Critical that we land Boston as 2019 recruit

[BostonFan]

Boston is the one 2019 recruit that Geno desperately needs. She's the physical post player that this team has lacked since it last won a title. She would also complement ONO very well, who is more an athletic post player. If Boston decides to go to Notre Dame with Brunelle, then the UConn dynasty will probably be over (& we'll be watching Notre Dame go on a multi-year title reign).

 

[triaddukefan]

. the poster's username and this thread

 

[JustinesGuy]

If we miss on Boston I don't see all the gloom and doom. Its not like were missing out on Maya Moore or Brianna Stewart. We need to somehow land the generational talents or impact guards/Wings. CW is a good start, lets hope MW's light bulb turns on.. I would not get all hot and bothered if Boston goes elsewhere. We will target Watson in 2019. Whether we land Boston or not, the games are still going to be competitive with the top 5-10 teams. The only way we will rout the top 5 teams is if we land the generational talent...

 

[Carnac]

What is the latest on Laeticia Amihere? Does anyone have a clue which way she's leaning? On her ESPN Hoopgirlz's page, it looks like she is considering at least 10 programs.

Anyone know if she's pared that list down to a more realistic number? I would be perfectly happy with a 2019 class consisting of Griffin, Amihere and Boston.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

What is the latest on Laeticia Amihere? Does anyone have a clue which way she's leaning? On her ESPN Hoopgirlz's page, it looks like she is considering at least 10 programs.

Anyone know if she's pared that list down to a more realistic number? I would be perfectly happy with a 2019 class consisting of Griffin, Amihere and Boston.

Amihere is rumored to be down to South Carolina, Louisville, and Kentucky with Notre Dame still hanging around.

 

[mj1717]

. the poster's username and this thread

Yes he forgot the ‘1’ at the end of the username!!

 

[lebronfan23]

I don’t understand why top post players would want to look somewhere else. Look at Tina, Kiah, and Dolson.

 

[Shmermerer]

I don’t understand why top post players would want to look somewhere else. Look at Tina, Kiah, and Dolson.

I would sub out Kiah. Most of her career, including her senior year she played minimal minutes. She may have excelled in a few key games but she should not be included in the likes of Tina and Dolson. Sub out Kiah and put in Lobo and I'm cool with the rest of the post

 

[Boreifs]

I would sub out Kiah. Most of her career, including her senior year she played minimal minutes. She may have excelled in a few key games but she should not be included in the likes of Tina and Dolson. Sub out Kiah and put in Lobo and I'm cool with the rest of the post

Have you forgotten that Kara Wolters was Player of the Year?! Not including her is ridiculous.

 

[TitleTown]

If we miss on Boston I don't see all the gloom and doom. Its not like were missing out on Maya Moore or Brianna Stewart. We need to somehow land the generational talents or impact guards/Wings. CW is a good start, lets hope MW's light bulb turns on.. I would not get all hot and bothered if Boston goes elsewhere. We will target Watson in 2019. Whether we land Boston or not, the games are still going to be competitive with the top 5-10 teams. The only way we will rout the top 5 teams is if we land the generational talent...

UConn is no longer recruiting Watson.

 

[JellyBean]

I don't think that we "desperately" need her. It would be nice but not a loss if we don't land her. It's all about the right fit. Players fitting the UConn Way of Standards/Values/Expectations. It would be fantastic if we had her low post talent; beast on the glass, strong/physical talent that plays through contact, and shot blocker. We haven't had a low post talent this tough since Tina Charles! But it all goes back to right fit.

 

[Sifaka]

Ms. Horston chose to go elsewhere. OK. I wish her well.

Then, as if a magic incantation had been uttered, the breathless melodrama erupted from the mouths and keyboards of the quivering few. "Desperate!"

Nope. Not hardly.

Would we be very pleased to have Ms. Boston join the team? Yes, of course we would.

 

[oldude]

Should UConn land Boston, the Huskies would have a core of CW, Liv and Aliyah for 3 seasons together. If Geno can put a reasonable supporting cast around them there’s a strong possibility the Huskies will win 1-2 more championships.

While UConn may not be desperate to land Boston, she sure is an important element to their future success.

 

[Shmermerer]

Have you forgotten that Kara Wolters was Player of the Year?! Not including her is ridiculous.

You are absolutely right!

 

[UConnFanMSM]

I'm hoping Ms. Boston chooses UConn. Think it would be wonderful to have such a strong/physical yet mobile post player here.

 

[donalddoowop]

If UConn gets a commitment from Boston I will be satisfied with the 2019 class. However, if she goes elsewhere, it may not hurt as bad as some say. In spite of what some BYers have stated, UConn did not lose out on the NC the past two seasons because of a lack of height. If one player had not made an ill advised decision with the ball with a few seconds on the clock, UConn may have won that game. They were in position to win. Last season, despite some questionable, imo, coaches decisions, the team was in position to win that game but a player missed her contested last second shot. If that shot had gone in UConn would have won that game even with a shorter team. A number of coaches are going to a position less game and it is not as essential to have a big front line anymore. An exceptional big would help but is not a sure path to a NC. Ask Baylor, Texas, and Mississippi State. UConn lost only to Mississippi State and the other two did not even make the Final Four. Just saying. I'm also saying I hope UConn lands Boston.

