Brianna Banks

[Moose]

Actually, I've been surprised in an unpleasant way by Brianna's difficulties in doing things that most of us expected her to do really well -- above all, playing one-on-one defense effectively.

I didn't notice the tension between her and Kelly, but I suspect it could be due to this problem. Kelly would know exactly what the game plan calls for, and would not trust Brianna to execute it if she seems confused or slow-on-the-uptake on too many occasions. Kelly would trust Caroline in that way, even with her physical limitations.

I was surprised at Banks defense. The other starters are able to keep their players in front of them most of the time and Banks' one-on-one defense is not on that level. When Banks had the ball in the backcourt PSU looked like sharks that smelled blood in the water (and why wouldn't they? She's an untested freshman). The first time it happened they nearly got a steal and I think after that Kelly may have inbounded it to Tiff/Bria/Caroline even though they had a lot of coverage. I don't know that this is necessarily 'tension' between the two, it's just Kelly wanting to make the right play/not put Banks in a bad situation.

I don't know about Faris not passing it on the break, but on a different break Tiff hit the pull-up at the foul line despite having lane runners on either side (one was Bria). The break is predictable if you always pass it to the cutters and sometimes even if you could pass it, I think it's okay to shoot it, just to mix things up.

I understand that there are some Banks supporters out there, but from what I saw, yesterday was not really her best game.

 

[Husky WBB Fan]

I was surprised at Banks defense. The other starters are able to keep their players in front of them most of the time and Banks' one-on-one defense is not on that level. When Banks had the ball in the backcourt PSU looked like sharks that smelled blood in the water (and why wouldn't they? She's an untested freshman).

I understand that there are some Banks supporters out there, but from what I saw, yesterday was not really her best game.

I have noticed the same things you and JoePgh note so eloquently in your posts and objectively I have seen the same and I have to agree with you. I just see those physical gifts of speed and quickness and athleticism and wish it weren't so. Perhaps it goes back to a need for better coaching pre-college to develop the skills and instincts? I'm hoping she and the UCONN coaches keep trying. She seems like a really nice kid and a BYer once commented how wonderful her parents are. If (or hopefully when) it all clicks I think she will be good and contribute significantly.

 

[John Fryer]

(Isn't this thread more about making a mountain out of a mole hill?)

We Won The Game!

Duh. Breanna is still a freshman, right? And she is a freshman with limited PT as compared to Caroline (a redshirt Jr.) and Kelly (a Jr.).

It continues to surprise me tha so many BYs are quick to criticize a freshman and give upperclassmen who make similar mistakes a pass.

Every player on the floor made at least one bonehead play.

The question that I had last night was this: Why weren't they yanked?

Answer: Here we are yet again at the end of the season and coach A continues to reply on a seven player rotation.

He had to keep Doty in the game after he yanked Breanna. There was no one else on the bench to replace her with.

Frankly, the level of her play after she scored her first four points (of six points) was not high quality, IMO.

Peace,

John Fryer

 

[MilfordHusky]

Geno talked about Breanna's defense in the last month--she has perfect position, and then the other player goes by her. Like many, she probably relied on superior athleticism in the past. She has a lot of ability but a lot of room to learn. I'd like to see her go to point guard college, even is she is going to play the SG spot. I hope she is happy at UConn and no one gets too down on her. She definitely has a role if she can learn and make better decisions.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Moriah is rated as a 98 by HG- in other words, a #1 in the nation-caliber recruit. I would expect her to jump Banks in the depth chart on that alone, and watching her games does little to dissuade me of that expectation.

Banks, however, can still have a valuable role on the team. You really can't have enough team speed.

Another factoid on Moriah: The highest rated PG in the history of HoopGurlz.

 

[Icebear]

Geno talked about Breanna's defense in the last month--she has perfect position, and then the other player goes by her. Like many, she probably relied on superior athleticism in the past. She has a lot of ability but a lot of room to learn. I'd like to see her go to point guard college, even is she is going to play the SG spot. I hope she is happy at UConn and no one gets too down on her. She definitely has a role if she can learn and make better decisions.

I think this is precisely the situation for BB. In highschool her atleticism allowed her to dominate anyone. College ball at this level is different, however, and there are fundamental and decision making skills and fundamentals she needs to acquire. She has a tremendous opportunity to do so over this coming summer and like Ketia if she learns how to direct her talent she can become a tremendous contributor.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think this is precisely the situation for BB. In highschool her atleticism allowed her to dominate anyone. College ball at this level is different, however, and there are fundamental and decision making skills and fundamentals she needs to acquire. She has a tremendous opportunity to do so over this coming summer and like Ketia if she learns how to direct her talent she can become a tremendous contributor.

