be one of the starting 5!

I think she's a fairly known entity, and most everyone feels she will be a little better than last year, and therefore, really good!

 

[Alydar]

Shade became a disrupter on defense and more aggressive and efficient on offense in her 2nd year and her on-court awareness will only get better this season.

I don't think she does many tik-toc's.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

"Ash, could you help me move my stuff into the dorm." Trucks attract friends. Looking forward to seeing more of Ash come fall.

 

[Bone Dog]

She should put a liner in the bed of that pickup before it gets dinged up.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think Ash will either be a starter, or she will be one of the first 3 off the bench. She will get major minutes.

 

[Charliebball]

perhaps she's being taken for granted but that's because she's pretty reliable as an energetic two-way player so fans know what to expect of her either as a starter or an important bench asset.....

 

[hookshot]

Why is there loads of talk about every other guard as a starter and/or contributor but not much if any talk about Ash? Seriously, not being snide. Seems she should be seriously considered as a starter. Could be a misperception on my part.

It's because as EricLA said, you know what you are getting with Ash and it is very good (not too much mystery). At each of the 5 positions next year there likely could be a two player share plus a back up development player, i.e. X1 / X2 + Y - e.g. PG: KK / Kayleigh Heckel, + Kelis Fisher as the development backup; Post: Serah Williams / Jana, + Gandy as the development backup; PF: SS / Ice + Ayanna (?) still as the development player..... So you'd have 10 players at 5 positions sharing most of the game time, and the 5 remaining development (or injured) players picking up any minutes they can find, here and there. It won't be too important if it is 60/40 KK/Kayleigh Heckel or the other way around, they both would be defacto rotation players, getting significant minutes. Ash will be either starting or getting very significant share minutes. Sure, the rotation may shrink to 8 or 9 come March Madness but 10 players could achieve or approach double digit minutes during most of the schedule. Boneyarders like to contemplate mysteries - will Ducharme recover enough to be a share player ? Will Blanca indeed be a share rotation player (as opposed to a first year development player) ? Can Morgan, Ali and Ayanna all find significant minutes ? Who then will be the 5 players that will be relatively starved for minutes ? With all that to ponder, no one is spending much time worrying about Ash - she'll be fine

 

[Just.A.Fan]

There are just a lot of guards on this team, some with truly unknown capabilities at this point. If most of those questions comeback with positive answers, then it would be hard to see Ash in the starting lineup. It will also depend a great deal on whether Geno goes big or small?

 

[JellyBean]

Ashlynn is one of those players that, no matter where she plays, is going to make an impact and I think that is why we don't get caught up in the whole "Why isn't Ashlynn in the conversation for starter?" We know she is going to come out and do her thang.

 

[jcoton56]

Ash is one of the most ‘team first’ players on the squad and Geno knows it. If he gives her a job, she gives it 110%. Great weak side rebounder, good but streaky shooter, awesome teammate, coach’s kid and all round tough as nails player. With her motor, she has to be in the mix.

 

[oldude]

Every girl from the Midwest needs an F150….

 

[victor64]

I share the board and Geno's love of Ash's game. However, with the quality and quantity of next year's roster, her minutes may decrease next year. Consider:

1. She pretty much just plays the two. As well as she rebounds, she might play some 3 if Geno's utilizes his small lineup. I have not noticed her playing any point.

2. If Allie makes the sophomore leap and shows the all around game that she demonstrated in HS and shoots to her reputation, she might take some of Ash's minutes.

3. I have read here that Kelis might be more suited to play 2. What happens to Ash's minutes if Kelis earns Geno's trust?

4. If Morgan Cheli returns to 100% health, she is quick and athletic enough to earn minutes at 2.

5. We have seen video of Blanca's game but we don't know for sure how that translates. With her defensive prowess, she and KK could be a menace to the opposition's guards. Can Blanca play the two?

There are things Ash can do to improve her game. I still think where she puts her left hand when she shoots causes her inconsistency. She won't change at this late stage but I wish she would study Azzi's mechanics.

Ash does not show her mid range game enough. She gets way off the ground on the shot and and go to the basket easily with either hand.

I have not seen much of her doing pick and roll action. Maybe that play was just for the point guards and Azzi. I think Ash is a good enough passer to be effective running screen and rolls.

I repeat. I am a huge Ash Shade fan. I just think that, like some others on the roster, she has challenges heading into her junior year.

