Back 2 Sports: Class of 21 and 22 are a disaster
- Thread starter Linart
- Start date
- Status
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 1,220
- Reaction Score
- 7,875
I would rephrase this thread title. Class of 21 and 22 have had disasters happen to them. That doesn't make them disasters themselves. I just feel for these kids, along with the seniors who, as Geno put it the other day, have known nothing but playing in front of nobody (bubble year) and playing shorthanded.
I am hopeful that someone on the team or coaching staff realizes they can not win against big teams without Amari. Maybe Paige needs to have a sit down with her and explain the importance of her busting her butt in practice to appease Geno. Amari was a top 5 recruit right? I would hope there is something to salvage there.
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2018
- Messages
- 7,890
- Reaction Score
- 30,699
Amari is well into her junior year. By this point as Geno likes to say you are what you are.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 2,519
- Reaction Score
- 6,840
Amari has showed nothing in games, and it’s very clear that she has shown very little in practice. Geno would love to be able to play her but it’s obvious that he can’t.
I’m sure Geno has had a number of sit downs with her, but why should someone have to explain to her the importance of working hard in practice. And why would the reason for working hard be to “appease Geno”?
Your post makes it clear why she does not get playing time.
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2021
- Messages
- 2,518
- Reaction Score
- 6,601
That insinuates that Ines is also a slacker which doesn't mesh with her improved physiquie this year, or her performance in the FIBA finals in August.
.-.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 2,519
- Reaction Score
- 6,840
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2015
- Messages
- 6,194
- Reaction Score
- 31,557
Maybe it's time to "go for broke" with Amari - have her in there. Tough love under game conditions, maybe that would ignite her passion. I'm sure deep down in she would love to define her skills and start contributing in a positive fashion. You know her teammates would respond in a big way.
HuskyNan
You Know Who
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
- Messages
- 29,938
- Reaction Score
- 276,644
She would be taking court time from freshmen that have showed a willingness to play hard in practice and in games, and who have played productive minutes in their first 8 games. Amari has been her for 2+ years and hasn’t produced what the freshmen have. Why should Geno take developmental time from the frosh for Amari? Ines has done about what Amari has, or better, in half the minutes
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2015
- Messages
- 6,194
- Reaction Score
- 31,557
Yes, I know that is a consequence of more PT for Amari. But I am concerned about trying to realize more productivity from down low in the paint area. Given the current situation, if there is any hope for March, we have to find out soon....from the few that we have available.
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2016
- Messages
- 2,309
- Reaction Score
- 7,177
We don't have a clue how hard she works or practices. We know that Geno would not allow someone to remain on the team if they did not " work hard." The issue with Amari is that she has had many chances to show her skills. And she remains on the bench. What does that tell you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2016
- Messages
- 754
- Reaction Score
- 2,950
Surely you jest.
.-.
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2015
- Messages
- 6,194
- Reaction Score
- 31,557
I know what it tells me. But I sense desperate times.....
I think desperate times is a fair statement that applies, but still the reality is we don't have a big alternative Geno wants to use.. Whether we are playing a great team, a big team or whatever, we will have to beat them with small ball largely with inexperienced but talented players. If that doesn't work we don't really have a plan B to counter talented size.
We can try to play fast against them, get some steals and hopefully make a ton of 3's, but we just won't be a very good rebounding team, and will probably struggle defending talented true C types. I was never a four out or small ball proponent but now I hope we can play that well because it is all we have.
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2013
- Messages
- 7,420
- Reaction Score
- 20,109
However, if someone were to tell you with advance notice that you had inside information that UCONN wasn't going to go past the 2nd round (granted no one could know that) of the NCAA this year (as an example) would you care to follow them then this year?
If so, --- why?
I am not arguing with you at the moment. Just wondering why you would personally follow them if you 100% knew that they weren't going past 2nd round.
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2018
- Messages
- 232
- Reaction Score
- 1,030
I would rephrase this article The reason you don't recruit and go all in on injured high school players, especially those with a history of injuries as is the case with Azzi and Caroline, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it ain't a mongoose or like Maya Angelou said "Once people show you who they believe them" and they have shown they are prone to injury and not reliable. Uconn has to face facts and move on. The narrative next year should not be finally a healthy Fudd and Paige will hopefully lead Uconn to a chip with a healthy Caroline and healthy Patterson we should not place our faith on the hope that 3 players can stay healthy and help us reach the promised land..
Ines is a good off guard. She is a good passer. Her issues are confidence. - She deserves a chance.
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2021
- Messages
- 1,670
- Reaction Score
- 5,195
Stamford: I hope you have input from the coaching staff on DeBerry's production/effort in practice. I know she seems lost in games. I often ask, when she is in the game--is that really where Geno wants a 6 ft 5?
You are correct, I assume, after 3 plus years --she is what she is. We can only hope.
.-.
