Best UCONN WBB play of the Year Nominations

[Bajan Best]

As I sit here going through game Highlights for the regular season and ACC tournament... I thought who better to ask than the Boneyard Faithful for the best UCONN plays of the year so far.. Looking forward to seeing or hearing what the nomination's are, perhaps a poll can be created for others to vote on following the submissions...

 

[Hongster]

As I sit here going through game Highlights for the regular season and ACC tournament... I thought who better to ask than the Boneyard Faithful for the best UCONN plays of the year so far.. Looking forward to seeing or hearing what the nomination's are, perhaps a poll can be created for others to vote on following the submissions...

Just Gabby alone has over 100 plays of the year. And you only want 1?

 

[Bajan Best]

Just Gabby alone has over 100 plays of the year. And you only want 1?

I'm finding it challenging myself, but I will eventually pick one to nominate

 

[CocoHusky]

Part I.
1) Napheesa block of Thomas at FSU was especially sweet because a few minutes earlier Thomas Was on camera taking trash. "If you think you can stop me.... Well Napheesa did!
2) FSU game Saniya said F" this I'm not losing this game- pick any second half basket by Saniya they were all crucial.
3) A) Baylor game Crystal announced her presence with a 3 ball. B) Later in the game she hit a bank shot off a back cut and a pass from KLS. I had to watch Geno Auriema Show to find out it was Geno "directing" Crystal the whole time. No wonder Geno thinks Crystal is going to be so special.
4) A) Gabby ripping the ball away from Turner at ND and going back up for a layup. B) Later in the Gabby sealed up the DPOY award by picking up Arike at the free throw line. Arike beats her off the dribble, Gabby recovers and swats her shot keeps it in bounds UCONN headed the other way.
5) @MD UCONN went into half time up 5. 3 Minutes into the 3rd quarter UCONN was up 19. Pick any play in that sequence: A) Nurse 3 ball from the corner started the run but check the ball movement before the wide open three. B) There was the Gabby bounce to Collier off a double team. Great pass by Gabby to beat the double team but I swear Collier was so long and so high she look like she could have dunked the ball. C) Gabby hit a mid- range Jumper which might have been routine except so many haters said that was a shot she could not hit. D) KLS samulson spashed a three from the corner which was pretty routine except she was knocked to the floor making it a four point play. She got up pumping her fist and UCONN got just enough Juice from that play to hold on at Maryland. E) Kia spashed another 3 from the same corner that started the run.

If I had to pick just one I would go with 5A because I'm big fan of team play. On this particular play the ball changed side of the floor three times, every player touched the ball resulting in a wide open 3 for Kia. 3 Minutes later UCONN got the same shot from the same spot by the same player and broke MD's back. conclude UCONN is playing the basketball equivalent of 3D chess while other NCAA teams are struggling to master checkers.

 

[Hongster]

I'm finding it challenging myself, but I will eventually pick one to nominate

How about this one from Gabby. She just ripped the ball out of a USF's player ran the other way and scored.

I was just stunt in my seat.

 

[Wally East]

In terms of impact, it's hard to top Napheesa's block at the end of the FSU game.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Has to be Napheesa's Block in the FSU Game. Who knows how the season would have ended without the Block. The undefeated season is gone and maybe more losses to follow. It all started with the BLOCK.

While not a play, I'd go with Crystal's game play in the Baylor game. Without her the game would have been lost. Unfortunately as the season progressed we've only seen moments of the game Crystal is capable of playing. She's been okay, but in the Baylor game, she was exceptional when the team needed her to be. Each tough game afterwards a player stepped up and played exceptionally to beat teams that had more overall talent then this team has.

Winning the first two games the way the team did set the tenor of the season, we're better then what the experts had predicted.

 

[DavidK]

This 12:17 mark

 

[UcMiami]

There have been so many great plays and so many players stepping up in big moments it really is hard to think of one that stands above the rest. From the spectacular physical wow moments, to the moments in individual games that were of greatest impact.
One of the spectacular moments not mentioned above was that perfect bounce pass from Lou to Napheesa on an errant entry pass to Lou where she reached back one handed to snag and pass in the same motion.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

So many "plays of the year" ... too many to pick one.

I agree with many of the previously mentioned, and would add the following as options:
a. Fastbreak against USF at XL center when the ball moved from rebound to Kia who passed behind Lou in the lane...but she managed to reach behind her with her left hand and "tap pass" the ball to Gabby(?? or Phe) under the basket for the lay-in.
b. Like the Danger game vs Baylor, the Lou game vs USF in the AAC final has to be a candidate if we're looking at a series of plays in one game.
b.1. Similarly, Lou's game vs MD... including throwing up into the bucket early in the 1st period, and completely taking over the game late 3rd and 4th quarters.
c. Danger's spin move lay in against ???
d. Gabby's block vs USF in AAC tournament final when she went up for a block on a pump fake, landed and relaunched to block the actual shot attempt.
e. Saniya's three from the corner in the MD game, followed by her incredible block of a 3 attempt from the corner by MD to seal the deal for the good guys....

I suspect we're going to have a BIG problem coming up with just ONE play of the Year... can probably find several plays per game worthy...most games anyway.

 

[Willie E.Gold]

Collier's,block against FSU.

 

[bags27]

Part I.
1) Napheesa block of Thomas at FSU was especially sweet because a few minutes earlier Thomas Was on camera taking trash. "If you think you can stop me.... Well Napheesa did!
2) FSU game Saniya said F" this I'm not losing this game- pick any second half basket by Saniya they were all crucial.
3) A) Baylor game Crystal announced her presence with a 3 ball. B) Later in the game she hit a bank shot off a back cut and a pass from KLS. I had to watch Geno Auriema Show to find out it was Geno "directing" Crystal the whole time. No wonder Geno thinks Crystal is going to be so special.
4) A) Gabby ripping the ball away from Turner at ND and going back up for a layup. B) Later in the Gabby sealed up the DPOY award by picking up Arike at the free throw line. Arike beats her off the dribble, Gabby recovers and swats her shot keeps it in bounds UCONN headed the other way.
5) @MD UCONN went into half time up 5. 3 Minutes into the 3rd quarter UCONN was up 19. Pick any play in that sequence: A) Nurse 3 ball from the corner started the run but check the ball movement before the wide open three. B) There was the Gabby bounce to Collier off a double team. Great pass by Gabby to beat the double team but I swear Collier was so long and so high she look like she could have dunked the ball. C) Gabby hit a mid- range Jumper which might have been routine except so many haters said that was a shot she could not hit. D) KLS samulson spashed a three from the corner which was pretty routine except she was knocked to the floor making it a four point play. She got up pumping her fist and UCONN got just enough Juice from that play to hold on at Maryland. E) Kia spashed another 3 from the same corner that started the run.

If I had to pick just one I would go with 5A because I'm big fan of team play. On this particular play the ball changed side of the floor three times, every player touched the ball resulting in a wide open 3 for Kia. 3 Minutes later UCONN got the same shot from the same spot by the same player and broke MD's back. conclude UCONN is playing the basketball equivalent of 3D chess while other NCAA teams are struggling to master checkers.

Wow, Coco, absolutely awesome and that's only Part I???? I nominate your post for best post of the year. Reminds us of all the essential plays of a team spectacularly overperforming and hence living right on the edge.

 

[OldAlum]

Not the best, but a fun play that went somewhat unnoticed:
In the UCF tournament game with between two and three minutes left. UConn ball out of bounds under the basket. Crystal pulled off the bounce-the-ball-off-the opponent in-bounds play, recovered it herself and scored!

 

[MilfordHusky]

The biggest bucket this season was the barf bucket at Maryland.

 

[oldude]

For pure "wow factor" I go with Danger's no look, over the head feed to Pheesa on the fast break vs Tulsa in the AAC quarterfinals. Pheesa was fouled on the play and converted the 3-pt play.

Pheesa, who is normally fairly serene on the court, was about as excited as I've ever seen her. She was probably ecstatic that she gets to play 2 more years with Crystal.

 

[victor64]

a. Fastbreak against USF at XL center when the ball moved from rebound to Kia who passed behind Lou in the lane...but she managed to reach behind her with her left hand and "tap pass" the ball to Gabby(?? or Phe) under the basket for the lay-in.

This is mine. First quarter about three minutes left. Gabby blocked the shot on defense, sprinted to the rim and received an incredible left-hand touch pass by KLS. Collier's block was more impactful. The play I described was more aesthetic.

 

[1-of-the-6]

No brainer. KLS's dunk and walkaway at the 50-second mark of this video.

 

[Huskee11]

Well, if Tierney, Lou, Gabby, Pheese and Kia have a vote, I`m guessing this is the play they all go with:

P.S. - hint - think it was Crystal`s 360 degree move vs. USF at XL Center.

Smile every time I see this pic.

 

[Bigboote]

a. Fastbreak against USF at XL center when the ball moved from rebound to Kia who passed behind Lou in the lane...but she managed to reach behind her with her left hand and "tap pass" the ball to Gabby(?? or Phe) under the basket for the lay-in.

e. Saniya's three from the corner in the MD game, followed by her incredible block of a 3 attempt from the corner by MD to seal the deal for the good guys....

For sheer wow factor, I'd have to go with a. I rewound that again and again just to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me.

For memorability plus impact, I'd go with e.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Lots of great suggestions. For me there are several; they all look the same and I cannot remember the games in which they occurred. Great huh? They involve a full court attack with at most one dribble and four if not 5 Huskies touching the ball and a score. Individual or 2 player plays are fine and spectacular, but these basketball plays are poetry.

 

[johnnyc]

Here are a few I remember.....

Dangerfield's threading the defense layup in the Baylor game.

KLS's one hand pass to Gabby.

KLS getting knocked down and still making the three.

 

[SVCBeercats]

This 12:17 mark

Of course Napheesa is in the right place to take advantage of Gabby's hustling athleticism.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Crystal's buzzer-beater from a few games ago was vintage Moriah.

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Like I said in previous post in this thread... we're not going to find ONE...

Wouldn't it be awesome if someone with the technical skills could put together a "montage" of some of these great plays...and more that we haven't mentioned...

I'd do it, but I don't have the skills.

 

[Bajan Best]

Like I said in previous post in this thread... we're not going to find ONE...

Wouldn't it be awesome if someone with the technical skills could put together a "montage" of some of these great plays...and more that we haven't mentioned...

I'd do it, but I don't have the skills.

That is exactly what I'm doing... So far only Plays from the Baylor and USF-Civic center game have been incorporated.. LOL, so much footage to pull from might just have to cut it short..