Bianca

[Jingo]

I have been around the New York City girls' high school basketball scene for many years .. both of my daughters played successfully for Christ the King HS in Queens which produced several Olympians - Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tina Charles. And of course, Sue, Tina and Loren Dixon [also from CK] played for the Huskies.

But IMHO the most electrifying hoopster to come out of Gotham was Bianca Cuevas who, the other night, scored 25 for South Carolina versus UConn. ESPN gave her little credit but then again does ESPN know as much as I do about ladies hoops? (smile)

A few years back, I sat I sat right next to Bianca in the Gauchos gym in the Bvonx the night Breanna Stewart's Syracuse high school squad beat Christ the King in the Gauchos tourney .. and I wuz there the night Bianca dropped 50 on CK in the CHSAA playoffs [amazzing 50 pts in a high school game which is only 32 minutes long] .. Bianca is definitely the BOMB! .. no wait, make that the Atomic Bomb!

So sorry that the late Joe Smith, famed girls' basketball scout and journalist, didn't get to see Bianca play. We would have had a lively discussion over who was best in high school --- Bianca, Sue or Chamique, eh?

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Bianca is likely the most popular WBB player to wear the garnet & black. She has lost a lot of people who were close to her and I'm glad to see her success. I hope she has a long professional career.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I have been around the New York City girls' high school basketball scene for many years .. both of my daughters played successfully for Christ the King HS in Queens which produced several Olympians - Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tina Charles. And of course, Sue, Tina and Loren Dixon [also from CK] played for the Huskies.

But IMHO the most electrifying hoopster to come out of Gotham was Bianca Cuevas who, the other night, scored 25 for South Carolina versus UConn. ESPN gave her little credit but then again does ESPN know as much as I do about ladies hoops? (smile)

A few years back, I sat I sat right next to Bianca in the Gauchos gym in the Bvonx the night Breanna Stewart's Syracuse high school squad beat Christ the King in the Gauchos tourney .. and I wuz there the night Bianca dropped 50 on CK in the CHSAA playoffs [amazzing 50 pts in a high school game which is only 32 minutes long] .. Bianca is definitely the BOMB! .. no wait, make that the Atomic Bomb!

So sorry that the late Joe Smith, famed girls' basketball scout and journalist, didn't get to see Bianca play. We would have had a lively discussion over who was best in high school --- Bianca, Sue or Chamique, eh?

Interesting on two counts ---Christ the King and Bianca scoring. My minimal exposure to her seemed to say she developed shooting skills big time since she was a freshman. Her ball handling skills too, IMO, have increase. Nothing I saw, until this Uconn/USC game, seemed to indicate she was a 50 point scorer. I'm a Christ the King FAN from 750 miles away or 65th st, Middle Village, L.I. , NY.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

Interesting on two counts ---Christ the King and Bianca scoring. My minimal exposure to her seemed to say she developed shooting skills big time since she was a freshman. Her ball handling skills too, IMO, have increase. Nothing I saw, until this Uconn/USC game, seemed to indicate she was a 50 point scorer. I'm a Christ the King FAN from 750 miles away or 65th st, Middle Village, L.I. , NY.

You mean 750 feet? I spent a lot of time close to there when I was a kid.

 

[DaddyChoc]

 

[Jingo]

Bianca is likely the most popular WBB player to wear the garnet & black. She has lost a lot of people who were close to her and I'm glad to see her success. I hope she has a long professional career.

 

[Jingo]

I especially enjoyed the UConn vs SC game on two counts:
1) UConn won a 'must' game for seeding purposes [while Miss State lost]
2) my girl, Bianca, dropped 25 on the Huskies showing her basketball brilliance, the same brilliance I remember from her high school days.

In high school, Bianca played for Exodus AAU and Nazareth High School [Brooklyn] both coached by the late legendary hoops coach, Apache Paschall, a visionary, like Holcombe Rucker, who died before his time. Bianca always played two years up in AAU alongside such other stars as Brianna Butler [Syracuse] and Sadie Edwards [UConn/USC]. But it was Bianca - who like Pearl Washington before her - was the one who always electrified the crowd. It was Bianca who led her high school team - Nazareth of Brooklyn - to the #1 ranking in the country.

