Crystal's season

[Coach]

What do you think of Crystal's season?

There's no question she has superior talent. I was mesmerized by her in the Baylor game and thought she will be taking minutes from Saniya. Then . . . she same back to earth with typical freshman problems - effort in practices, knowing where she's supposed to be on defense and at times played like a "deer in the headlights".

Don't get me wrong, I think she will be a very good/great point guard in the future, but I was spoiled by some of her amazing passes, teardrops in the lane, etc. So to answer my own question, I think Crystal is a superior talent who had typical freshman struggles. She's still productive and added to the team's success.

 

[Waquoit]

I think the concussion really killed her momentum. And by the time she fully recovered, the starting job was Chong's fair and square. In this case, things worked out for the best. A senior thrived and became a vital cog while the team has the best 6th man in the Final Four.

 

[bags27]

Crystal played quite well during the games when Kia was hurt and Crystal was starting and getting lots of playing time. So, unless the story is different the next game (or two), probably best that can be said is that Crystal acclimated to being a freshman at UConn. Her challenges are: defense and that she still sometimes has the high school mentality of trying to ad lib on offense. That wasn't supposed to be her role this year, and, with all the new talent coming, will be even less so next year. Gradually, she's learning to run the offense the way Geno wants it run.

 

[oldude]

The weight of all of our expectations relative to Crystal were probably unfair. She did fine for her freshman year, and as I've pointed out before, Crystal had a better freshman year than Mo.

If she stays healthy, I believe Crystal will set the all-time assist record at UConn and eventually make it to the HOH.

 

[UcMiami]

Good freshman year, hopefully a big jump as a sophomore. And she is going to get some competition from the freshman class coming in so she will need to make that jump.

 

[Coach]

I think the concussion really killed her momentum. And by the time she fully recovered, the starting job was Chong's fair and square. In this case, things worked out for the best. A senior thrived and became a vital cog while the team has the best 6th man in the Final Four.

Good point. I think you're right

 

[Buzzyboy]

What I think is that if it hadn't been for that Baylor game, many people on this board would think completely differently about Crystal's season and her potential in years to come to be a great UConn point guard. She had an extraordinary game, no question but other than that, the flashes she's shown have been very, very infrequent. I have concerns and I would be astounded (but happy) if her career at UConn approaches that of Moriah Jefferson.

 

[Charliebball]

the final chapters of her freshman year have yet to be written..........perhaps she will make a difference in the next two games..........if she does then her first season would have been a great success..........

 

[Tenspro2002]

She's shown flashes, but like I said in another thread, her contributions tend to be brief moments of individual brilliance, rather than maintaining the flow of the offense. She hasn't been a liability, but not a tremendous asset either.

That said, like others have intimated, the biggest jump comes between freshman and sophomore years. Hopefully she "gets it", because we're going to be short of true point guards otherwise.

 

[Charliebball]

Let's see what kind of point guard Geno eventually lands in 2018...........that will say a lot about Crystal's future.............

 

[Mdoggie]

Next season I believe our comments on Crystal Dangerfield will be similar to what we are saying and reading about Pheesa.

 

[oldude]

She's shown flashes, but like I said in another thread, her contributions tend to be brief moments of individual brilliance, rather than maintaining the flow of the offense. She hasn't been a liability, but not a tremendous asset either.

That said, like others have intimated, the biggest jump comes between freshman and sophomore years. Hopefully she "gets it", because we're going to be short of true point guards otherwise.

Agree with your post other than the comment that we're going to be short of true pg's. Certainly we have the pg from the Canadian national team back as a senior and Mikayla Coombs looks like one of the most versatile pg's in HS basketball.

I truly believe Crystal will make the sophomore leap next season, but if she doesn't, on a team where everyone can pass the ball, the Huskies should be just fine.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

Crystal's Freshman year at UConn was as expected, IMO. The expectations of the program are extreme, and she handled them well. No meltdowns, no horrendous play, no time on the bench to pull her act together, just a good Freshman year, playing well sometimes, not so well other times, and flashes of brilliance along the way.

I won't read anything into Geno recruiting another PG; we need at least three people capable of handling the point, and next year we'll be down to two. I'm not putting Bent into that category yet, and while Lou is a good ball handler for her size, that is what she is.

I think that she's just fine.

 

[HopJim]

She's shown flashes, but like I said in another thread, her contributions tend to be brief moments of individual brilliance, rather than maintaining the flow of the offense. She hasn't been a liability, but not a tremendous asset either.

That said, like others have intimated, the biggest jump comes between freshman and sophomore years. Hopefully she "gets it", because we're going to be short of true point guards otherwise.

Agree with wording, "individual brilliance." Her moments of offensive excellence at times appear to overshadow her evolution on the defensive side. Have seen consistent improvement throughout year but at times she doesn't appear to be able to translate her quickness into strong defense. On pick and rolls, she often gets trapped and doesn't have the strength or height to fight off passes down low. If some of the incoming players can demonstrate better defense, would not be surprised to see them eat into her minutes next year. Geno has enough offense-its the other aspects of the game I'm predicting will determine 2017-18+ minutes.

 

[bizarro aj]

She will be the starting pg next year. I don't know why every season someone on here actually thinks a freshman could start.

 

[Jeff H]

Here's her per game stats for the games Kia missed plus the South Carolina game where Kia went out and Kia's first game back where she played limited minutes (6 Games).

Minutes Pts RB A TO
32 8.8 2.3 5.1 1.8

Looks pretty decent to me. I kind of think there's a tendency to notice everything someone (Butler) does wrong that can color the overall perception. Personally I think she's going to be really good. If she doesn't quite become the next Moriah Jefferson, well Lou isn't the next Stewie either, but she's pretty darn good.

