Batouly Camara to UConn

[Vowelguy]

In 2017 we are going to have more than 12 players on our roster. This may continue for several years.
Geno usually plays 7-8 players. The rest get garbage time. Is that going to change? Will we see some attrition by transfer?

Transfers are fairly common these days, even at UConn. I wouldn't be surprised if some occur over the next few years. But it's not just playing time. Boykin was highly rated , and with our limited size she surely could've played a bunch next year. But she started out injured and thAts just a really steep hill to overcome when you're already dealing with the HS to college transition.

The staff makes every effort to find kids who will fit with the culture and be happy with whatever contribution. Irwin, given her strong desire to come to uconn, seems like the kind of player who will fit in.

But who knows about any of them. It could and probably will happen.

 

[Vowelguy]

Ihe projects a sense of how they can development into complete, developed, human. (He's rarely proven wrong & strongly follows his instinct.) He is very adept at finding the right clay to form an artful
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...

Rarely proven wrong? Less than most, but I wouldn't say rarely.

 

[Plebe]

These back-to-back blockbuster acquisitions of elite transfer talent in Azurá and Batouly are quite the development.

Transfers were quite uncommon until just recently, I know, but there's so little precedent of transfers have significant success at their second school. In recent memory, I think Alexis Jones is the most successful transfer that comes to mind. Reaching back into ancient history from the 1980s, the ones that come to mind are Penny Toler from San Diego State to Long Beach State, and the (rather sad) story of Chana Perry's journey from Northeast Louisiana to SDSU.

 

[Longtime fan]

When AZ signed on, we noted that during her sitting next year, Lou might benefit most from facing a taller, equally agile player in practice. I suspect that Batouly will help Kyla most, since that's a natural match-up. But Napheesa and especially Natalie will really profit from the body-banging as well. This is sort of undocumented value-added.

Excellent point. And under the radar.

 

[Kaizen]

Look who is following the tweet:

Meg W. follows

Priscilla Edwards ‏@_PEbasketball 19h19 hours ago
Priscilla Edwards Retweeted UConn Women's Hoops

Cheers to new beginnings @BatoulyCamara <3

Priscilla Edwards added,

UConn Women's Hoops @UconnWBB
Welcome to @Uconn, @BatoulyCamara! http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-bask

 

[sarals24]

Michelle Marciniak comes to mind (although that isn't recent)...and I think Diamond is successful at Tennessee. Will be interesting to see how all the UNC transfers end up doing this year. And Kaela Davis at South Carolina.

Jamie Carey at Texas was another transfer who ended up doing really well coming from Stanford.

 

[easttexastrash]

Times are changing. Geno has now take 3 transfers in 2 years or so when historically he's taken very few. And typically the reason he only goes 6-8 players in big games is because those are the best players who can handle the other team in big games.

But UCONN is still after 2 kids from 2017 - Walker and Coombs. That would put us at a roster of 14 or 15 in 2 years. Way more kids than he usually has on the roster. But you never know on transfers. Again, historically, the only kids who have transferred out were mainly looking for more PT (Johnson, Engeln, Banks, Edwards). It's impossible to know what will happen in the future. But if we have a roster of 15 in 2017-2018, it's safe to say some kids may not want to wait their turn, or be happy with the PT they get. Time will tell...

If UCONN were to land Walker and Coombs would that be considered recruiting over the players that you currently have? That is certainly what it would be labeled if Mulkey did it.

 

[easttexastrash]

Michelle Marciniak comes to mind (although that isn't recent)...and I think Diamond is successful at Tennessee. Will be interesting to see how all the UNC transfers end up doing this year. And Kaela Davis at South Carolina.

Jamie Carey at Texas was another transfer who ended up doing really well coming from Stanford.

Pope and Williams played major roles during Baylor's 2012 championship run. And Alexis Jones will be the pivotal player at the PG position for Baylor next season.

I'm sure there will be those who complain about Geno taking transfers, just like they complain about UCONN getting ALL of the top recruits. It's part of the game now days. But at what point does a coach say "I don't want to be known as the place to transfer to if you are unhappy in your current situation"?

 

[Vowelguy]

Michelle Marciniak comes to mind (although that isn't recent)...and I think Diamond is successful at Tennessee. Will be interesting to see how all the UNC transfers end up doing this year. And Kaela Davis at South Carolina.

Jamie Carey at Texas was another transfer who ended up doing really well coming from Stanford.

There also the UNC transfers, Nebraska, Kentucky, Duke, Taya Reimer currently.
Romeo from Kansas st to Florida state.

In the past there was Van Gorp and someone else who went from Purdue to Duke.
Kelsey bone from SC to Tx AM.

 

[easttexastrash]

The Connecticut State Motto is "Qui Transtulit Sustinet" which is Latin for "He who is transplanted still sustains."

I thought it was "Queremos otro campeonato," which is Spanish for "We want another championship."

 

[easttexastrash]

I thought it was "Queremos otro campeonato," which is Spanish for "We want another championship."

In Texas it's "Yo quiero Taco Bell."

 

[Kibitzer]

If UCONN were to land Walker and Coombs would that be considered recruiting over the players that you currently have? That is certainly what it would be labeled if Mulkey did it.