In the Gauchos high school hoops tourney in the Bronx that I mentioned in my previous post, Bianca led her #1 Nazareth squad against a Noo Joisey high school team that featured the Mabrey sisters - Michaela&Marina - and Kaitlynn Flannery, Michigan's all-time leading scorer. Needless to say, the the building rocked that night!!!

Mebbe Bianca shouldn't have picked South Carolina. There were too many quality 'bigs' that Dawn built her team around. Bianca was somewhat hamstrung by A'ja Wilson, Alexis Jennings & Alaina Coates clogging the lanes and cutting off her famous drives to the hoop. But the other night against our Huskies, when Dawn took Jennings off the floor [for good reason] Bianca was able to display her basketball prowess once again, the way I remembered her from high school. My heart was happy! And on top of that, the Huskies won too!

 

[jaundicedeye]

I especially enjoyed the UConn vs SC game on two counts:
1) UConn won a 'must' game for seeding purposes [while Miss State lost]
2) my girl, Bianca, dropped 25 on the Huskies showing her basketball brilliance, the same brilliance I remember from her high school days.

In high school, Bianca played for Exodus AAU and Nazareth High School [Brooklyn] both coached by the late legendary hoops coach, Apache Paschall, a visionary, like Holcombe Rucker, who died before his time. Bianca always played two years up in AAU alongside such other stars as Brianna Butler [Syracuse] and Sadie Edwards [UConn/USC]. But it was Bianca - who like Pearl Washington before her - was the one who always electrified the crowd. It was Bianca who led her high school team - Nazareth of Brooklyn - to the #1 ranking in the country.

In the Gauchos high school hoops tourney in the Bronx that I mentioned in my previous post, Bianca led her #1 Nazareth squad against a Noo Joisey high school team that featured the Mabrey sisters - Michaela&Marina - and Kaitlynn Flannery, Michigan's all-time leading scorer. Needless to say, the the building rocked that night!!!

Mebbe Bianca shouldn't have picked South Carolina. There were too many quality 'bigs' that Dawn built her team around. Bianca was somewhat hamstrung by A'ja Wilson, Alexis Jennings & Alaina Coates clogging the lanes and cutting off her famous drives to the hoop. But the other night against our Huskies, when Dawn took Jennings off the floor [for good reason] Bianca was able to display her basketball prowess once again, the way I remembered her from high school. My heart was happy! And on top of that, the Huskies won too!

Not so much a SC fan or a Cuevas-Moore fan for that matter but I have to comment that I enjoyed reading the nostalgic memories you have shared!

 

[BroadwayVa]

You mean 750 feet? I spent a lot of time close to there when I was a kid.

I spent lots of time on Admiral Ave and 65th st Admiral Ave runs T bone into Christ the King. Metropolitian Ave, Fresh Pond Rd. Bleeker St. (OLOMM was there). Edit: 750 miles away in Virginia

 

[CocoHusky]

I have been around the New York City girls' high school basketball scene for many years .. both of my daughters played successfully for Christ the King HS in Queens which produced several Olympians - Sue Bird, Chamique Holdsclaw and Tina Charles. And of course, Sue, Tina and Loren Dixon [also from CK] played for the Huskies.
But IMHO the most electrifying hoopster to come out of Gotham was Bianca Cuevas who, the other night, scored 25 for South Carolina versus UConn. ESPN gave her little credit but then again does ESPN know as much as I do about ladies hoops? (smile)
A few years back, I sat I sat right next to Bianca in the Gauchos gym in the Bvonx the night Breanna Stewart's Syracuse high school squad beat Christ the King in the Gauchos tourney .. and I wuz there the night Bianca dropped 50 on CK in the CHSAA playoffs [amazzing 50 pts in a high school game which is only 32 minutes long] .. Bianca is definitely the BOMB! .. no wait, make that the Atomic Bomb!
So sorry that the late Joe Smith, famed girls' basketball scout and journalist, didn't get to see Bianca play. We would have had a lively discussion over who was best in high school --- Bianca, Sue or Chamique, eh?

