Boy are we gonna miss her

[Oldbones]

Every year I find myself repeating this same line. Once again, it's coming up very quickly - that annual bittersweet time when we hope that the season will never end. Other pictures welcomed. Bring out the handkerchiefs.

 

[Dabber]

Every year I find myself repeating this same line. Once again, it's coming up very quickly - that annual bittersweet time when we hope that the season will never end. Other pictures welcomed. Bring out the handkerchiefs.

View attachment 28540

DITTO AND DITTO

 

[bags27]

+1000

only compensation--and it's a very big one--is that it leaves room in our hearts for the next group of wonderful players.

 

[CL82]

Yep and Gabby as well. That's a whole lot of grit, effort and will that will graduate. Ah well, that's probably a topic best left for the off season. Enjoy them while you can.

 

[eebmg]

Both to be sure but the sadness is eased when they make good at the next level and others take over. The cycle of life.

 

[Golden Husky]

"Her" or "Them?" Two terrific players who, thankfully, still have more to show us. To wit, Ms. Durr, meet Ms. Nurse. And Ms. Hines-Allen, may we introduce you to Ms. Williams? It's cold in Storrs but there's no need to bring outerwear; they'll have you covered.

 

[EricLA]

Eventually someone will start a thread "will we be better next year than this year". But IMHO it's still too early in the season to go down that path. Having said that, IF we land Ezi, I would say we will be about even to what we are this year. If we don't land her, I would say a tad worse.

Both Kia and Gabby are elite world class defenders. Kia is an elite shooter, Gabby is an elite all around player. When you consider that the 2 players who will likely replace them in the starting lineup are Megan and Azura, the drop off is substantial. Both of them will need a rather large "sophomore leap" to come close to replacing what we lose.

I do get that Lou, Pheesa and Crystal should all be improved (especially Pheesa compared to how she started this season - she's certainly come on super strong lately so her "improvement" would be over how she started this year compared to how she starts next year).

Anyway, no matter what, we lose 2 absolutely amazing players - next season our starters will be "less" than this year, but our bench should be way "more" than this year...

 

[Sonny44]

Yep and Gabby as well. That's a whole lot of grit, effort and will that will graduate. Ah well, that's probably a topic best left for the off season. Enjoy them while you can.

Yep, next year could be really tough for us.

 

[CL82]

Both Kia and Gabby are elite world class defenders. Kia is an elite shooter, Gabby is an elite all around player. When you consider that the 2 players who will likely replace them in the starting lineup are Megan and Azura, the drop off is substantial. Both of them will need a rather large "sophomore leap" to come close to replacing what we lose.

I do get that Lou, Pheesa and Crystal should all be improved

As you noted in the last quoted sentence, Megan and Azura don't have to make up all of the difference. Lou, Pheesa and Crystal will continue to improve. Don't forget about Camara. She'll be healthy and much bigger contributor.

 

[Centerstream]

Yep, next year could be really tough for us.

Isn't that what everyone said last season after losing the Big 3??? That season turned out quite well, just not perfect.

 

[Centerstream]

And so starts the worries about next season and it isn't even tournament time yet...smh.

 

[CocoHusky]

"Her" or "Them?" Two terrific players who, thankfully, still have more to show us. To wit, Ms. Durr, meet Ms. Nurse. And Ms. Hines-Allen, may we introduce you to Ms. Williams? It's cold in Storrs but there's no need to bring outerwear; they'll have you covered.

My exact first though about this post! UCONN will definitely miss THEM ( GABBY and KIA) because they are the two best defenders on the team.

 

[Oldbones]

My exact first though about this post! UCONN will definitely miss THEM ( GABBY and KIA) because they are the two best defenders on the team.

In clarification of the pronouns:
I find myself saying "Boy are we going to miss her" regularly during late-season games, when "she" makes a memorable play. Am I the only one that does that? Both of THEM (11&15) are pictured in the original "Boy are we going to miss her" post.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Since Geno has been demonstably innefective in the past at the task of player development, I don’t think it’s too early to throw in the towel as regards our favorite team’s chances for next season. Gonna be downright depressin’!

 

[JustinesGuy]

So true so true.

 

[Golden Husky]

UConn certainly will be different next season. So much of what Kia and Gabby do--most notably their defensive intensity--doesn't always show up in a box score and is difficult to quantify. Is there anyone else in the country, let alone a UConn uniform, who could shut out Kitija Laksa and Kolby Morgan, as Kia did? And is there anyone who could hound the likely National Player of the Year, 6-5 A'ja Wilson, into shooting 4-18 while matching her in rebounds as the 5-11 Gabby did?

These are two amazing players.

 

[HuskyBandDad]

Isn't that what everyone said last season after losing the Big 3??? That season turned out quite well, just not perfect.

It is said every year.

 

[Los24]

Eventually someone will start a thread "will we be better next year than this year". But IMHO it's still too early in the season to go down that path. Having said that, IF we land Ezi, I would say we will be about even to what we are this year. If we don't land her, I would say a tad worse.

