Big recruits and UConn

[PacoSwede]

Many have expressed hope that the 2014 class, now at 3 'verbals,' will include at least one traditional center type. I do.

I also have the feeling that UConn has a bit of trouble landing 'bigs' who they want. The feeling may be wrong because it might ignore the fact that there simply aren't many outstanding centers, and among those, some lack something Geno wants in a recruit. Regardless, it seems to me UConn struggles to fill its back-to-the-basket ranks. In recent years, it couldn't reel in Bone or Appel or Vaughn, for example, although UConn made its best pitch to them.

Odd, because UConn has done a super job developing many of the centers who have come to Storrs. Why do recruits not give this greater weight while deciding their future? (That's rhetorical -- I know any individual player can have plenty of reasons not to become a Husky, Let's not rehash that.)

UConn hasn't always been successful, of course, in bringing the best out of touted center prospects. See Liz Sherwood, Kristin Phillips, Tammy Arnold, Heather Buck and there may be others. ... Paige Sauer, high school rank around No. 4, was solid and learned enough to play for awhile at WNBA level, but UConn didn't manage to get her to greatly exceed expectations.

Kiah Stokes is in the process of joining these other Huskies that high school recruits would be wise to consider:
At UConn, Kara Wolters went from hardly recruited to National Player of the Year.
Kelly Schumacher, not a big-name recruit, was able to have a successful WNBA career.
Similarly, Jess Moore was not a big deal, can't-miss player, according to the recruiting experts, but during her career -- at UConn and the WNBA -- she has far outperformed many of the centers who had been touted by the experts as big-deal program-changers. The latter didn't blossom at the colleges they chose, while Jess did.
And Stef Dolson, acknowledged by the experts as a fine high school player, has reached a level few people ever expected she could accomplish.
And then there is Tina Charles, who all acknowledged as a terrific talent when she arrived, and who found out how to use that talent at UConn to become the best player she could be: one of the greatest centers in the world.

Plus, all these Huskies won at least one N.C., except the one who expects to win one next week.

 

[doggydaddy]

• Vaughn is not recent.
• Appel went to Stanford. It wasn't a "big" situation. UConn loses players no matter the position to Stanford.
• Bone had trouble deciding where to go the first time, and the second time and now is leaving while still having eligibility.

Other than that, I agree with your premise. UConn should be a prime destination for centers. But I don't think it's anything they are doing wrong.

 

[Goodgood]

It is not quite as simple as recruiting the best posts, there are many great posts that UConn passed and many that passed on UConn. One reporter once wrote that there are only a few players that can play for Geno, and Geno found them all. I can't remember who that was.

 

[OneTrickPony]

It is not quite as simple as recruiting the best posts, there are many great posts that UConn passed and many that passed on UConn. One reporter once wrote that there are only a few players that can play for Geno, and Geno found them all. I can't remember who that was.

This sounds the closest to the truth...

 

[PacoSwede]

• Vaughn is not recent.

If I can remember it, it must be.

• Appel went to Stanford. And? It wasn't a "big" situation. But she was a 'big,' which is what the post was all about. UConn loses players no matter the position to Stanford. Yup. So? I mentioned that individuals make decisions based on their own cirsumstances, and Appel is one. That's not what my post was about.
• Bone had trouble deciding where to go the first time, and the second time and now is leaving while still having eligibility. Ahuh. And see above.

Other than that, I agree with your premise. UConn should be a prime destination for centers. Exactly! But I don't think it's anything they are doing wrong.
I didn't say it was because UConn was doing anything wrong. My point is more along the lines of it seems some post recruits are not thinking about past results, or don't give them much weight. Seems odd, and I'd encourage them to think about it.

 

[pap49cba]

I must confess I'm a bit surprised Tina Charles' resume hasn't had more of a recruiting impact.

 

[PacoSwede]

It is not quite as simple as recruiting the best posts, there are many great posts that UConn passed and many that passed on UConn. One reporter once wrote that there are only a few players that can play for Geno, and Geno found them all. I can't remember who that was.

Gosh. I thought I mentioned that. Sorry. It can happen when you write too long ... might not be as clear as you'd like.

 

[Tonyc]

First we have 4 bigs. Stef an AA Kiah Morgan and Breanna an AA. If you were a big and saw that would you think theyre was room for you next year. Maybe in a year or two.

 

[semper]

Given that it always seem to take a year to develop, this would have been a great year to add a major big to the roster. I'm worried about the year after Stef leaves...hope people will be stepping up "big time"

 

[winlots]

PACO: thought that was one of the better posts I've seen.. FOund it to be thoughtful, balanced (both pros and cons) rather than partisan, and provocative. And, it addresses a very important issue....also one where Yarders might well have differing opinions.

TONY: Good points. Would add that the door for next year seems already closed (unless there is a big Abrosimova up a sleeve somewhere.....I continue to be surprised that the Vodka Express has not yielded more sweet potatoes since Sveta). It is the year after which seems in play, and that is within the parameters you offer.

 

[Icebear]

First we have 4 bigs. Stef an AA Kiah Morgan and Breanna an AA. If you were a big and saw that would you think theyre was room for you next year. Maybe in a year or two.