Great discussion. I like Bianca's game. Would have to disagree that ESPN gave her little credit. She sat with Dawn at the post game presser. I believe the press gets to request the players it wants to talk to post game so someone wanted to talk to Bianca. Also 25 points was impressive but Bianca had dug herself a huge hole with her play in previous games against UCONN. Moriah Jefferson inflicted much pain on her as a freshmen. As sophomore and Junior Bianca had very little impact on the game and actually hurt SC.
IMO you are giving her way too much credit in NYC prep hoops lure. She was good but off the top of my head these players were better HS players.
Shay Doron-got to respect the hustle of Jewish girl who enrolls at a Catholic school just so that she can ball out and go on to win a NCAA National Championship.
Epiphanny Prince, China Crosby, Samantha Prahalis, Bria Smith.
Of course if you want to extend the NYC boundaries just a little those boundaries might include a certain "big shot" Bria Hartley. But I wouldn't want to be accused of being a UCONN homer.

 

[UcMiami]

My impression of her SC career has been that she suffered greatly from a lack of discipline through her first seasons and I suspected she was fighting her coach in that regard. It appears that she has finally turned a corner and the Uconn game was the best I have seen her play.

She reminded me of another NYC baller who ended up at Ohio State (name slipping my mind) - she never learned discipline and ended up with a few on courtr melt-down moments. Hopefully Bianca has a better future.

 

[CocoHusky]

My impression of her SC career has been that she suffered greatly from a lack of discipline through her first seasons and I suspected she was fighting her coach in that regard. It appears that she has finally turned a corner and the Uconn game was the best I have seen her play.

She reminded me of another NYC baller who ended up at Ohio State (name slipping my mind) - she never learned discipline and ended up with a few on courtr melt-down moments. Hopefully Bianca has a better future.

Samantha Prahalis?

 

[Jingo]

My impression of her SC career has been that she suffered greatly from a lack of discipline through her first seasons and I suspected she was fighting her coach in that regard. It appears that she has finally turned a corner and the Uconn game was the best I have seen her play.

She reminded me of another NYC baller who ended up at Ohio State (name slipping my mind) - she never learned discipline and ended up with a few on courtr melt-down moments. Hopefully Bianca has a better future.

 

[Jingo]

u r thinking of Sammy Prahalis who came into the City [from Commack] to play for Apache Paschall and his Exodus AAU squad and played for Ohio State, eh?

 

[Jingo]

Great discussion. I like Bianca's game. Would have to disagree that ESPN gave her little credit. She sat with Dawn at the post game presser. I believe the press gets to request the players it wants to talk to post game so someone wanted to talk to Bianca. Also 25 points was impressive but Bianca had dug herself a huge hole with her play in previous games against UCONN. Moriah Jefferson inflicted much pain on her as a freshmen. As sophomore and Junior Bianca had very little impact on the game and actually hurt SC.
IMO you are giving her way too much credit in NYC prep hoops lure. She was good but off the top of my head these players were better HS players.
Shay Doron-got to respect the hustle of Jewish girl who enrolls at a Catholic school just so that she can ball out and go on to win a NCAA National Championship.
Epiphanny Prince, China Crosby, Samantha Prahalis, Bria Smith.
Of course if you want to extend the NYC boundaries just a little those boundaries might include a certain "big shot" Bria Hartley. But I would want to be accused of being a UCONN homer.

 

[CocoHusky]

There were too many quality 'bigs' that Dawn built her team around. Bianca was somewhat hamstrung by A'ja Wilson, Alexis Jennings & Alaina Coates clogging the lanes and cutting off her famous drives to the hoop. But the other night against our Huskies, when Dawn took Jennings off the floor [for good reason] Bianca was able to display her basketball prowess once again, the way I remembered her from high school. My heart was happy! And on top of that, the Huskies won too!

I'm not buying any of that at all! Let's call it like it was not the way we wanted it to be. 1) Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis managed to be 1st round WNBA draft pick from the perimeter working with those SC bigs. 2) In the eternal words from Love and Basketball "NEVER LET A FRESHMAN TAKE YOUR SPOT" & that's exactly what Bianca allowed to happen. When SC cut down the nets for a national championship it was Freshmen Tyasha Harris that was the starting PG for the majority of the season while Junior Bianca came off the bench.

 

[Jingo]

Yes, I agree, a good lively discussion.