 

[Carnac]

Amihere is rumored to be down to South Carolina, Louisville, and Kentucky with Notre Dame still hanging around.

Thanks. We’re almost where we were at this time last year.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

What is the latest on Laeticia Amihere? Does anyone have a clue which way she's leaning? On her ESPN Hoopgirlz's page, it looks like she is considering at least 10 programs.

Anyone know if she's pared that list down to a more realistic number? I would be perfectly happy with a 2019 class consisting of Griffin, Amihere and Boston.

Rumor has it that Stewie and Kia are applying the Clockwork Orange therapy even as we speak....er...I speak.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I don’t understand why top post players would want to look somewhere else. Look at Tina, Kiah, and Dolson.

I would sub out Kiah. Most of her career, including her senior year she played minimal minutes. She may have excelled in a few key games but she should not be included in the likes of Tina and Dolson. Sub out Kiah and put in Lobo and I'm cool with the rest of the post

Have you forgotten that Kara Wolters was Player of the Year?! Not including her is ridiculous.

@lebronfan23 , @Shmermerer , and @boreifs , I hope it is okay, but I am responding to all of your posts in one comment, rather than submitting three separate ones.

When making the argument as to why a post player should attend UConn, I think there is an additional case to be made by listing players other than the ones you cited as examples.

Let me explain.

Tina Charles was the #1 player in the Class of 2006, per Hoopgurlz (when it was part of Scout - before ESPN and well before Prospects Nation; I believe @HuskyNan was part of the group of talent evaluators for that class, but I could be wrong). All Star Girls Report (ASGR) also had Charles ranked #1. In other words, she was he best player in her class even before she got to UConn. Under Geno's tutelage, she really expanded her game, adding the mid-range shot from the elbow, learning how to finish over both shoulders, becoming a very good passer (especially for a post player), etc. But the "raw material" and talent were already there before she arrived in Storrs.

Both Rebecca Lobo and Kara Wolters were very highly ranked prospects. Yes, they made great improvements while playing for Geno Auriemma, but, like Charles, the "raw material" and talent were already there before she arrived in Storrs.

If you want to use examples of post players to show development and give reasons for why recruits should attend UConn, Stef Dolson is a good example. Dolson was ranked #12 by All Star Girls Report (ASGR), #24 by Blue Star, and #39 by then-ESPN/Hoopgurlz. It should be noted, however, that she was a McDonald's All-American (which, in theory, represents one analysis of the top 24 players in the class). At UConn, she won two titles, but also won the AAC Defensive POY Award and the WBCA National Defensive POY award. She also greatly expanded her game, extending her range to three and becoming a great option off of a pick-and-pop (to say nothing of her passing skills). And she has been named a WNBA All-Star twice - 2015 and 2017.

In terms of recent (this century) history, UConn has had plenty of elite, talented post players. Here is a list of the post players who were McDonald's All-Americans coming out of high school - Tina Charles, Willnett Crockett, Napheesa Collier, Stef Dolson, Brittany Hunter (Duke transfer), Kaili McLaren, Kiah Stokes, and Morgan Tuck (I did not count Gabby Williams, as she was versatile and played all over the court in high school and later at UConn; also did not count Charde Houston and Barbara Turner, who were the heights of wing players, but were undersized post players who played much bigger than their respective heights).

But -- and please feel free to disagree - the post player who best exemplifies what Geno and the UConn staff an do is Jessica Moore. Coming out of high school, here were Jessica Moore's recruiting rankings:
#36 - All Star Girls Report (ASGR)
#43 - Blue Star Basketball

At UConn:
-- 3 NCAA Championships
-- 2001 U19 World's Championship Team member
-- 11th in career rebounds, 6th in career field goal percentage (using UConn's 2016-17 Media Guide; could not find the 2017-18 Media Guide for some reason)

And she played NINE seasons in the WNBA. NINE. Think about how many players that I have listed in this post and how many past McDAA players who have not played in half that many WNBA seasons.

Jessica Moore was never the "one in a generation player." She was not an elite high school prospect (relatively speaking, in comparison to top ten/twenty players and HS All-Americans). She was never the go-to player at UConn. She was not a collegiate All-American.

And yet, she parlayed her basketball skillset and UConn education/training into a WNBA career, where she was part of nine seasons for multiple franchises, far exceeding any expectations for her, whether coming from high school or coming out of college.

 

[JustinesGuy]

UConn is no longer recruiting Watson.

I heard. I’m bummed.