Brianna has WNBA-type athleticism. She need to be coached up and work hard to achieve that. But she is in exactly the right place for it.

 

[Sonny44]

She gets confused a lot coming in for such short periods. She needs longer stretches apparently to get into the flow of the game. HB was the same way.

 

[Vowelguy]

I think guard depth next year will be important. Tiff departs and Moriah (yes!!) arrives. No change in guard numbers if, as I'm assuming, BS and MT join Kiah and Steff on the frontcourt along with MJ and Heather (isn't that where the crowd will be next year

Stewart & Tuck/Stokes means that Faris, and even KML, will get less time at the 4, and more at the 2/3. So the guard situation does in fact get tighter.

 

[Vowelguy]

fyi, In the 11 very competitive games this year, here was the minutes distribution:

Hartley 36
Hayes 32
Faris 32
KML 29
Dolson 29
Doty 23
Stokes 13
Banks 3
Buck 2
Johnson/Engeln 1

Stewart & Jefferson alone seem capable of easily getting 20+ minutes each. That will come from Hayes 33, plus probably reduced mins for Faris and possibly Hartley, Stokes, & Doty. And I haven't mentioned Tuck.

Seems very difficult for Banks to significantly increase her minutes.

 

[HGN]

Caroline, though she doesn't end up with a ton of assists, is great at helping get UConn into its halfcourt sets against pressing and trapping teams. She's also an emotional leader and in tune with her younger teammates.

If UK wins tonight, we'll need that contribution from her.

I would support she come off the bench next year in favor of starting Breanna, but no way would I have Banks taking minutes from her at this point.

Banks just has to keep her head down and work her way into the rotation more. That's not going to be given to her, and to VG's point, the backourt depth will be significant next season.

I agree with you Alexrgct......I am a big Brianna Banks fan. And would support her starting over Doty next year. Doty does provide a stabilizing influence handling the ball for this young team. And we need her experience in there now. But next year BB will have a year under her belt and I think she will be ready to handle the responsibility at point. All she needs is some more seasoning to be GA's coach on the floor next season. She definitely has the physical skills.

 

[Husky WBB Fan]

fyi, In the 11 very competitive games this year, here was the minutes distribution:

Hartley 36
Hayes 32
Faris 32
KML 29
Dolson 29
Doty 23
Stokes 13
Banks 3
Buck 2
Johnson/Engeln 1

Stewart & Jefferson alone seem capable of easily getting 20+ minutes each. That will come from Hayes 33, plus probably reduced mins for Faris and possibly Hartley, Stokes, & Doty. And I haven't mentioned Tuck.

Seems very difficult for Banks to significantly increase her minutes.

Thanks Vowelguy for the 2 explanatory posts - I get it now!

 

[Icebear]

I agree with you Alexrgct......I am a big Brianna Banks fan. And would support her starting over Doty next year. Doty does provide a stabilizing influence handling the ball for this young team. And we need her experience in there now. But next year BB will have a year under her belt and I think she will be ready to handle the responsibility at point. All she needs is some more seasoning to be GA's coach on the floor next season. She definitely has the physical skills.

Making projections of improvement is always dangerous. What will be will be and BB will certainly have the opportunity to imrpove and compete. How she fares in that task is anyone's guess.

 

[meyers7]

I am a big Brianna Banks fan. And would support her starting over Doty next year. .... But next year BB will have a year under her belt and I think she will be ready to handle the responsibility at point. All she needs is some more seasoning to be GA's coach on the floor next season.

Based on what??????

 

[John Fryer]

Based on what??????

IMO, that would be a reasonable question if more context was provided.

However, absent any stats, say on Doty's assists to turnover v. Brianna's it seems to me that a lot of the posts on this thread must be based on the opinions of the posters.

Basically, I would be cool with that.

Except for the fact that this thread is based on an assumption that the originator assumed he/she understood the reason why Brianna got a quick hook.

Given the unpredictable nature of coach A, during a game, it is entirely possible that he yanked her because of something that she did/failed to do reminded him of a past practice.

All of this is, of course, just my opinion.

Peace,

John Fryer

 

[msf22b]

I recognize the physical prowess, self-evident in the young woman yet I can find scant evidence based on the body of work to date that she is the potential 'point guard of the future.'

