Ayanna and Ice Expectations

[VA Huskie]

I’m wondering what people thought Ayanna and Ice would contribute this year, had they both been healthy. ESPN had them ranked 4th and 5th respectively in last year’s senior class. I thought they’d be pretty big pieces of this year’s team. Ayanna has shown flashes, but mostly looked pretty inconsistent. Would Ice have shown more? I realize that “bigs” typically take longer to adjust to the college game. Any thoughts on how Ayanna has done so far and whether Ice might have contributed more. How ‘bout expectations for next year?

 

[SVCBeercats]

I’m wondering what people thought Ayanna and Ice would contribute this year, had they both been healthy. ESPN had them ranked 4th and 5th respectively in last year’s senior class. I thought they’d be pretty big pieces of this year’s team. Ayanna has shown flashes, but mostly looked pretty inconsistent. Would Ice have shown more? I realize that “bigs” typically take longer to adjust to the college game. Any thoughts on how Ayanna has done so far and whether Ice might have contributed more. How ‘bout expectations for next year?

I expected Patterson to be an athletic work in progress as we have seen thus far. She is far more athlete than basketball skilled. I expected Isuneh to to be a member of the regular rotation no later than January 1. She is all basketball player with well develop skills and a real feel for the game. I expect Patterson to develop so as junior she will begin to see about 15-20 minutes per game Isuneh next season should either start or play 20-25 minutes per game making significant contributions to team success

 

[Alydar]

I hope the memories of the mixed reviews of Muhl's freshman season are considered in Patterson's case.

 

[pvdoggy]

Speaking of lofty expectations, I still remember some people here saying that Patterson would push Boston around this year before she even showed up in Storrs.

 

[Alydar]

Speaking of lofty expectations, I still remember some people here saying that Patterson would push Boston around this year before she even showed up in Storrs.

And some are saying that KK will be ready to play day 1. She'll be the No 3 pg at best and that isn't due to her lack of talent but to the ungodly talent and experience ahead of her.

But what an opportunity to learn next season will be for all of the freshmen.

 

[TeamFirst!]

I think Ice was probably more ready for college ball but we will find out next year.

 

[Puppy Love]

Expectation is premeditated resentment.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Expectation is premeditated resentment.

Sooooo this is how you feel about CD and Geno's or anyone's recruiting? Don't they have expectations for the recruits? Soooo are you saying CD and Geno's recruiting is resentful?
I guess this means I am extremely resentful of Jana El Alfy, since I have very high expectations for her.

 

[SVCBeercats]

I hope the memories of the mixed reviews of Muhl's freshman season are considered in Patterson's case.

What can be said other than some people just don't know talent when they see it. Nika's game and highlight videos from the Croatian and European leagues showed a skilled player who understands basketball. However she had to get used to American referees and learn learn to play within Geno's system and not her own system. The skills were there sans high percentage shooting. Her stubbornness held her back until she realized as the equally stubborn Stewie learned, Geno always wins. You play his way.

 

[Huskee11]

The keys to next season are Aubrey returning, and overcoming inexperience at the center position. The UConn talent and depth elsewhere is astonishing.

I think Ice is the answer to the second item. Unfortunately we have yet to see her play for UConn, but the expectations are high.

If Geno hits the portal in the off-season it will be a one year player to provide insurance at that position. I doubt he will, but that is the only possible concern that I have, lack of experience at that spot. Other than injury, of course.

 

[Bone Dog]

I expected Patterson to be an athletic work in progress as we have seen thus far. She is far more athlete than basketball skilled. I expected Isuneh to to be a member of the regular rotation no later than January 1. She is all basketball player with well develop skills and a real feel for the game.

I'm with @SVCBeercats on this distinction. It was how I felt over the summer, and I still think this is what we'll see next January 1. I watched a few of their HS games and the difference was very marked at that time. Ice was a player back then and Ayanna is an athlete.

