Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="oldhusky, post: 4417471, member: 9844"] I think some of the focus on improvement in Aubrey's perimeter shot has to do with where she is most needed this year. In her first two years she was mostly a 4, and an occasional 3. This year it could be the opposite due to Paige's injury, although Ice also missing the season means we will need her some at the 4 as well. Aubrey is often viewed as a non-scorer but that is not quite true. If memory serves me right her rate of scoring was about average, and her efficiency a little above average. That is despite turning down perimeter shots, and being an afterthought in the offensive scheme. She was effective slashing to the basket, getting out on the break, a great offensive rebounder with easy putbacks, and she drew a ton of fouls. Now the problem is floor spacing and fitting into the offense. As a 4 it is not a big deal, but as a 3 the importance of a perimeter shot is much greater, and Aubrey's talents around the basket less important. If she becomes a dangerous three point threat, we could have a real star here. More realistic perhaps might be hoping that Aubrey becomes an OK 3pt threat, someone who if they are wide open, and have time, you want to go ahead and launch from there, perhaps more like Nika. If she can do that, with the other things she brings, she could be a real asset at the 3, and become the important 5th choice behind the top 4 at the three small positions. That competition is between her, Ines, and Ayanna. Ayanna is in many ways a bigger Aubrey, but in her first year it would be asking a great deal for her to feel comfortable at the wing, but clearly there is a lot of talent there. Ines is probably more of a fallback option, far less talented, but a true guard who can hit the perimeter shot. If Aubrey can be decent from the 3, we won't need to look to the other options at the 3. With Ice's injury she can still get some minutes at the 4 and be used quite a bit. If there is an injury to any of our four main guards, however, she will be needed more exclusively on the wing, because the 5th guard option then becomes the principle backup to all the guards, and the odds that will happen at some point in the season are pretty high, so turning Aubrey into a wing is a pretty important factor this year. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach