Blanca Quiñonez Commits to UConn

[MSGRET]

Strong will be the big dog in years to come IMO.

Blanca is currently playing in a pro league that has players more experienced then Strong and she is holding her own. I'm not putting down Strong, I'm saying that Blanca is not a pushover and may give Strong a good run for playing time.

 

[Bone Dog]

She looks really impressive in these videos, though the competition doesn't look top-flight. The long strides, the athleticism, the quickness, the finishing at the rim, these all do remind me of Maya. What I haven't seen is what sort of perimeter shooter she is.

Also, I don't think she'll be competing against Sarah for minutes. I think they'll complement each other really well. FIBA lists her at just a tiny bit below 6', while other sources put her at 6'1". In this respect, she also plays a little like Gabby, namely with her athleticism letting her play bigger than her height. She's a leaper and a sprinter.

 

[EricLA]

Agreed about the minutes and who's competing against whom. Besides a PG, or lead guard, you pretty much can put most anyone out on the floor (within reason) depending on who is the "best" so to speak.

Point is if she's great, she can certainly play alongside KK, Ash, Sarah, Morgan, etc. on the floor together. Obviously you need some height but I'm all for playing the best players, no matter what "position" they play...

 

[EricLA]

Airdom Basketball Store on Instagram: "Introducing Blanca Quinonez Mina, the 17-year-old powerhouse from Ecuador who’s taking the European basketball scene by storm! From humble beginnings to soaring heights, her journey is nothing short of extraordinary. ✨ : @freaky_blink"

It's Instagram but it wouldn't put the post in, just the link. Still, "powerhouse taking the European basketball scene by storm"? Sounds good to me!!

 

[hookshot]

She looks really impressive in these videos, though the competition doesn't look top-flight. The long strides, the athleticism, the quickness, the finishing at the rim, these all do remind me of Maya. What I haven't seen is what sort of perimeter shooter she is.

Also, I don't think she'll be competing against Sarah for minutes. I think they'll complement each other really well. FIBA lists her at just a tiny bit below 6', while other sources put her at 6'1". In this respect, she also plays a little like Gabby, namely with her athleticism letting her play bigger than her height. She's a leaper and a sprinter.

Yup, she's a Gabby in the making

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Several top 10 head coaches addressing their assistants: "You want to tell me how she just committed to UConn and we can't spell her name!"

 

[MSGRET]

I can hear Jose asking Geno before their game on 11/10. You did it again, I've been talking with Blanca for over a year, then you meet her once and she commits to you after that. What the heck are you promising them?

 

[Dublin]

"Any food you want from the cafeteria, but never pasta, except when you're over at our home and my better half serves you the best pasta you will ever have in your life."

Kim: "If I only didn't hate to travel to a country that has statues more glamorous than the one honoring me here in a few years ...", we would have signed a future multi-year All American.

What Ecuador petroleum, shrimp, banana and coffee companies want to sign her to some NIL deals now before Congress wises up and allows foreign players to negotiate NIL contracts with anyone?

 

[Sifaka]

¡Bienvenida chavaluca!

 

[oldude]

Strong will be the big dog in years to come IMO.

There’s probably room for several BIG DOGS at UConn.

 

[hoophuskee]

I don’t want to get too far out on my skis here. With the likely departure of Paige after this season, I had wondered who might take over next season’s team as the “BIG DOG?” Certainly, there are lots of potential players who might do so.

Blanca is a young, 18 year old, playing in the Italian pro league at the A1 level. She’s more than holding her own and she’s got the complete package at both ends of the court…….

Just sayin……

What are you sayin?

Azzi, Sarah, and Jana are the 3 Big Dogs next year. You think Blanca as a frosh is going to supplant them? If the quote above gives us a clue that IConnCat provided that Blanca "is working" on her 3pt shot, and she is a G/W, then there is no way she is suplanting Azzi/Sarah/Jana. Maybe if Azzi not healthy and one of te etwo Jana/Sarah not up to the hype, but chances of all 3 imo less than 1%.

 

[hoophuskee]

You have to scroll to see all the highlights... Blanca is Quick,
Athletic, with a good " motor, and plays good defense (I
loved the interception with the high leap for the ball ). The
offense is clear, so the "other things" made me think:
" IN GENO I TRUST ". Welcome Bianca Francheska Quinones
Mina. !!! I think I got the spelling correct!

she looks terrfic. I wouldn't call her a big dog year 1 but terrfic player. As others say - "In Geno I trust."

 

[oldude]

What are you sayin?

Azzi, Sarah, and Jana are the 3 Big Dogs next year. You think Blanca as a frosh is going to supplant them? If the quote above gives us a clue that IConnCat provided that Blanca "is working" on her 3pt shot, and she is a G/W, then there is no way she is suplanting Azzi/Sarah/Jana. Maybe if Azzi not healthy and one of te etwo Jana/Sarah not up to the hype, but chances of all 3 imo less than 1%.

Watch the video of her lighting it up from the arc, quick release, nothing but net. Azzi may move on next year, and we are all keeping our fingers crossed about her health when she hopefully gets back on the court this year.

I have extremely high expectations for both Jana & Sarah. But while both can play inside and out, neither is the type of player to initiate the offense, drop dimes and take over the game imo.

As I said, “I don’t want to get over my skis.” But UConn has had more than a few freshmen step in and run the show through the years: DT, Maya & Paige all come to mind, and Stewie certainly carried the Huskies to a national championship as a freshman.

We’ll all get a chance to see just how good this young lady from Ecuador is in another year. I for one am excited.

 

[Bone Dog]

I’ve now managed to find a few more clips. They’re too short to bother posting here and an easy googling will find them. One thing you start to see is that Blanquita is used to carrying her team, whether it be in HS or FIBA or Italia. This is a kid who knows how to lead and Geno likes these types. Paige, Sarah, Ash, KK, Jana, Allie and Morgan are all excellent examples of this trait. They’re used to their teammates looking to them to lead. I think this is what her coaches at the NBA Academy saw in her when they said it’s not a matter of if she makes it to the WNBA, but of how to get her ready for when she gets there.

 

[Dogstar]

There’s probably room for several BIG DOGS at UConn.

but there's only 1 Alpha

 

[Hayven]

I can hear Jose asking Geno before their game on 11/10. You did it again, I've been talking with Blanca for over a year, then you meet her once and she commits to you after that. What the heck are you promising them?

I was just thinking, we’re becoming the next USF but just on a different competition level

 

[Bone Dog]

I was just thinking, we’re becoming the next USF but just on a different competition level

Nah. Geno was country before country was cool!

 

[Bone Dog]

And in case we need a chart to keep it all straight:

 

[hoophuskee]

Watch the video of her lighting it up from the arc, quick release, nothing but net. Azzi may move on next year, and we are all keeping our fingers crossed about her health when she hopefully gets back on the court this year.

I have extremely high expectations for both Jana & Sarah. But while both can play inside and out, neither is the type of player to initiate the offense, drop dimes and take over the game imo.

As I said, “I don’t want to get over my skis.” But UConn has had more than a few freshmen step in and run the show through the years: DT, Maya & Paige all come to mind, and Stewie certainly carried the Huskies to a national championship as a freshman.

We’ll all get a chance to see just how good this young lady from Ecuador is in another year. I for one am excited.

First off just want to say "In Geno I trust" and Blanca looks very good. And secondly, I'm under the belief that Azzi is coming back. I feel she would be nuts to leave whether title or not. I felt the same way with Paige. Multiple injuries like they had as long as it isn't degenerative they would be nuts to jump to WNBA without a break.

With that said, Highlights tends to show highlights. As a result, ofc I am only going to see the 3's she knocked in. But the post UConncat made from X appears to be from someone who has seen her quite a bit or heard form someone and the comment was "her 3pt shot is in progress/being worked." With Sarah, the comment was "elite. Along with Sarah her vision and passing elite.