And the longer she stayed in the other night (after a few terrific offensive moves), the more dislocated (many more negative descriptions came to mind, some unprintable) her play became. Taking her out was
an act of kindness.

 

[Phil]

I understand that there are some Banks supporters out there, but from what I saw, yesterday was not really her best game.

I'm a Banks supporter, but Sunday was not her best game.

 

[Phil]

This is admittedly speculation (but not harmful speculation)—I think BB may have "memorized" some of Geno's rules without fully comprehending that some of his black and white rules come packaged with nuance that needs to be understood.

For example, he has said "Don't pass up an open shot". It drives him bonkers when someone gets the ball, completely open, and decides to pass on the shot. However, while he says that like an absolute, it isn't.

If their center has three fouls, early in the game, and he wants to get it to Stef or Kiah to try to get the fourth, you do pass up the 12 foot open jumper 5 seconds into the shot clock because you have a plan. Similarly, like in her second error, when there are a few minutes left and you have a decent lead, the shot clock is your friend, and you do pass up the 12 foot jumper 5 seconds in.

I think she received the ball, looked at the basket and saw no defender and invoked the rule, without recognizing the game situation.

This takes some time to master - you absolutely must do X in situation Y is easy to learn, but learning that you must do X in situation Y, except when Z, or W ; that rule is a little tougher to follow, especially when you have to do it while racing around at top speed.

 

[phil sampieri]

There was another time when Faris and Banks were on a break-out against one defender.

Faris was contested by the lone defender and Banks was running free.

For whatever reasons, Faris didn't pass the ball to Banks. (She took the shot and made it.)

Peace,

John Fryer

That was lewis on the break not Banks

 

[Phil]

That was lewis on the break not Banks

No, I remember the play. Maybe there was another one, but I remember the one involving Faris and Banks.

 

[Phil]

I think there are multiple possibilities. If you ALWAYS pass to the other player at the end of a 2 on 1 break, the defender can anticipate that and switch at the last minute. So sometimes you ought to keep it just to keep defenders guessing. I've also seen effective use of a fake pass, then finish uncontested. That didn't happen this time, though. It can also be the case that the defender is in such a position that the pass tot he other player is tougher than going for the basket. I think that may be true here, but I'd have to review it, "to refresh my recollection" as witnesses often say. It may be that Geno has been riding her for being too unselfish, and she decided to keep it this time.

Or maybe she knew, as we all know to be the case, that she was playing one of the best offensive games of the year, and when you are hitting your shots, you want to keep taking them.

Or maybe Geno was talking to her about trying to draw the foul in those situations and she saw it as a perfect chance to try.

 

[ju6381]

No, I remember the play. Maybe there was another one, but I remember the one involving Faris and Banks.

Having watched the play again, there was a defender streaking down the court that would have stolen any pass Kelly made to BB. As usual Kelly made the right play.

 

[John Fryer]

I recognize the physical prowess, self-evident in the young woman yet I can find scant evidence based on the body of work to date that she is the potential 'point guard of the future.'

And the longer she stayed in the other night (after a few terrific offensive moves), the more dislocated (many more negative descriptions came to mind, some unprintable) her play became. Taking her out was
an act of kindness.

Wow! There is something about your comments that makes me very uneasy.

Do you remember that we were leading in a game that we won going away? We Won The Game!

Such harsh criticism for a play that had no impact on the outcome of the game.

Nothing that you said is positive. (Even though I was at the game, after reading this thread I watched it again on ESPN 3 Replay. I don't recall seeing anything that would support your comments. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.)

(Just for your further information: statements/comments such as "I recognize the physical prowess, self-evident in the young woman" are seldom, if ever, viewed as being positive. There almost always seems to be an implicit "but" to follow.)

Do I need to remind you that she is a member of the team and she is a student athlete?

And, as pointed out by other BYs, this is a Forum in support of the team.

John Fryer

 

[HuskyNan]

Stewart & Jefferson alone seem capable of easily getting 20+ minutes each. That will come from Hayes 33, plus probably reduced mins for Faris and possibly Hartley, Stokes, & Doty. And I haven't mentioned Tuck.

Stef may play fewer minutes which is, I believe, a goal of the coaching staff.

 

[meyers7]

IMO, that would be a reasonable question if more context was provided.

The context was provided in HGN's post.

Given the unpredictable nature of coach A, during a game, it is entirely possible that he yanked her because of something that she did/failed to do reminded him of a past practice.

He's pretty predictable. If you don't perform the way he thinks you should, you'll most likely get yanked.