Banks leaving

[John Glass]

per Rich Elliott

 

[rvwsleep]

Was any reason given ? Perhaps it was the flood of highly rated backcourt recruits coming in this year.

 

[UConnCat]

Rich Elliott ‏@elliottctpost 4m
Per #UConn, @bribabybanks has informed Geno that she intends to transfer. #bleedblue

That's too bad. She started last year so well, especially when KML and Morgan went down, but was never able to regain her confidence after hurting her ankle. Geno certainly lost confidence in her.

Best of luck to Brianna. I wonder if she'll transfer to a school in Georgia for her final year.

 

[UConnCat]

Rich Elliott ‏@elliottctpost 3m
.@bribabybanks: ``I decided to transfer because I feel like I need a fresh start somewhere closer to home.'' #UConn #bleedblue

Rich Elliott ‏@elliottctpost 3m
Geno: ``Brianna showed great heart during her time with us, whether it was on the floor or during the rehab process.” #UConn #bleedblue

 

[Sargassoc]

Just heard that on the news. Sad. I loved that kid.

 

[ASweet3781]

I would say this is surprising as she was going to be a senior.

But I can't say I'm surprised after the way the year played out. Brianna and Saniya had an open spot in the rotation to lock down and neither stepped up. With 4 guards coming in, someone was on the outside looking in.

Too bad.

 

[Paul1969]

She showed signs of brillance at times. It must be difficult being a high level athlete coming off a injury and returning to form. Best of luck to her. I met her mom and grandmom at the Baylor game. Good people.

 

[Zorro]

I am very sorry to hear that. The kid just couldn't catch a break. I hope that she has the same success that Laura and Michala had. Truth to tell, I was sort of expecting it. It did not look to me as though she was likely to get much playing time this season because 2) the Huskies will kick no matter who is in the 4 slot and 2) it would therefore make more sense for Geno to get experience for Saniya or one of the frosh. Still sorry to hear it.

 

[huskeynut]

Understandable from her point of view.

Can only wish her the best where ever she goes.

 

[01Neaggrad02]

Now that sucks. I was happy for KLS but now this makes me sad...

 

[UCONNfan1]

Sad to hear, but unfortunately not terribly surprising. Given that it's possible both Chong and Nurse (and a healthy Williams) could easily be ahead of her on the depth chart this coming season, I can see why she'd want a chance to actually play more. Best of luck Brianna! It was a pleasure watching you during your time at UCONN!

 

[MilfordHusky]

This is too bad. She played very well her soph year before the injury and early last year. For some reason, Brianna lost confidence, and Geno lost confidence in her. I thought she might have been the 5th starter this coming year.

She'll have to sit out a year to play just one more year.

Best wishes to Brianna!

 

[johnnyc]

Best of luck to BB. I will continue to follow her career where ever she ends up.

 

[alexrgct]

Weird decision, isn't it? I mean, if you're going to be a senior, why not finish up?

Best of luck to her, though. She scored the last points of the 2013-14 season, so you can never take that from her.

 

[UConnCat]

There will be an opportunity for playing time at the 2-guard next season. Together with Chong, Brianna would have had an experience advantage over the incoming freshman. Clearly she didn't see it that way. Good luck Brianna.

Maybe she'll end up at Georgia or Georgia Tech.

 

[JoePgh]

I guess this is understandable -- even predictable. I'm guessing that it is essentially a repeat of the Engeln / M. Johnson scenarios -- she did not feel that she was making a significant contribution to UConn's success, and did not foresee that the situation would improve if she stayed for her senior year. Sadly, that is probably an accurate assessment.

I thought that she would probably be the starting 2-guard in 2014-15 if she had stayed, although she would be in danger of losing that position to one of the freshmen or to Saniya Chong if she did not perform at a top level in the early games. It is even possible (though I think quite unlikely) that she could have "lost" the position to KML if Geno decided to start Morgan with Stewie and Kiah in the front court and move KML to the 2 position. So it is quite possible that she could have ended next season on the bench, just as she ended this season.

I'm sure that the fact that she basically didn't see the court in the last 4 games of the NCAA tournament helped her to make her decision. However, that reflected her actual productivity, which did not warrant any more minutes than she received.

Geno may be privately grateful that his problem of managing minutes in the back court (especially if Gabby Williams does not redshirt) just became a little easier.

 

[Vowelguy]

Well there goes my prediction that she'd start this coming year. I thought that with her experience plus an extra year post- Injury, that she'd be In position to start.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Wow I did not see this coming. Guess you can never tell what's going through a kid's mind. Wonder why she felt like she needed a fresh start? I assumed coming into her senior season healthy and being able to go 100% in practice from the start that she'd have plenty of playing time maybe even as the starting 2-guard since there's really no one else to fill that role.

 

[TDiNozzo]

Sad news... I was hoping to see her have a great playing year again....Maybe she needs more time to recoup?

 

[Rob Signor]

i think she is making a good decision and it must have been very hard for her to make. She is a good player that had some flashes of greatness. She is a good kid and has always been a good teammate. Im sure she met with the coaches and they were honest with her and gave her the information she needed. Its a pivotal moment in her life. I wish her well. She has always been a good player to watch.

 

[Vowelguy]

Geno may be privately grateful that his problem of managing minutes in the back court (especially if Gabby Williams does not redshirt) just became a little easier.

I can't imagine Geno would be grateful to start a season with a 10 man roster, with 2 coming off significant injuries.

 

[UcMiami]

Really sad to see her go. I thought she would be a strong competitor for the starting guard slot next year. When she was truly healthy she played some very good minutes both of the last two years but that ankle injury in late December really derailed her junior year. Hope she finds a good home to finish up her career.

 

[sawxfan23]

Weird decision, isn't it? I mean, if you're going to be a senior, why not finish up?

Best of luck to her, though. She scored the last points of the 2013-14 season, so you can never take that from her.

Because this is probably her last chance to play a sport she loves and has been playing for almost her entire life. She probably wants to go somewhere where she will start and get more playing time. I totally understand her transferring and I wish her the best of luck wherever she ends up. The year off will give her time to gain more confidence in her surgically repaired knee as well as work on her game. I can definitely see her having a great senior season and a successful European career.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Because this is probably her last chance to play a sport she loves and has been playing for almost her entire life. She probably wants to go somewhere where she will start and get more playing time. I totally understand her transferring and I wish her the best of luck wherever she ends up. The year off will give her time to gain more confidence in her surgically repaired knee as well as work on her game. I can definitely see her having a great senior season and a successful European career.

I thought she would start this year, in Bria's old spot. Who starts there now? Chong? One of the freshmen?

 

[Shenandoah]

That's too bad. I really liked Brianna, and thought that, another season removed from her injury, that we would get to see the dynamic, slashing player that she was before she got hurt.
Best of luck, Brianna, wherever you end up.