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2021
- Messages
- 1,670
- Reaction Score
- 5,195
It comes out Ameri--just doesn't want to play Uconn way? I haven't seen anything that states that. Stevens Azure (sp) a transfer. Was, as I assume DeBerry was in HS, a forward--Geno tried to make Stevens into a Post--how well did that work. In the excitement of the game she'd fall back to her comfort zone. Is that Deberry? I like stubborn, I hate stubborn. One of each on different occasions. I can't wrap my mind around a stubborn Ameri. Nika for certain.. I have wishes for DeBerry, I have compassion for her--she may be a legal adult--but not inside, inside the kid hides. (that is true of all of us)
Geno stated maybe 20 years ago:: Freshmen get the most attention then sophs, then juniors--Seniors are expected to lead and assist coaching..
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2017
- Messages
- 1,398
- Reaction Score
- 5,808
I know Amari had back surgery this past summer to repair a disk. I don't know how long that has been an issue before being fixed. It certainly has set her back last year and lost any chance she had this summer to improve. I haven't lost hope for her and feel for her but time is running out for sure. I know she doesn't seem ready to contribute yet against tough teams but hopefully she can get minutes of experience against the rest of the schedule. She was told by Geno she had to be ready to play against Stanford in the final four. She played and contributed. It's in there. I hope Geno can find a way to release it because the team needs her to contribute.
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2016
- Messages
- 754
- Reaction Score
- 2,950
nope.
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2013
- Messages
- 7,420
- Reaction Score
- 20,109
She didn't play vs Stanford. It was SC. She played 4 minutes 0-1 from the floor no rebounds, 1 personal foul. 1 turnover.
cohenzone
Old Member
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 19,285
- Reaction Score
- 24,129
She is third of the way through her junior year. She seems not to have an aggressive bone in her body. Geno certainly understands how much having an effective kid her size would help. Just to rebound and block shots. Especially with the unavailable other bigs, not to mention freeing Aaliyah.
Kia Stokes impacted games without having to score very much. I think unless some light goes on, talking about getting Amari to be even a suitable sub is kind of a waste of time. I would love to be wrong.
She is what she is. I don't think you are going to get any more from her.
.-.
donalddoowop
Who put the Bop in the Bop Shoo Bop?
- Joined
- Oct 5, 2015
- Messages
- 6,008
- Reaction Score
- 23,046
Yes, Yes, Yes.
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2014
- Messages
- 2,932
- Reaction Score
- 13,224
Whose minutes would you cut?
Exactly and this is the reason to lighten up on Amari. Trashing her isn't going to change anything. I'd like to see the whole BY move on to something else. I've heard all I need to hear about Amari.
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2012
- Messages
- 1,037
- Reaction Score
- 3,223
My issue with the playing time is that when we are beating teams by 30+ points, why not put her in for the 4th quarter, instead of the last 30 seconds? So UConn only wins by 25 instead of 40?
Same with Ines. She agreed to come to UConn when the team was in deep trouble, injury wise. She bailed out the team when she could have gone to Florida and played a lot. Instead, as a thank you , she sits until there are 30 seconds left in blowouts.
In terms of the impact of injuries it is far more than the devastation to our sophomore and junior classes which is almost beyond belief. In fact all of our recruiting classes on this team have been devastated by injuries. There are actually 5 classes on this year's team including Aubrey who was the year before the other seniors, but who took a redshirt year.
Aubrey's class had very bad luck because she missed a whole year. There were other injuries that year as well, but one very good rotation player missing the whole season by itself makes it a bad year on the injury front. Paige's class obviously had worse than average luck because of what happened to her, not just missing a full season, but half of another, and we have not been lucky on the health front with this year's freshmen class either, because Jana will miss the whole year.
Basically if you miss a key player for the whole year, good health for the remaining rotation players the rest of the year doesn't make up for it. Of course we haven't had that either with multiple injuries after season ending losses. After Paige's injury in her second year and other injuries, I'm sure many thought next year has to be better on the injury front and then amazingly it was worse. Then this year it just had to be better right? Nope, I haven't done the math yet but I am pretty sure we will have more games missed due to injuries this year than the last two if Ayanna doesn't return this year and Caroline only plays part of the year.
I would say we are due for a healthy roster next year, but I could have said that the last three or four years too.
Aubrey's class had very bad luck because she missed a whole year. There were other injuries that year as well, but one very good rotation player missing the whole season by itself makes it a bad year on the injury front. Paige's class obviously had worse than average luck because of what happened to her, not just missing a full season, but half of another, and we have not been lucky on the health front with this year's freshmen class either, because Jana will miss the whole year.
Basically if you miss a key player for the whole year, good health for the remaining rotation players the rest of the year doesn't make up for it. Of course we haven't had that either with multiple injuries after season ending losses. After Paige's injury in her second year and other injuries, I'm sure many thought next year has to be better on the injury front and then amazingly it was worse. Then this year it just had to be better right? Nope, I haven't done the math yet but I am pretty sure we will have more games missed due to injuries this year than the last two if Ayanna doesn't return this year and Caroline only plays part of the year.
I would say we are due for a healthy roster next year, but I could have said that the last three or four years too.
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2021
- Messages
- 555
- Reaction Score
- 2,847
The one and only one game in which Deberry showed something had CD as acting coach. Perhaps CD has a lighter or different touch than Geno. Possibly the UCONN environment with Geno as coach was not the right fit for her.
.-.
- Status