Speaking of lofty expectations, I still remember some people here saying that Patterson would push Boston around this year before she even showed up in Storrs.

I remember those threads. I think the point back then was that Ayana wouldn't get pushed around by Saxton and Amihere, and that Dorka Aaliyah and Ice wouldn't get out-muscled by Aliyah and Kamila. I don't think anyone suggested that any of our bigs would dominate SC's bigs. If we win that game, it will be because our guard play dominates and Ms. X Factor (I mean Aubrey), and that our bigs hold their own. I think this is still true. This will also be true in any game against Stanford.

One last point: there were two HS games that brought Ayanna against Ashlynn. In the second one, Ashlynn's team won going away, and Ashlynn dominated. Ayanna was a force for Homestead HS (as she will eventually be for UConn), but there was simply no containing Ashlynn. My point is that Ashlynn is already a player and a leader. I think it's easier to develop guard skills in HS than post skills, and interestingly Ayanna often played in the high post or even on the wing in HS.

 

[Ralph]

You never how someone will turn out until they play, and even then you may have to wait a year or two. We have seen that with several bigs, Tina Charles, Steph, etc. Some don't ever measure up to our expectations (first team AA or you are a flop). I would expect to Geno to try to pick up big grad transfer next year as an insurance policy. Think of us this year without Dorka, relying on Deberry and Patterson in the post. Who knows how our current bigs will be next year. As a related thought can you imagine what Ohio State would be like this year if they still had Dorka. Challenging for number one? Or would they for some reason not be as good, somehow not as good a team chemistry no matter how great Dorka is. A person can be great for one team, one coach's system and just not right for another. Just have fun watching how it all plays out. But we better win. I am going to the game tomorrow, expecting I will be able to relax, enjoy and have fun.

 

[Ozimoto]

The problems occur when our hopes become our expectations...

 

[veryolddog]

What has been on my mind lately, is who will replace Dorka? There is 15 points per game and many times double digits for rebounds. Can any one of these young ladies or is there a new recruit than can do this?

 

[JellyBean]

I thought that they would come in and make a huge impact. Ayanna with her ultra-athletic ability and Ice with her size, soft shooting stroke, and her skill in the paint, I had visions of them just causing chaos and pure destruction for opponents that got in their way on the hardwood. They would have added some solid depth to the rotation and helped the team overall.

 

[Bone Dog]

What has been on my mind lately, is who will replace Dorka? There is 15 points per game and many times double digits for rebounds. Can any one of these young ladies or is there a new recruit than can do this?

It's a really good question. Aaliyah will need someone next to her in the post. If that's Amari, she'll have had to develop her post game quite a bit this season.

Ice is a clear candidate, though she'll effectively be a rusty freshman at first, and she's also only 6'3". That pair, Aaliyah and Ice will be a bit like Indiana's Holmes and Gulbe last season -- they were skilled enough to carry Indiana to the S16, but they lacked the size and the guard play to go further. It was really just those two and a bunch of folks under 6'. We will have dazzling guard play and more height elsewhere (see below). Perhaps that can make the difference.

Jana looks to me like she will eventually be able to replace Dorka in the post, but maybe not completely next year. She has good high post skills and seems to be happier there in HS. Will she be able to compete in the low post in D1? She's tall enough -- a Stewie type, 6'4" with very long arms, a face up game and good ball handling skills. But Stewie also had other more traditional bigs, like Steph or Kiah available.

Ayanna and Aubrey and Caroline and Q will bring some extra punch, since any of them should be able to put in some minutes in the paint as well as playing further out. We will have a lot of 6'2" athletic types that may make up for a lot next year.

In other words, I don't think we'll be small next year. How good we'll be in the post remains to be seen.

 

[Blond D.]

When I saw both of them play in an all-star tournament I wasnt impressed. They seemed a bit over whelmed by the other players. They didnt stand out at all. I thought then it might take some time to get them used to playing against super-high quality players like you find in college. Not too many freshmen really make an impact their first year especially like Paige and Azzi did and to an extent Nika.