 

[Sonny44]

Here's her per game stats for the games Kia missed plus the South Carolina game where Kia went out and Kia's first game back where she played limited minutes (6 Games).

Minutes Pts RB A TO
32 8.8 2.3 5.1 1.8

Looks pretty decent to me. I kind of think there's a tendency to notice everything someone (Butler) does wrong that can color the overall perception. Personally I think she's going to be really good. If she doesn't quite become the next Moriah Jefferson, well Lou isn't the next Stewie either, but she's pretty darn good.

Agree, she has earned some level of trust.

 

[OssiningPride]

I wouldn't be surprised if she's the 6th player next year. I could see KLS as the 2 guard.

 

[JoePgh]

What I think is that if it hadn't been for that Baylor game, many people on this board would think completely differently about Crystal's season and her potential in years to come to be a great UConn point guard. She had an extraordinary game, no question but other than that, the flashes she's shown have been very, very infrequent. I have concerns and I would be astounded (but happy) if her career at UConn approaches that of Moriah Jefferson.

Then you must have been astounded that Moriah had the career had the career that Moriah had, because her freshman year wasn't any better than Crystal's. She didn't understand the offense either, and her shot was not at all reliable.

Another point about this (which addresses some other comments in this thread): This is an indication why next year's freshmen are not going to be anyone's "manna from heaven" in their first year here. Neither Moriah nor Crystal was that as a freshman. Renee Montgomery was probably a better freshman point guard than either of them, because she had to be (because Ketia Swanier had struck out in that role the previous year).

Don't expect Coombs / AEH / Gordon to be serious contenders for starting point guard, any more than Crystal has been. They will have their own "freshman problems". I expect Kia Nurse to have the starting PG role, with Crystal providing a lot of minutes of the bench. Next in line after her (most likely before any of the freshman, just because she herself won't be a freshman), I would expect to see Molly.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Crystal played quite well during the games when Kia was hurt and Crystal was starting and getting lots of playing time. So, unless the story is different the next game (or two), probably best that can be said is that Crystal acclimated to being a freshman at UConn. Her challenges are: defense and that she still sometimes has the high school mentality of trying to ad lib on offense. That wasn't supposed to be her role this year, and, with all the new talent coming, will be even less so next year. Gradually, she's learning to run the offense the way Geno wants it run.

If you want to assess where Danger fits : Look at the time and when that time occurs during the NCAA Tourney so far. First quarter.
She definitely knows how to get the ball to Napheesa and has learned where how and when to get it to Natalie. She gets abit too cute with her no look passes--most times they are not necessary. I differ with her alibiing--Geno's instructions to all his players is: Read the defense and take what they will give you. Her forays into the defense is good, she takes shots that usually worked for her. It is good because it pulls the defense towards her and opens Napheesa/Gabby/KLS--she has pulled them and made wrap around passes to Collier.
I believe we agree on nearly every thing Crystal. While the job is still effectively open: next year I believe Crystal will be Geno's point.

 

[oldude]

While I generally resist all efforts to project next year's starters until this year is finished, I do think the most interesting competition next year will not be for pg, but whether Z or Crystal are the 5th starter. Essentially, does Geno go big or small? I tend to think that Z will be the starter with Crystal 1st off the bench, but Geno might just go the other way depending on what he sees in practice.

 

[NewCorn]

What I think is that if it hadn't been for that Baylor game, many people on this board would think completely differently about Crystal's season and her potential in years to come to be a great UConn point guard. She had an extraordinary game, no question but other than that, the flashes she's shown have been very, very infrequent. I have concerns and I would be astounded (but happy) if her career at UConn approaches that of Moriah Jefferson.

Prepare to be astounded!

 

[DefenseBB]

While I generally resist all efforts to project next year's starters until this year is finished, I do think the most interesting competition next year will not be for pg, but whether Z or Crystal are the 5th starter. Essentially, does Geno go big or small? I tend to think that Z will be the starter with Crystal 1st off the bench, but Geno might just go the other way depending on what he sees in practice.

Man, I was reading all the comments I was formulating my input and then I read yours and my thunder was taken! You nailed it. Not sure if it's great minds think alike or just two knuckleheads in their own world, but I agree with you.

Now from her use lately, Broadway also nailed it, she's been significantly better and is truly trusted. I also think this team has proven "point guards? Point guards? We don't need no stinkin point guards" we have 6 point guards! Didn't we just set the season assist record? With only Soniya graduating, is the formula about to change?

Crystal Dangerfield has been as good as advertised on the Best team in the country. Just like KLS and Pheesa (Geno wore me down so I changed from calling her NC) they played key secondary roles last year but were less heralded as Freshman than other program freshman like Durr, Anegwe and Laksa however look this year, those 3 and any other Soph's can't touch them in results. So while Slocom and Ionescu may be ahead of Crystal Dangerfield now, I suspect her growth will pass them. Just look at Geno's track record with this.

Let's tonight how she handles Morgan William as our test case!

 

[Dawson]

I think she did really well. She is a tempo changer every time she steps on the floor, and kept her assists high (113)
and turnovers low (51). Not much more we can ask for from a freshman PG.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Let's see what kind of point guard Geno eventually lands in 2018......that will say a lot about Crystal's future...

Well, even if he genuinely feels that Crystal might not be THE answer, the potential exists that there isn't anyone that fits the criteria that Geno and Chris have, that actually wants to come to Storrs. Sometimes it happens, he misses someone he really wants, as he did with A'ja, who he recruited mightily.