Azura Stevens Leaving | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Azura Stevens Leaving

bbballfan23 said:
We won’t have a true center but we didn’t have 1 two years ago & were fine.
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You guys had Gabby though who played like a 6-4 post. Camara/Walker need to improve big time, or ONO will have to be a big contributor. Somehow I think UCONN will still end up being UCONN and everything will work out fine. Matching up with Baylor and Notre Dame looks like a more difficult task now.
 
HoopsFan21 said:
We're pretty screwed next year. I mean Lou, Collier, and Crystal are great and all, but that's literally the entire team right now.
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Well, you have those three plus two other number one recruits and a top 5 incoming freshman....I'm not feeling too bad for you guys.
 
Also, if you had told me at the start of the year that Z would leave, I would have given Megan a lot more run than someone that was just using the program for a year to get to the next level. I'm actually kinda pissed about this.
 
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Not surprised. We had this discussion last summer and while many expressed the view that Geno had a two-year "commitment" from Z, I thought H.L. Menken's line, "When they tell you it's not about money, it's about money" would prevail. I'm sorry to have gotten this one right.

The Menken observation and my prediction, aside, you guys know way more about this than I do so does this mean CW is a near-lock to start as a freshman? Can a front line of Pheesa, Lou and Walker get enough rebounds? Is it possible that ONO starts?

Time for you astute, long-time UConn women's basketball observers to make some assessments.
 
CL82 said:
Oh he'd consider it, the question is whether they'd be ready to contribute.

Right now it looks like:

Crystal
Lou
Pheesa
Megan
Batouly
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Apparently you guys didn’t watch the Batouly I did. She missed how many layups against competition that had basically given up by the time she was in. She may have to play for defense & rebounding purposes but goodness I hope she doesn’t have aspirations of being a scorer.
HoopsFan21 said:
Also, if you had told me at the start of the year that Z would leave, I would have given Megan a lot more run than someone that was just using the program for a year to get to the next level. I'm actually kinda pissed about this.
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I’m thinking the staff was caught off guard a bit by this, as we all were. Knowing this early could have changed the landscape of their recruiting if they could tell a post that Azura is leaving & there will be a starting spot up for grabs.
 
So who is our post player next year? Kyla? If I'm Geno I go all in on ONO from day one. If next year is going to be a rebuilding year of sorts (by UConn standards of course), then let's get something out of it.
 
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Good for her. Why play for free when you can get paid. Good luck to Z, being on the team for two Final Fours is nothing to sneeze at.
 
Our starters who had amazing chemistry two seasons ago after the Big Three departed basically had to accommodate Z coming in and trying to learn the system thus sacrificing some of their game last season. I hope Geno thinks long and hard next time this situation comes up.
 
bbballfan23 said:
Apparently you guys didn’t watch the Batouly I did. She missed how many layups against competition that had basically given up by the time she was in. She may have to play for defense & rebounding purposes but goodness I hope she doesn’t have aspirations of being a scorer.

I’m thinking the staff was caught off guard a bit by this, as we all were. Knowing this early could have changed the landscape of their recruiting if they could tell a post that Azura is leaving & there will be a starting spot up for grabs.
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I'm not sure how it could have changed recruiting. They recruited Charli Collier and she committed and then changed her mind to stay closer to home. They recruited Prince but she wanted to stay home. They recruited ONO and she's coming. They recruited Ezi and she decided to stay in Australia (it was a close call). I'm not sure what they would have or could have done differently for the class of 2018.
 
HoopsFan21 said:
So who is our post player next year? Kyla? If I'm Geno I go all in on ONO from day one. If next year is going to be a rebuilding year of sorts (by UConn standards of course), then let's get something out of it.
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Haha guys we have an AA post player still. Her name is Napheesa Collier. Relax! ONO, Camara (spot minutes) & maybe a grad transfer will be our other bodies down low.
 
I can't take much more heartbreak..... First we lose to ND.... Then ND win's the championship.... Now we lose Z. :( I wish Z the best. She'll always be a Husky. Nobody post any other bad news please :P
 
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How many players will be on the team next year?
 
UConnCat said:
I'm not sure how it could have changed recruiting. They recruited Charli Collier and she committed and then changed her mind to stay closer to home. They recruited Prince but she wanted to stay home. They recruited ONO and she's coming. They recruited Ezi and she decided to stay in Australia (it was a close call). I'm not sure what they would have or could have done differently for the class of 2018.
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It’s different when you have 30 more minutes per game of playing time up for grabs. These girls are competitors & want to play right away.
 
I’m going to look at this as a “glass half full” situation. The 3 returning starters are as good as any 3 players on any other team in the country. Great opportunity for Megan, BatCam & hopefully Mikayla to become major contributors next year. Also, fully expect CW & ONO to be given every opportunity to develop quickly and contribute as freshmen.

I fully expect the Huskies to take a loss or two next season, particularly with tough OOC road games at Baylor, ND & Louisville. But come tournament time, UConn will be a very dangerous team.
 
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CL82 said:
A little surprised. Z's game would have benefited from another year. It think she'd have had a special year.

That said, I wish her all the best.

Who is our center next year?
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Maybe Molly Bent can play center. We are unprepared and screwed. Only the freshman can fill that spot. Maybe Batouly, but I am not even sure she can play at all.
 
bbballfan23 said:
It’s different when you have 30 more minutes per game of playing time up for grabs. These girls are competitors & want to play right away.
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I understand your point but it doesn't seem that playing time was a factor for these kids. Do you think CCollier's decision was about Z taking minutes away? I don't.
 
HoopsFan21 said:
So who is our post player next year? Kyla? If I'm Geno I go all in on ONO from day one. If next year is going to be a rebuilding year of sorts (by UConn standards of course), then let's get something out of it.
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Rebuilding?? Whaa??? The heck with rebuilding. We don't "rebuild." Just gotta figure out how to get it done, that's all! (We DO have assets.)
 
uconnfan68 said:
I fear she’ll regret this. Quite frankly, she wasn’t even starter material for us this year. She was able to impact a few games, but that impact was both for and against us. Wish her well anyway.
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My disappointment comes from the fact that I fully expected her to return and with a year of actually playing games in the UConn system plus another summer of workouts, she was poised to have a monster final year. I also feel a little betrayed, and I suspect the coaching staff does as well.
 
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