Azzi's Team | Page 3 | The Boneyard

Azzi's Team

Azzi will definitely be a type of leader for this team, and she’s grown a lot since her freshman year here. But I still think Azzi is more similar to Sarah in that she lets her actions speak for her. KK will be a junior and has the energy, charisma, voice, and personality to be THE leader of the team. She’s also very close with the last PG who ran the team since she was a freshman.
 
I think the team will be the best defensive team in Wcbb. That They will shut teams down and we will have enough offense to be dominant. I have watched tape of Serah Williams and how she is great as using her body to shield defenders in the paint to create space for entry passes. She is also a great rim protector.
I think this team will be the best UConn in many years. All of the players will have to compete for playing time and you better play defense if you want to get on the floor.
 
bayern7 said:
Azzi will definitely be a type of leader for this team, and she’s grown a lot since her freshman year here. But I still think Azzi is more similar to Sarah in that she lets her actions speak for her. KK will be a junior and has the energy, charisma, voice, and personality to be THE leader of the team. She’s also very close with the last PG who ran the team since she was a freshman.
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don't see it this way, a large leap for the team clown to become the team leader. It may happen, but I would be surprised. I love me some KK, just know when I played team sports we would have never followed a player like KK on the floor. She would have been something like the team social director. Can KK become the team leader, yes if she has a personality transformation, but then it wouldn't be the same KK now on the team. A leader will emerge; however, we can't expect that leader to be Paige light. Paige as a teammate, player and leader is the definition of generational. One of one.
 
cabbie191 said:
Happy to but all things considered, I’d rather see her swishing those 3’s!
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I love Azzi but I think the “We have…. and you don’t” is no longer available. (at least as a singular) That ship sailed when SS stepped on campus. I suppose we could just say SS and Azzi? I’m not one of those who resents Azzi’s MOP trophyy but I do think it was very clear that the award (at the very least) should have been shared between them. Obviously that had nothing to do with Azzi, in fact, I’m actually glad she won (see above) because I have a feeling Sarah is about to turn women’s basketball on it’s ear for the next three years! I think it may be similar to Stewie’s run where she basically vacuumed up all the “Most…” awards and no one else had a chance. (Except for Mo in 2015? when, unlike Azzi, they failed to give her the award even though most believed she had played better.) I wish they would be more open to shared awards when it is warranted.
Having said that, while it’s possible Azzi becomes the leader, I am hoping it will be KK. If she can step up and assume that role, then we don’t have to worry about it for two years, at which time Sarah will likely be ready to take it on. I think Azzi is going to have a great year and obviously could be the leader and/or win awards, but I just think it’s going to take a lot of doing to outshine Sarah for the next three years.
 
cferraro04 said:
Next year, we will unleash the three-headed monster. Azzi, Sarah and Serah. This is what makes it difficult for other teams to play UConn. There are options all over the court and on the bench. I'm trying to get my head around the possibility that if Caroline Ducharme is 100 percent, she will be a potent 4th option.
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And the play, that Geno will rehearse to perfection with the above 3, in all its infinite variations is the pick-and-roll as exemplified by the Utah squad in the Malone/Stockton era.

Virtually unguardable ...and here we have 3 players that can interchange roles
(as differentiated from the team from Salt Lake)!

I foresee lots of easy buckets and very frustrated opponents.
 
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This "leader" thing is way overdone. What you need are the players , and a commitment to tough defense. That's what allowed them to easily win that title last season( especially the defense). They should have plenty of talent, but will they play the same way on the defensive end. Azzi, Sarah and KK are all very good defenders. As were Paige and Chen. So will Shade stop committing dumb fouls, and will the big people defend? We'll see.
Oh, and yes, Azzi has begun to come out of her shell, as has Sarah. NIL.
 
boontonbomber said:
This "leader" thing is way overdone. What you need are the players , and a commitment to tough defense. That's what allowed them to easily win that title last season( especially the defense). They should have plenty of talent, but will they play the same way on the defensive end. Azzi, Sarah and KK are all very good defenders. As were Paige and Chen. So will Shade stop committing dumb fouls, and will the big people defend? We'll see.
Oh, and yes, Azzi has begun to come out of her shell, as has Sarah. NIL.
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all you point out will be much more difficult if a good leader doesn't surface, so i hardly think leadership is getting too much attention. ... it is especially relevant when so much basketball talent is involved. someone has to make it work smoothly besides the coaching staff.
 
There’s no doubt that everyone on this squad knows whose team this is. AZZI’s !
 
MooseJaw said:
don't see it this way, a large leap for the team clown to become the team leader. It may happen, but I would be surprised. I love me some KK, just know when I played team sports we would have never followed a player like KK on the floor. She would have been something like the team social director. Can KK become the team leader, yes if she has a personality transformation, but then it wouldn't be the same KK now on the team. A leader will emerge; however, we can't expect that leader to be Paige light. Paige as a teammate, player and leader is the definition of generational. One of one.
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I believe that Caroline would be a great team captain, followed by Azzi and KK.
 
