Assuming there is a season, who will have the biggest improvement from last season? | The Boneyard

Assuming there is a season, who will have the biggest improvement from last season?

Who will have the biggest visible improvement over last season?

  • Christyn

  • Olivia

  • Aubrey

  • Anna

Results are only viewable after voting.
EricSD

EricSD

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So assuming we have a season, who do you think will show the most improvement? Hard to guess since we don't know what most of them have been able to do over the summer, but it's just a poll for your opinion. Plus, I thought it might be fun to discuss something other than "who will the starters be"...

Note - I left off the incoming freshmen as well as Evina since none of them played for UCONN last season. In a way it's sort of an odd poll since we literally only have 4 players coming back who played last season, but it's "down time", so let the speculation begin!
 
MilfordHusky said:
Based on being the least consistent of the 4 last season and playing against her brother (a top-10 Duke recruit) this summer, I'm choosing Aubrey.
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I'm hopeful that Aubrey does make great advances because based on what she showed last year, I thought she was a great athlete but not showing herself to have good basketball skills .... She's not shown herself to have the ability to shoot the basketball very well but with work, that could change and hopefully will ....
 
MilfordHusky said:
Based on being the least consistent of the 4 last season and playing against her brother (a top-10 Duke recruit) this summer, I'm choosing Aubrey.
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Wouldn’t she have played against her brother and gotten her father’s coaching last summer? ;)
 
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I see the vote is close, as it should be. I would have picked all of them. Aubrey needed to improve (her offensive game) more than others. CW and Ono have to make upperclass jump. Anna improved as her first season progressed. I suspect it continues.
 
Buzzyboy said:
I'm hopeful that Aubrey does make great advances because based on what she showed last year, I thought she was a great athlete but not showing herself to have good basketball skills .... She's not shown herself to have the ability to shoot the basketball very well but with work, that could change and hopefully will ....
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I remember an early game last year when the announcers said that Geno told her to do those things she was good at and she had a green light to shoot 3's, drive and rebound. She chose not to shoot 3's, not the coaches. I think her problem was that she did a lot of the things that Collier did, and Collier, being a senior, did them better.

My choice for most improved is Geno, at least in the eyes of the media and a few here. He is going to go from reading about how he is on the downside of his career to being the coach of an undefeated team. :rolleyes:
 
Who needs to? Christyn Williams
**During her freshman year, I thought she *could* be National POY during her junior and senior seasons. I had no idea she would not only not make the sophomore leap, but in many ways, she seemed to regress. I've never seen a UCONN player with her abilities miss so many close layups and shots.

**Next is ONO-I hope she is tougher, doesn't shoot layups from her hips, and STOPPPPPPS swiping down for every block.

Who will? Anna Makurat
**Her basketball ability was evident last year. She is the difference maker, IMO.
 
I'm going with Olivia. The reason - Jamelle is back!!

We all noticed the difference in Liv's play when Jamelle filled in for Jas. Now imagine starting the season with Jamelle coaching her full time. There's going to be some tough and nasty down low!
 
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JordyG said:
Evina of course. Anything she does this year will be an improvement from last year. Also, since she will be a starter on day one that will be a double improvement.
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Come on JordyG. Westbrook is not eligible for a vote.:p Per EricLA. Also, I think many will not recognize Aubrey because of her improvement, offensively. She will, I believe, show the posters who think she does not have an outside shot how wrong they are. Her offense will be needed this season.
 
BobbyJ said:
Wouldn’t she have played against her brother and gotten her father’s coaching last summer? ;)
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They weren't quarantined at home together last spring/summer.
 
I went with Aubrey for the simple reason that of the four she has the most room for improvement. Last year she looked every bit a freshman trying to figure things out on the fly. The other 3 have room to improve but we know what their games look like, where as Aubrey has yet to show much of what she will develop into. She may end up having the best career of the four. I really think Paige will have a great positive influence on her game, both physical and mental.
 
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I picked Anna but it really depends how you quantify the improvement. Is it compared to the entirety of last season, or the last month or so?

Anna and Olivia seemed to me to improve the most during the course of the season - Olivia possibly because of Jamelle, and Anna because she just seemed to relax.

Can't wait to see them all this year.
 
I hope it Anna because if she can consistenly hit her 3's (say 42%)..it will open up the court for the others,prevent the double team and force the defense away from the zone. but I still love the 0 for America quip...
 