Not meant as an argument but a question - why do you say, using Sarah as an example, that she can’t initiate the Offense? And "drop dimes?: That's part of Sarah's strengths as a gifted passer. IMO the reason why she was number 1 in h/s was the one thing among others she can do is initiate offense. And all the players you mentioned got better as sophs so why can't Sarah be the frosh / soph the others were? I guess it comes down to is that you don’t feel she can initate?

 

[Alydar]

What are you sayin?

Azzi, Sarah, and Jana are the 3 Big Dogs next year. You think Blanca as a frosh is going to supplant them? If the quote above gives us a clue that IConnCat provided that Blanca "is working" on her 3pt shot, and she is a G/W, then there is no way she is suplanting Azzi/Sarah/Jana. Maybe if Azzi not healthy and one of te etwo Jana/Sarah not up to the hype, but chances of all 3 imo less than 1%.

And yet you think two freshmen who haven't played even 1 second of D1 will be top dogs based on hype?

 

[Bone Dog]

Instead of comparing Blanca to UConn greats of the past, maybe it makes more sense to contrast her with another player in her own class: Jazzy Davidson. They are both great finishers and excellent ball handlers. Jazzy may have a slight advantage in this area. Blanca looks to be a bit stronger and more athletic and may be simply quicker. This is what her coaches say about her, that her speed is impressive. I expect she'll play against Jazzy a few times in her UConn career, and these will be interesting moments. Also, I have a feeling Geno knew all along that Jazzy wasn't serious about coming to UConn, and this is why he paid so much attention to Blanquita.

 

[hoophuskee]

And yet you think two freshmen who haven't played even 1 second of D1 will be top dogs based on hype?

They won't be frosh next year. But historically if I look at #1/#2 ranked recruits over the years (I'm assuming Lobo and Ralph were not) Sales, Tamika, DT, Strother, Tina, Maya, KML, Stewie, MoJeff, Katie Lou, Walker, Cwill, Paige, and Azzi - I would say 9 of 14 turned out to be dogs their 2nd year. You could argue 8 if excluding MoJeff and Azzi as dogs their soph year though Azzi was injury related. There is no way to account for that for current players.

But less than 8 out of 14 / or 10 out of 14 if looking only at their frosh year. Thus imo there is a much higher chance that Sarah is a dog next year as a Soph vs Blanca as a Frosh. And based on when UCONN gets #1/#2 recruits from H/S, I think using histrorical info - there is a strong chance that Sarah will be a Dog her soph year.

 

[hoophuskee]

Instead of comparing Blanca to UConn greats of the past, maybe it makes more sense to contrast her with another player in her own class: Jazzy Davidson. They are both great finishers and excellent ball handlers. Jazzy may have a slight advantage in this area. Blanca looks to be a bit stronger and more athletic and may be simply quicker. This is what her coaches say about her, that her speed is impressive. I expect she'll play against Jazzy a few times in her UConn career, and these will be interesting moments. Also, I have a feeling Geno knew all along that Jazzy wasn't serious about coming to UConn, and this is why he paid so much attention to Blanquita.

Do you think the bold?

And do you thik they are still after Agot?

We'll see if she visits now. And whether she does or not - in Geno I trust.

 

[Zarathustra]

Blanca is currently playing in a pro league that has players more experienced then Strong and she is holding her own. I'm not putting down Strong, I'm saying that Blanca is not a pushover and may give Strong a good run for playing time.

Playing time: NEXT YEAR! 2025 - 2026. We'll see Bianca in June, 2025 (?) unless she
arrives for First Night on Friday, October 18, 2024. Well Done, Geno!!

 

[Bone Dog]

Do you think the bold?

And do you thik they are still after Agot?

We'll see if she visits now. And whether she does or not - in Geno I trust.

I've watched a few complete games with Jazzy and she is smooth. That's the thing that really strikes you. Not speed. I don't mean she's slow, but speed is not what you first notice about her. By contrast, Blanquita looks very quick. That's what the coaches who worked with her say, and I think it's why a few folks thought she was reminiscent of Maya. Also, I can picture her defending against Juju or Jazzy. She has the right sort of athleticism.

I have no idea about Agot, but she may be redundant now, if there's still a chance of landing Lara.