FormerCTrez said:
I believe that Caroline would be a great team captain, followed by Azzi and KK.
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I think Caroline has much more on her plate than being captain. She does seem to have the chops though. Just don't see that quality in KK, the next season's team leader seems to be up in the air at this time. Year after, I'm looking at 3 possible players, Sarah, Ash and Morgan. Team leader and captain can be 2 different people, I think team leader is much more important. If not for her medical troubles Caroline would be the perfect player to fit both roles.
 
UConn has won NCs with only one bona fide superstar. Maya and Dee come to mind. Last season, Geno had three. Next season, he will have two, Azzi and Sarah. And I suspect everyone on the team will dedicate themselves to getting another NC not only because they're fierce competitors and this is what they do, but also to get one for Azzi before she moves on. Even Sarah will tend to think in this way. She may not yell the loudest when she's on the floor, but everyone on the team will take their cue from her and fight a little harder for her.

I know, it sounds sentimental. But in the heat of battle athletic teams are often fueled by sentiment once they've maxed out their training and discipline.

In the following two years, I imagine this will be Sarah's team, and she'll be ably supported by KK and Ash and the player many of us expect to succeed her as the superstar, Blanca. And who knows, maybe by Jana and the Big O, too.

I tend to think of this in terms of who the "bucket-getter" is, not simply who is the PG or who barks out orders. This season it was Paige and Azzi. Next season it will be Azzi and Sarah. After that it may be Sarah and Blanca. The team will rise and fall with them.
 
While I think that Azzi will start out as the leader, watch out for Blanca. I think she will go great with Azzi, Sarah, Serah and KK. I predict that she will be the next true leader.......
 
Azzi is the reigning Final Four Most Outstanding player and effectively has become the South Carolina Reaper. She has vanquished these "doesn't show up big moments" "we'll see if she's healthy" talks that I remember vividly and deserves all that she will get.

I agree with the OP and though Sarah Strong is the brilliant piece that brings this all together, Azzi will be person every team will try to stop. She was the person teams were trying to stop when Paige was on the roster. She will be an AP preseason all American, potentially Preseason Big East Player of the year and will be at the top of women's basketball.

Mind you - this will be her first (knock on wood and brick) healthy season she's had in Storrs and she will show all that she showed in this NCAA run.
 
Some more thoughts on leadership. A PG has to be vocal, but I leader is someone who says: "take that hill" and the others do it. Why? Because the leader said to do it.

I'd like to hear from Sarge, the sub guy, the Coast Guard guy and others who were in true leadership positions on their thoughts. about leadership.
 
She was sensational in March, and especially in the championship game. I have no doubt she will be sensational next year.

Can't wait, but there's a long summer to enjoy first
 
The we have ??? and you don’t is getting old. We have Sure Shot Fudd and you don’t or something to that liking is better.
 
Bone Dog said:
UConn has won NCs with only one bona fide superstar. Maya and Dee come to mind. Last season, Geno had three. Next season, he will have two, Azzi and Sarah. And I suspect everyone on the team will dedicate themselves to getting another NC not only because they're fierce competitors and this is what they do, but also to get one for Azzi before she moves on. Even Sarah will tend to think in this way. She may not yell the loudest when she's on the floor, but everyone on the team will take their cue from her and fight a little harder for her.

I know, it sounds sentimental. But in the heat of battle athletic teams are often fueled by sentiment once they've maxed out their training and discipline.

In the following two years, I imagine this will be Sarah's team, and she'll be ably supported by KK and Ash and the player many of us expect to succeed her as the superstar, Blanca. And who knows, maybe by Jana and the Big O, too.

I tend to think of this in terms of who the "bucket-getter" is, not simply who is the PG or who barks out orders. This season it was Paige and Azzi. Next season it will be Azzi and Sarah. After that it may be Sarah and Blanca. The team will rise and fall with them.
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DT not Maya,,she won 2 NC's with Tina Charles and Tina winning NPOY over Maya one of the years
 
AzzisBraids said:
Azzi is the reigning Final Four Most Outstanding player and effectively has become the South Carolina Reaper. She has vanquished these "doesn't show up big moments" "we'll see if she's healthy" talks that I remember vividly and deserves all that she will get.

I agree with the OP and though Sarah Strong is the brilliant piece that brings this all together, Azzi will be person every team will try to stop. She was the person teams were trying to stop when Paige was on the roster. She will be an AP preseason all American, potentially Preseason Big East Player of the year and will be at the top of women's basketball.

Mind you - this will be her first (knock on wood and brick) healthy season she's had in Storrs and she will show all that she showed in this NCAA run.
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Love it MS Braids, well put, well said. 5 stars is not enough.
 
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