Both Kia and Gabby are elite world class defenders. Kia is an elite shooter, Gabby is an elite all around player. When you consider that the 2 players who will likely replace them in the starting lineup are Megan and Azura, the drop off is substantial. Both of them will need a rather large "sophomore leap" to come close to replacing what we lose.

I do get that Lou, Pheesa and Crystal should all be improved (especially Pheesa compared to how she started this season - she's certainly come on super strong lately so her "improvement" would be over how she started this year compared to how she starts next year).

Anyway, no matter what, we lose 2 absolutely amazing players - next season our starters will be "less" than this year, but our bench should be way "more" than this year...

Just keep in mind how far Lou and Pheesa jumped from frosh to soph year. They were both 20 point scorers while improving other areas of their game in year 2. (BIG) If Z meets her potential then she could offset Gabby (defensive influence and rebounding with more diverse scoring, however she will not touch Gabby's passing.) Also, there is little doubt Meg has the talent to one day meet Kia's accomplishments, but will she ever reach the grit and effort that makes Kia great??? My opinion is yes, I can see it in her eyes, it just seems like she is struggling to consistently do it. Almost every UConn freshman, outside perhaps Maya, has also struggled though.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Every year I find myself repeating this same line. Once again, it's coming up very quickly - that annual bittersweet time when we hope that the season will never end. Other pictures welcomed. Bring out the handkerchiefs.

View attachment 28540

,
My normal comment when anyone is leaving is: No one is irreplaceable.

In this case--that does not apply. The incidentals, unknowns, personality, toughness, "hell I'm going-a win try and stop me" attitude
comes less than once in a life time. Everyone equates her toughness to Hockey--I disagree, this is pure KIA. On senior night, I teared up when Sue left, but none since, I'm sure I'll blubber like a full on faucet. I miss her already. The best Canadian All North American EVER. Her best games were as a Canadian against Stew's USA team and darn near every UConn game for nearly 4 years now.

 

[CocoHusky]

,
My normal comment when anyone is leaving is: No one is irreplaceable.

In this case--that does not apply. The incidentals, unknowns, personality, toughness, "hell I'm going-a win try and stop me" attitude
comes less than once in a life time. Everyone equates her toughness to Hockey--I disagree, this is pure KIA. On senior night, I teared up when Sue left, but none since, I'm sure I'll blubber like a full on faucet. I miss her already. The best Canadian All North American EVER. Her best games were as a Canadian against Stew's USA team and darn near every UConn game for nearly 4 years now.

Man time flies! Remember it like it was yesterday Kia made her first start the game after Stanford loss against Creighton and scored 22 points & had 0 turnovers in 31 minutes. I'm still trying to verify this but so far it looks like the most Points for a UCONN WCBB making their first start.

 

[VAMike23]

I remember three years ago when Kiah Stokes, Lane Warrior 1st Class, was on the floor for UCONN in an away game against a quality opponent with serious size.

The other team put up a jumper which missed, the ball caroming high off the rim. There was a mass of bodies deep in the paint, pushing and shoving for position. A split-second later, my eyes saw the extended arm and dark blue jersey of Kiah Stokes rising high from the squabble, snatching the ball out of thin air, nearly at its apex.

Which was all very cool. Except it wasn't Kiah!



It was a freshman. But not just any freshman.

She tricked me several times like this when Kiah was on the floor. My eye/brain would think, "..No WAY is that not Kiah Stokes who just did that!"

I learned.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I refuse to accept the inevitability of things discussed in this thread. Not going there.

 

[CocoHusky]

I remember three years ago when Kiah Stokes, Lane Warrior 1st Class, was on the floor for UCONN in an away game against a quality opponent with serious size.

The other team put up a jumper which missed, the ball caroming high off the rim. There was a mass of bodies deep in the paint, pushing and shoving for position. A split-second later, my eyes saw the extended arm and dark blue jersey of Kiah Stokes rising high from the squabble, snatching the ball out of thin air, nearly at its apex.
Which was all very cool. Except it wasn't Kiah!


It was a freshman. But not just any freshman.
She tricked me several times like this when Kiah was on the floor. My eye/brain would think, "..No WAY is that not Kiah Stokes who just did that!"
I learned.

She tricked us all! Just a few months earlier March 2014 I'm looking at the incoming UCONN Freshmen and thinking well Courtney can shoot, and Sadie can get to the rack, that Canadian kid got potential but that kid on crutches during the McDonalds AA game-I guess we are at least a year away from even seeing what she can do. By November once Gabby remembered to bring her sneakers, I was like OMG!

Gabby on crutches during Mcd's AA game.

 

[CocoHusky]

I refuse to accept the inevitability of things discussed in this thread. Not going there.
View attachment 28548

You will feel much better once you admit, like the rest of us, that not only are tears inevitable they are perfectly appropriate!

 

[BroadwayVa]

I refuse to accept the inevitability of things discussed in this thread. Not going there.

View attachment 28548

If it worked ---I'd jump on board in a heart beat. But like the image and the thought, cuz they are mine!!