I didn't say Bianca was the best NYC high school baller .. that title would have to go to Chamique who led Christ the King to four straight NY State Federation championships in the early 90s and then led the Vols to three straight [shoulda been four] NCAA titles in the late 90s.
Chamique played for the same high school and AAU club [Liberty Belles] that Shay & Bria Smith played for.

What I said was that Bianca was the most electrifying player I had seen play in the Big Apple and I have seen them all. Number 2 for electricity would have to be Shannon Bobbitt who went to Tennessee. Shannon had a handle second-to-none but wasn't strong shooting from distance. Pat still took her. And #3 for electrifying feats on the hardwood would have to be Neisha Butler who played alongside Sue Bird on the Liberty Belles. Sue's father - Herschell - would tell you that Neisha was better than Sue at that stage of their careers. For example, Neisha made Daily News First team All-City as a sophomore [along with my daughter Chelsea] while Sue was still playing for Syossett

HS on Long Island.

FUN! to talk about this stuff!

 

[Jingo]

I'm not buying any of that at all! Let's call it like it was not the way we wanted it to be. 1) Allisha Gray and Kaela Davis managed to be 1st round WNBA draft pick from the perimeter working with those SC bigs. 2) In the eternal words from Love and Basketball "NEVER LET A FRESHMAN TAKE YOUR SPOT" & that's exactly what Bianca allowed to happen. When SC cut down the nets for a national championship it was Freshmen Tyasha Harris that was the starting PG for the majority of the season while Junior Bianca came off the bench.

 

[Jingo]

The proof is in the pudding .. you saw the game vs UConn .. who was better? Bianca or Tyasha?
And defensively, who took Crystal out of her game? need I say more?

 

[CocoHusky]

Yes, I agree, a good lively discussion.

I didn't say Bianca was the best NYC high school baller .. that title would have to go to Chamique who led Christ the King to four straight NY State Federation championships in the early 90s and then led the Vols to three straight [shoulda been four] NCAA titles in the late 90s.
Chamique played for the same high school and AAU club [Liberty Belles] that Shay & Bria Smith played for.
What I said was that Bianca was the most electrifying player I had seen play in the Big Apple and I have seen them all. Number 2 for electricity would have to be Shannon Bobbitt who went to Tennessee. Shannon had a handle second-to-none but wasn't strong shooting from distance. Pat still took her. And #3 for electrifying feats on the hardwood would have to be Neisha Butler who played alongside Sue Bird on the Liberty Belles. Sue's father - Herschell - would tell you that Neisha was better than Sue at that stage of their careers. For example, Neisha made Daily News First team All-City as a sophomore [along with my daughter Chelsea] while Sue was I'm playing for Syossett
FUN! to talk about this stuff!

BTW Bria Smith might have suited up for the Liberty Belles but when she wanted to get a real good run in she grabbed her CTK HS teammate Ariel Edwards & headed down 95 to run with the Philly Belles.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

I spent lots of time on Admiral Ave and 65th st Admiral Ave runs T bone into Christ the King. Metropolitian Ave, Fresh Pond Rd. Bleeker St. (OLOMM was there). Edit: 750 miles away in Virginia

I see; I didn't realize you were in Virginia. I spent a lot of time in Forest Hills as a kid; my grandmother lived on 71st Rd.

 

[Gamecockfan77]

Bianca is likely the most popular WBB player to wear the garnet & black. She has lost a lot of people who were close to her and I'm glad to see her success. I hope she has a long professional career.

She’s definitely super popular.

I’d go A’ja though.

 

[CocoHusky]

The proof is in the pudding .. you saw the game vs UConn .. who was better? Bianca or Tyasha?
And defensively, who took Crystal out of her game? need I say more?

Absolutely! You would need to say a lot more to convince me that Bianca is a better player than Taysha. Crystal was not shut down by Bianca, Crystal missed wide open shots.

 

[Jingo]

Absolutely! You would need to say a lot more to convince me that Bianca is a better player than Taysha. Crystal was not shut down by Bianca, Crystal missed wide open shots.

 

[Jingo]

Hey .. it's just one game .. not a season nor a career .. i m glad that Bianca was able to have a breakout game, that's all ... jus sayin' ..