 

[Dogdude]

Probably because there's not much to talk about. Most of the kids have all sorts of "what if..." comments, and in a good way. "What if she can finish around the basket consistently...wow!.." Or, "What if she can continue with her shooting percentage...wow!.." With Ash, there's no what ifs...she just is Ash, and that's great.

 

[HopJim]

Alot of the excitement comes from projecting "potential." Will Jana become a dominate big, will Sarah play at Player of the Year level, etc. While I keep thinking about Shade's 20-point quarter, she is aways playing at 125% speed, is in top 1% shape, and does what Geno asks. Less drama = less click bait at this time of the year.

 

[SVCBeercats]

See the "who will start poll"... the 340 or so fans who voted feel she should be one of the starting 5!

I think she's a fairly known entity, and most everyone feels she will be a little better than last year, and therefore, really good!

Fifty percent for a player who started 45 of the last 78 games versus players with little to no experience in UCONN games?

 

[SVCBeercats]

It's because as EricLA said, you know what you are getting with Ash and it is very good (not too much mystery).

Same with KK, Caorline, etc.?

 

[Veteran]

Remember when so many people on here questioned why Nika was a starter? She started because Geno saw the tremendous value her grit and tenacity brought to the team. And there's a reason why Ash was on the floor for so much of the title game, especially the dominant 4th quarter when she brought her own unique brand of joyful tenacity and grit. The tremendous ovation at about the 4:30 mark of the 4th quarter was right after another tenacious Ashlyn offensive rebound. It was no coincidence. And all that proves to Geno that Ashlyn brings what he wants to the team, just like Nika did.

Ash will be a starter this coming season.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

In her Freshman Year I came up with a "slogan" for Ashlyn... "Ash is Cash"... meaning You (And GENO) know what we are going to get when Ashyln hists the floor... High Energy, No Stop Motor, Superior chaos on defense, Excellence from the three or driving. She has NO Quit. Geno WILL find plenty of playing time for her... She is Unique and does so many things great!

ASH is CASH

 

[Next 12]

Ashlynn scored 419 points in her FRESHMAN year and a little over 300 points last year. I believed Ashlynn deserved a starting role last year. She's going to be a junior this year and again she deserves a starting role. Does anyone believe that Ashlynn won't be better this year? My belief is Ashlynn would have scored more than 400 points last year IF she had started. I know GENO knows what he is doing,but again playing LESS minutes makes it harder to score to your capabilities. I am a HUGE fan of Ashlynn and Caroline also. If Caroline shows GENO she is back. I hope he gives her significant playing time as it is her last year..GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bigboote]

perhaps she's being taken for granted but that's because she's pretty reliable as an energetic two-way player so fans know what to expect of her either as a starter or an important bench asset.....

Even Geno had been known to take her for granted: “Sometimes I forget how lucky we are to have Ash on our team.”

 

[EricLA]

Fifty percent for a player who started 45 of the last 78 games versus players with little to no experience in UCONN games?

50% for a player who started 0 games last season that weren't due to injury of a regular starter. Paige was out 2 games and Azzi out 6 but came off the bench for 4 when she came back from injury. My point is barring injuries, Ash would have started 0 games last season.

I'm simply not getting your point or seeming disbelief. She started 33 games as a freshman out of necessity as the team basically had a roster of 6, not counting DeBerry and Bettencourt.

I'm also not getting the comments about "taking her for granted". Really? There's not a sane UConn fan out there who doesn't appreciate what she (and KK) have contributed the past 2 seasons.

 

[MooseJaw]

Why is there loads of talk about every other guard as a starter and/or contributor but not much if any talk about Ash? Seriously, not being snide. Seems she should be seriously considered as a starter. Could be a misperception on my part.

Nope, no misconception, I agree, my posts have been very clear on Ash. She is one of my top 5 players at this point. Very clear in my previous posts. One reason she doesn't get the talk is she is not at all controversial, the young lady just goes out and does her job night after night.

 

[Bone Dog]

Sheesh! I’ve been one of Yeehaw’s biggest cheerleaders from the moment her commitment was announced. I watched loads of her high school games and talked up her virtues for three years now. I don’t think anyone could want more from a cheerleader.

But fine, I’ll go a step further. She’ll make it in the W. Why? Because she’s an iron woman and will out work everyone at that level too. And if she improves her perimeter shooting, she will be sought after. And she’s already shooting 41%. She will tire of the W before the W tires of her.