No. Nice try.

 

[EricLA]

If UCONN were to land Walker and Coombs would that be considered recruiting over the players that you currently have? That is certainly what it would be labeled if Mulkey did it.

Maybe. But I'm not one of those fans who cares about recruiting over kids. If anyone feels that IF we end up landing Walker and Coombs THAT they were recruited over, they certainly can transfer. With a team of 15, I would expect probably at least 1 and possibly several.

But the great thing is that Geno is not loading up on one position. If we landed both those kids he'd have (IMHO)

1. 3 posts - Butler (SR), Camara/Irwin (SO)
2. 3 forward types - Williams (SR), Stevens (JR), Collier (JR)
3. 3 wing types - Samuelson (JR), Gordon (FR), Walker (FR)
4. 5 guards - Ekmark (SR), Nurse (SR), Bent (SO), Espinosa (FR), Coombs (FR)
5. 1 pure PG - Dangerfield (SO)

That's a lot of kids. A LOT of guards. Does Geno go to all the kids who will be juniors and seniors and say "We want to win a NC AND build towards the future. Are you OK with averaging 20-25 MPG max to give time to the other kids?" Keeping 15 talented kids happy will be next to impossible. Will the underclassmen be ok with less minutes but the expectation of more PT as juniors and seniors? No idea... But if kids who aren't getting as much PT as they would like feel they need to transfer, personally I'm OK with that...

 

[connboy77]

If UCONN were to land Walker and Coombs would that be considered recruiting over the players that you currently have? That is certainly what it would be labeled if Mulkey did it.

You have turned into very bitter person and that is not good for your health!

 

[easttexastrash]

You have turned into very bitter person and that is not good for your health!

I did that many years ago, it didn't just happen. But is is my bad health that made me bitter, not vice versa.

 

[easttexastrash]

No. Nice try.

I guess that rule only applies to Baylor and North Carolina.

 

[Kibitzer]

I guess that rule only applies to Baylor and North Carolina.

. . . and Louisville.

 

[bags27]

If UCONN were to land Walker and Coombs would that be considered recruiting over the players that you currently have? That is certainly what it would be labeled if Mulkey did it.

Geno has spoken about how he didn't understand how to manage everyone's minutes in the extraordinarily talented and deep 2001 team, and then with the injuries....sigh. He's clearly learned that, and even his three seniors this year barely played more than 22 minutes in most (uncontested) games. He's got a fabulously professional and experienced staff, and they all work to keep the entire team pointed toward both team and personal goals. No one at UConn gets "recruited over" because everyone understands it's not about starting but about playing well when you're in. Witness how Gabby got bumped from the starting line-up, continued to play great, and was ready for the national championship when Lou got hurt. Geno doesn't promise anyone a starting job.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Great point!

Thanks. Azura shot 6-14 and had 16 of Duke's 52 points. She played 30 minutes and added 3 boards, 1 assist, and 1 steal.

She looks thinner than Stewie. Though she is built differently, she reminds me of Napheesa in the way she moves.

 

[CocoHusky]

I have no information, but I'd make a small wager that Andra Espinoza-Hunter was on the phone urging her former teammate to choose UConn.

Sadie Edwards might have been on the other line urging her not to go to UCONN. Oh well she's here now!

 

[UConnNick]

Pope and Williams played major roles during Baylor's 2012 championship run. And Alexis Jones will be the pivotal player at the PG position for Baylor next season.

I'm sure there will be those who complain about Geno taking transfers, just like they complain about UCONN getting ALL of the top recruits. It's part of the game now days. But at what point does a coach say "I don't want to be known as the place to transfer to if you are unhappy in your current situation"?

I'm sure Geno and his coaching staff will not lose one second of sleep worrying about what anybody else thinks of their recruiting strategies. If you're landing high quality transfer players, what's wrong with being seen as a destination program for transfers?

 

[SCGamecock]

Storrs..... the Columbia and/or Columbus of the Northeast

 

[SCGamecock]

I too am excited about getting Batouly, but I wish I knew more about her other than she's 6'2" and was a top 100 recruit. Unlike AZ, we never played against her. I hope we're not creating unrealistic expectations for her.
Anyone interested in putting a resume together for Batouly?

I really like Camara.. she had a really good first game against us and was able to display most of her skill set. You may be able to go back and watch that game if it's still on WatchESPN. She played really well for a freshmen (occasionally gets lost on defense and offense but that's expected with freshmen) and proved that she can bang with the big girls. Unlike Stevens, Camara is a low post banger, but she's also capable of hitting the midrange jumper.

Camara has potential. She's not a transcendent player or anything but she's really competitive and gives her all each outing. She's the low post presence ya'll have been looking for

 

[j66kicker]

You have given me nostalgia pangs. I grew up in Houston, and some of my earliest sports memories are from the "Luv Ya Blue" era. <Sigh>

Remember this one?

Reporter: "Boy, it seems like Earl (Campbell) gets up really slow.

Bum: "Yeah, but he goes down real slow too."

 

[Zorro]

Or; "Last year we walked up to the door, this year we banged on it, next year we're gonna kick the sumbitch in!"