Brianna Banks

[OneTrickPony]

Earlier in the year I mentioned that I thought Banks was over thinking last year, and consequently the game was moving too fast for her...that deer in the headlights look. Geno or one of his staff made the comment this year that she is an instinctive player whose game is less amenable to some of the programmatic play Geno teaches. I took this to mean that they've decided to see how Brianna plays within a less structured role...something that Geno has the luxury to try with the talented paint players we have.

So far, this looks like it has paid dividends...and you can see the increase in confidence for player and coach. When a player puts too much pressure on themselves, sometimes the mind starts racing and its very counterproductive. My hope is that increased confidence, in combination with Brianna's natural talents, results in the game slowing down for her enough to start absorbing Geno's system at the subliminal level where it becomes more of a reaction than a thought process. In the martial arts, this process is thought to take at least 18 months...so Brianna may be right on schedule. I hope she gets some good minutes, because I think she is a tremendously gifted athlete that can be a tremendously disruptive force on the court.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Earlier in the year I mentioned that I thought Banks was over thinking last year, and consequently the game was moving to fast for her...that deer in the headlights look. Geno or one of his staff made the comment that she is an instinctive player whose game is less amenable to some of the programmatic play Geno prefers. I took this to mean that they've decided to see how Brianna plays within a less structured role...something that Geno has the luxury to try with the talented paint players we have. So far, this looks like it has paid dividends...and you can see the increase in confidence for player and coach. My hope is that increased confidence, in combination with Brianna's natural talents, results in the game slowing down for her enough to start absorbing Geno's system. I hope she gets some good minutes, because I think she is a tremendously gifted athlete that can be a tremendously disruptive force on the court.

OneT...Good insight!!!

 

[Icebear]

Earlier in the year I mentioned that I thought Banks was over thinking last year, and consequently the game was moving too fast for her...that deer in the headlights look. Geno or one of his staff made the comment this year that she is an instinctive player whose game is less amenable to some of the programmatic play Geno teaches. I took this to mean that they've decided to see how Brianna plays within a less structured role...something that Geno has the luxury to try with the talented paint players we have.

So far, this looks like it has paid dividends...and you can see the increase in confidence for player and coach. When a player puts too much pressure on themselves, sometimes the mind starts racing and its very counterproductive. My hope is that increased confidence, in combination with Brianna's natural talents, results in the game slowing down for her enough to start absorbing Geno's system at the subliminal level where it becomes more of a reaction than a thought process. In the martial arts, this process is thought to take at least 18 months...so Brianna may be right on schedule. I hope she gets some good minutes, because I think she is a tremendously gifted athlete that can be a tremendously disruptive force on the court.

I, actually, thought the opposite was true Sunday in that Brianna was very much functioning within the structure of the offense and was moving to all the correct positions on the court with relative ease and comfort. When rotated low she attacked along the baseline like Kalana Greene. When at the point she passed the ball and moved comfortably on the cut and setting the up screen and then swung out and around. Vastly improved over last year and within the offensive flow allowing others to execute their roles, too.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Banks was behind a seasoned veteran last season... whether she was learning the ropes, shy, scared, confused, patiently waiting... who knows.

I think she realized that Tiff was gone, she saw the opportunity to step up or sit down... looks like she decided to step up.

Go Banks!

 

[meyers7]

Banks was behind a seasoned veteran last season... whether she was learning the ropes, shy, scared, confused, patiently waiting... who knows.

I think she realized that Tiff was gone, she saw the opportunity to step up or sit down... looks like she decided to step up.

Go Banks!

Welcome back, it's been awhile.

 

[Tonyc]

Welcome back, it's been awhile.

Whatever happened to BB, I hope its contagious and the entire team catches it. Shes the most improved player Ive ever seen .

 

[sTu]

. Geno or one of his staff made the comment this year that she is an instinctive player whose game is less amenable to some of the programmatic play Geno teaches. I took this to mean that they've decided to see how Brianna plays within a less structured role

I was under the impression that the UConn offense is the definition of unpredictable? Player cuts are based on the defense (what an opposing player does) and players read each other and move according to where a teammate is going. That is why there is so much emphasis on instant, intelligent decision making. I am not naming players, but it is pretty visible which players struggle with this type of play on our team.

 

[OneTrickPony]

I haven't seen too much of the obvious problems of players going one way and passes going the other...but I'm not that knowledgeable about the options Geno has for each read. Given the play so far and Ice's observations...I'm starting to think she's made more progress that the "instinctive player" comments may have indicated! She does look great!

 

[Wonkster]

... I don't know about the rest of you, but has anyone else seen as dramatic a makeover in one summer? I know Stef has made changes, but the potential was there and obvious even to the ignorant ones like me. Banks is a completely different thing. I'm really impressed.

If you had read the local Georgia press about Banks during her high school career, you might have caught comments like (paraphrased) "She is a terror on both ends of the court and is limited only by whether she chooses to play hard the entire game."

 

[Rb335]

To Rblack....obviously, we're all just UConn women's BB nuts voicing our opinion here, and I respect yours. Having said that, in my humble opinion, you do not have a good read on this player's athleticism and talent level. You are right...we have yet to see the full bloom of these talents made manifest in big games. This is exactly why I initiated this post. It would be pointless for me to crow about the revealed talents of a Dolson or a Faris or a Hartley. Those are givens. My point here is that Briana is, in my opinion, going to emerge as the surprise player of the season...on a team so laden with talent that there are few possibilities for surprise...I only ask that if and when her contributions become a reality, you post a revision in thought, as I will do if proven wrong!

I would hope that she turns out as you hope. However, I have this weird feeling about her as a player. She is not easy to watch in my opinion. I still see her in the crazy defensive stance and allow people to storm right by her. Maybe I imagine that? It shall be fun to watch her progress this season. For the sake of the team, I hope you are right.