 

[Longtime fan]

Speaking of lofty expectations, I still remember some people here saying that Patterson would push Boston around this year before she even showed up in Storrs.

You mean Brady, not Patterson, don't you?

 

[Notyetready]

UConn has 14 players on the roster next year-- assuming Griffin returns-- with 5 freshmen: Ice Brady (redshirt), F, 6'4"; Jana Al Alfy, C, 6'4"; KK Arnold, G, 5'8"; Ashlynn Shade, G, 5'10"; and Qadence Samuels, W, 6'1". That's the way they are listed on the WBB Blog recruit tracker. With 14 players, the likelihood of Geno dipping into the transfer portal for a 15th player is very slim. In my view, Jana Al Alfy may have just as good a chance of starting as Ice Brady. And nobody knows what the future will bring for Amari. What we do know is that Aaliyah Edwards is in the midst of a stellar year on the precipice of national stardom and, barring injury, will be a key player next year. But my point is, let's remember Al Alfy is in the mix until she isn't.

 

[Pilot B52]

With all the conversations about injuries and just bad luck affecting our depth and player availability, I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I am Hopeful that we will have a full and healthy compliment of our current talented returning players in the future. Next year we will enjoy the prospect of having five (yes, five!) really promising players with 4 years eligibility each vying for playing time. You have to add a healthy Ice Brady to the 4 incoming freshman, Ashlyn Shade, KK Arnold, Qadence Samuels and Jana El Alfy. Looking at this five, it is close to a perfect team in itself. A point guard, two bigs and two guards or wings. I just hope we do not lose any of them to transfer due to not having enough room and PT for them all. It will be exciting to see. Meanwhile I have hope for the returning wounded and our chances this year. I think we have a legitimate shot at the NC. Our girls are fantastic!

 

[dtbtbtb]

my expectations were that Ice will be Tuck 2.0, in other words a smart player with a variety of post moves with a reliable shot extending to the 3 and that is still my expectation for her for next season. For Patterson i've expected to have a strong rebounder and tough defender with limited offensive game (as we saw from her team USA games). While she showed flashes of those, believe that by the time she is a junior she'll be a feared.by our opponents as kind of a taller Morrow- type of player (without shooting all the time).
For Jana, call me crazy but I'm thinking a Satu Sabbaly type player so no pressure

 

[Bone Dog]

my expectations were that Ice will be Tuck 2.0, in other words a smart player with a variety of post moves with a reliable shot extending to the 3 and that is still my expectation for her for next season. For Patterson i've expected to have a strong rebounder and tough defender with limited offensive game (as we saw from her team USA games). While she showed flashes of those, believe that by the time she is a junior she'll be a feared.by our opponents as kind of a taller Morrow- type of player (without shooting all the time).
For Jana, call me crazy but I'm thinking a Satu Sabbaly type player so no pressure

My sentiments too, though I’d add that Ice will be 2.0 in the sense that she’s a bit bigger than the earlier edition, Tuck 1.0.

 

[VA Huskie]

Thanks for all the comments about Yanna and Ice. They give me a much better sense of each person’s skills. Can’t wait to see both of them, side by side, next year!

 

[SVCBeercats]

The keys to next season are Aubrey returning, and overcoming inexperience at the center position. The UConn talent and depth elsewhere is astonishing.

I think Ice is the answer to the second item. Unfortunately we have yet to see her play for UConn, but the expectations are high.

If Geno hits the portal in the off-season it will be a one year player to provide insurance at that position. I doubt he will, but that is the only possible concern that I have, lack of experience at that spot. Other than injury, of course.

I think Ice and Jana will be amazing within the context of their college inexperience. However, by January, 2024 they will compliment Aaliyah excellently. UCONN's frontline will be awesome. (I had just ingested my Tonyc pill.)