I voted for ONO for the very simple reason that she will have the least competition for her minutes. 1 - 4 have eight potentially very capable players getting minutes at those spots. The 5 only has ONO and Gabriel, the latter of which is reported to be a project.

For a similar reason I think ONO's improvement is the most important for the team.
 
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Great thread. I can't disagree with any selection.

However, l selected Aubury who I hope will have a "Big" improvement. That talked about Sophomore jump. She will need that if she wants to be a starter.

I'm hoping Anna will continue from where last season ended along with that famous Sophomore jump.

Ono. I'm thinking a continuation from the end of last year. . Didn't see a big improvement in her game. I think she will continue to be a foul waiting to happen. Even though I thought she was improving towards the end of last year as was the whole team led by Anna. I'm not expecting a big improvement in her Junior year. Hope I'm wrong.

Christyn . . . ? Her Sophomore jump never happened. I couldn't argue with anyone who were to suggest she regressed in her second year. I think if the team were to take the floor today she would be a starter. If her level of performance, in practice doesn't greatly improved, I see her coming off the bench so a starting freshman can have a moment of coaching befor going back in.
 
EricLA said:
So assuming we have a season, who do you think will show the most improvement? Hard to guess since we don't know what most of them have been able to do over the summer, but it's just a poll for your opinion. Plus, I thought it might be fun to discuss something other than "who will the starters be"...

Note - I left off the incoming freshmen as well as Evina since none of them played for UCONN last season. In a way it's sort of an odd poll since we literally only have 4 players coming back who played last season, but it's "down time", so let the speculation begin!
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Good post Eric. You’re right. We definitely need a break from trying to figure out who the starters will be. Since we can only vote for one, I chose Ania. She came on strong the second half of the season. I think she picks up where she left off.

My other consideration is ONO. I thought she would have a breakout year, and play “lights out” this year and next. That was before Jamelle decided to permanently return to the coaching staff (which absolutely made my day when the news broke).

With Elliott having her from day one this year, I think ONO will flourish and be even better than I originally thought. I look for Jamelle to add some much needed “bite” to ONO’s bark. Olivia has matured over the last 2 seasons. I’m looking for her to make plays on both ends of the court on a “consistent“ basis, and stay out of foul trouble. I expect ONO to “easily” average a double double this year.

She won’t be asked to carry the team. She’ll have too much talent around her for that. She’s always been a no nonsense player. That won’t change. All she has to do is “her job.” The rest will take care of it self. Her teammates will be making plays. All she has to do is consistently join in the fun and get some.

Geno has so much talent on this team. I can’t wait to see Aubrey Griffin 2.0. She will also pick up where she left off being a human highlight player. I also look for Paige to find her sea legs early on, and provide some oohs and ahhhs as well. It’s going to be fun watching them, and singing their praises all season.
 
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My view was based on who the “team” needs to improve the most. In my opinion that is Olivia followed in order by Christyn,Aubrey, and Anna .
 
Williams is the leader. IMO she can average 20-6 and 6. If she develops a killer instinct look out!
 
and one said:
I went with Aubrey for the simple reason that of the four she has the most room for improvement. Last year she looked every bit a freshman trying to figure things out on the fly. The other 3 have room to improve but we know what their games look like, where as Aubrey has yet to show much of what she will develop into. She may end up having the best career of the four. I really think Paige will have a great positive influence on her game, both physical and mental.
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A lot of HS stars were the focus of their team's offense and never learned to play without the ball. Even Stewart looked lost at times early in her career. Makurat adjusted quicker because she wasn't the star on her league team. UConn sophomores come back knowing they belong instead of wondering. Confidence is amazing.
I agree that Bueckers will have a positive effect on Griffin. Griffin will learn that if she gets open the ball will arrive in the right spot at the right time. Bueckers will make all her team mates much more efficient.
 
Alydar said:
A lot of HS stars were the focus of their team's offense and never learned to play without the ball. Even Stewart looked lost at times early in her career. Makurat adjusted quicker because she wasn't the star on her league team. UConn sophomores come back knowing they belong instead of wondering. Confidence is amazing.
I agree that Bueckers will have a positive effect on Griffin. Griffin will learn that if she gets open the ball will arrive in the right spot at the right time. Bueckers will make all her team mates much more efficient.
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From what I have seen and heard from PB, she has the game and personality to be a DT type - having high expectations for teammates, a passion to win, the ability to get the ball where it needs to be. I don't know if Westbrook is that type or not.
 
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