We are talking about the 2014 recruiting class which means Stef will be gone when they step ob campus. Kiah will be a Sr.

 

[easttexastrash]

Is it possible that recruits see Geno as a coach that favors guards? Dolson, as someone pointed out, was the second leading FG% shooting player in the NCAA, yet she ranked somewhere around 160 in FG attempts. Could that lead talented posts to fear that no matter how good they are that they will be under utilized in the game plan?

 

[meyers7]

Is it possible that recruits see Geno as a coach that favors guards? Dolson, as someone pointed out, was the second leading FG% shooting player in the NCAA, yet she ranked somewhere around 160 in FG attempts. Could that lead talented posts to fear that no matter how good they are that they will be under utilized in the game plan?

She has the 2nd most FG attempts on the team. I think she is pretty utilized in the game plan.

 

[doggydaddy]

She has the 2nd most FG attempts on the team. I think she is pretty utilized in the game plan.

UConn spreads around the shot attempts.

 

[Scotter]

If UConn has any issue recruiting post players it because of the limited supply of offensively skilled post players. For a post player to be recruited by UConn they must be comfortable handling the ball because all five players are involved as decision makers in the offense. Being tall isn't a good enough reason for UConn to recruit a post. That shrinks the pool of available posts down even further from an already limited supply, but in the end it doesn't do any good to recruit players that cannot function in the offense because they aren't going to play anyway. Every single post player at UConn is expected to be able to play the high post in addition to the low post, expected to be able to make the foul line jump shot from the high post, and expected to be able to handle the ball and deliver quality passes.

 

[FASTEDDY]

Who are the 3 "verbal" recruits that we have for 2014?

I only know of one, Eckmark out of Phoenix. Who are the two others?

 

[winlots]

Sadie Edwards, followed by Gabby Williams.....both highly rated and great kids.

 

[FASTEDDY]

Sadie Edwards, followed by Gabby Williams.....both highly rated and great kids.

Thank you. I'm on this board all the time yet I have absolutley no ide who these 2 ladies are, never ever heard of them.

When did they commit? Any good info articles on them?

 

[DaddyChoc]

Thank you. I'm on this board all the time yet I have absolutley no ide who these 2 ladies are, never ever heard of them.

When did they commit? Any good info articles on them?

hahaha.... doesnt seem like it if you missed those announcements

 

[Icebear]

Is it possible that recruits see Geno as a coach that favors guards? Dolson, as someone pointed out, was the second leading FG% shooting player in the NCAA, yet she ranked somewhere around 160 in FG attempts. Could that lead talented posts to fear that no matter how good they are that they will be under utilized in the game plan?

I would expect any recruit to see UCONN play and to recognize how central to the offense that posts, especially, centers are. The post position at UCONN is defined by far more than shots taken. You must look at Assists, PIP, 3pts, and watch tape.

 

[UcMiami]

Seems to me that very few teams out there have two good posts at any given time. Who is replacing BG next year? Who is backing up Achunwa (sp?), Willimas and ?, etc. etc. There are not a lot of great post players out there, many more forwards. So it isn't like other teams have a stock pile and Uconn doesn't. And if we had gotten Appel would we have gotten Tina? And there haven't been a whole lot of great centers in the last few years coming out of the NE so Uconn has been recruiting against geography for a number of them. We got maybe 3 of the last 4 from the NE in Tina, Stef, and based on HS rep, Heather.

 

[meyers7]

UConn spreads around the shot attempts.

Exactly.

 

[Danzz]

I would any recruit to see UCONN play and to recognize how central to the offense that posts, especially, centers are. The post position at UCONN is defined by far more than shots taken. You must look at Assists, PIP, 3pts, and watch tape.

An offer to get a Stanford degree for free has to be appealing. They have a good basketball program and that Stanford degree is worth a lot more than a degree from any of the other womens basketball powers.
Concerning post players, even Uconn can't get everybody.

 

[pinotbear]

Thought just occurred to me -
UConn expects their posts to run, and run a lot. Perhaps I'm stereotyping too much, but, it seems that a lot of "bigs" in high school don't have to do that too much, particularly if the offense runs through them, particularly if they're logging a lot of minutes. How many times do you see a televised game where there are 4 offensive players in the picture after a change of possession, and here comes the "big girl", chugging up from behind. That can happen at UConn sometimes too, but a lot of our "posties" in the past several years have taken pride in getting in the best shape they can, and being able to get out on a fast break when the opportunity arises. If you're a big kid, have always been a big kid, and have always had your team adjust to your speed, then, examples like Stef's commitment, Kara's development, Tina's development might even be intimidating. You may not want to make that sort of commitment, nor deal with the expectation, nor deal with your own concerns that you might not measure up. There are high school girls we're talking about, and their minds can create enormous self-doubt.

 

[Icebear]

An offer to get a Stanford degree for free has to be appealing. They have a good basketball program and that Stanford degree is worth a lot more than a degree from any of the other womens basketball powers.
Concerning post players, even Uconn can't get everybody.

My comments were not in reference to anything relating to Stanford, just ETT's comment. Concerning kids measuring a program's opportunities by shot count.

A Stanford degree is very valuable but so are Ivy degrees and Duke and many of the top flight engineering schools. The quality of education is still excellent with a number of first flight academic programs.