Crystal's season

[SVCBeercats]

What do you think of Crystal's season?

Roller coaster! Baylor game was amazing! Too amazing. I wanted more and she provided it in fits. As consistent as Collier was, Danger was not. I was very surprised how opponent guards could easily dribble by her. Too much recent edition of MoJet on my mind. Danger had a typical UCONN freshman year. She simply needs to make an honest assessment of her season and focus on her weaknesses. Personally I will be happy with the sophomore jump that Jefferson made. I am trying not to expect the jump both Williams and Collier made. Cracking the startng five next year will be tough. I hope she does not expect to have PG handed to her. I know she said part of the reason she chose UCONN was Moriah moving on and the PG was opening up. On the whole her stats are better than Jefferson's frosh stats. The big jump by Jefferson must be repeated by Danger in order to be this team's 2017-18 PG. See stats below.

 

[Carnac]

I am a big believer in Crystal's point guard skills and I'm confident that her shooting accuracy will improve too..she may eventually prove to be Moriah's equal offensively.....defensively I have some doubts whether she will ever be close to the player Moriah was at UConn......then again.....who else ever will be.....

Yeah, who else? Point guards like Mo, don't come around on a regular basis. Mo was so great and talented, she transitioned to the next level seamlessly and did the same thing for the Stars that she did for UConn. Make no doubt about it, Mo established herself as a "Star" in the W last season.

When she packed all of her possessions and valuables when she left after graduation, she took ALL of her basketball skills with her as well. There's nothing she did at UConn, she didn't do in San Antonio. She quickly became a fan favorite once the season began. Being from Texas didn't hurt either.

 

[OldAlum]

And last time I looked Moriah was averaging over 18 ppg overseas!
Crystal has some work to do in the off season and I'm sure there will be a plan. Geno would not still be speaking of her in glowing terms if he did not see a bright future - as long as she puts the effort in!

 

[Carnac]

Roller coaster! Baylor game was amazing! Too amazing. I wanted more and she provided it in fits. As consistent as Collier was, Danger was not. I was very surprised how opponent guards could easily dribble by her. Too much recent edition of MoJet on my mind. Danger had a typical UCONN freshman year. She simply needs to make an honest assessment of her season and focus on her weaknesses. Personally I will be happy with the sophomore jump that Jefferson made. I am trying not to expect the jump both Williams and Collier made. Cracking the startng five next year will be tough. I hope she does not expect to have PG handed to her. I know she said part of the reason she chose UCONN was Moriah moving on and the PG was opening up. On the whole her stats are better than Jefferson's frosh stats. The big jump by Jefferson must be repeated by Danger in order to be this team's 2017-18 PG. See stats below.
View attachment 21330

Thanks for providing that comparison chart. I was not aware of the similarities in their numbers. Crystal's numbers compare favorably to Mo's. I know it's human nature to compare athletes to one another. We ALL do it. I knew Crystal was going to be compared to Jefferson because Mo had just left, and the visions of her were still fresh in our minds. I remember reading an article that said Mo told her (I'm paraphrasing here), not to try and be her, be like her, or emulate her style or manner of play. She told her just be you. Be Crystal Dangerfield. You can't be anyone else but who you are.

If Dangerfield had come along 5-7 years after Mo left, I think the comparisons would have been few if any. I think most would agree it would be extremely unfair to compare Crystal as a freshman to Mo as we last saw her (as a senior). If you must compare her to someone, I guess it has to be Moriah. Mo was "sticky". She could guard you, and stay in front of you, like Kia does. There's already a lot of pressure on all of the players at UConn because of the success and expectations of the program. None of them need the added pressure of being compared to, or measured against one of the program's all time icons.

Just my opinion. Not trying to step on anyone's toes here.

 

[MumboJumbo]

Stats aside, Crystal Dangerfield and Moriah have two different playing styles (particularly in Mo's freshman year). If you take a look at tape of Moriah's freshman year, she was primarily a fast driver and defensive threat. She played pretty out of control for most of the season and didn't really "get it" until the NCAA tournament. Crystal Dangerfield up to this point has shown tremendous court vision. I agree with the ESPN commentators when they say she is probably the best passer to enter UConn since Sue Bird. Her court vision is incredible for just a freshman, and I fully expect to make that jump next season.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I think the difference of us being nearly unstoppable and us having an all time best uconn team is all on Dangers shoulders.

 

[YellwJcket999]

Hmm... a fair critique of Crystal Dangerfield and her skill set.

 

[uconnever]

I give her a C grade.....she will be really good by mid junior year I'm guessing.

 

[Longtime fan]

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.

We have to hope so. She never seemed to play at the same tempo as the rest of the team, almost playing at a speed somewhat, " out of control." And her shot, as a consequence perhaps, abandoned her. I believe she gets about a C- grade for her freshman year. It is fair to say that we elected more. It is pretty obvious that other freshman point guards around the country were far more advanced, and made greater contributions. Given that she was described as " the best of the lot " coming out of HS, we have to be concerned. I have said, with no responses, that I think our freshmen this year represented one of the worst Uconn recruiting classes in memory. Geno said, " you're going to love these kids," but not so far ( I'm sure they are great kids, but I don't think their BB skills are at a UCONN level, or ever can be.) Anyone have a view?

 

[HuskyNan]

We have to hope so. She never seemed to play at the same tempo as the rest of the team, almost playing at a speed somewhat, " out of control." And her shot, as a consequence perhaps, abandoned her. I believe she gets about a C- grade for her freshman year. It is fair to say that we elected more. It is pretty obvious that other freshman point guards around the country were far more advanced, and made greater contributions. Given that she was described as " the best of the lot " coming out of HS, we have to be concerned. I have said, with no responses, that I think our freshmen this year represented one of the worst Uconn recruiting classes in memory. Geno said, " you're going to love these kids," but not so far ( I'm sure they are great kids, but I don't think their BB skills are at a UCONN level, or ever can be.) Anyone have a view?

You've said this about five times today.

 

[Carnac]

We have to hope so. She never seemed to play at the same tempo as the rest of the team, almost playing at a speed somewhat, " out of control." And her shot, as a consequence perhaps, abandoned her. I believe she gets about a C- grade for her freshman year. It is fair to say that we elected more. It is pretty obvious that other freshman point guards around the country were far more advanced, and made greater contributions. Given that she was described as " the best of the lot " coming out of HS, we have to be concerned. I have said, with no responses, that I think our freshmen this year represented one of the worst Uconn recruiting classes in memory. Geno said, " you're going to love these kids," but not so far ( I'm sure they are great kids, but I don't think their BB skills are at a UCONN level, or ever can be.) Anyone have a view?

When I read this observation, I immediately thought of Tennessee's Meighan Simmons. She had the exact same issues. She was as quick as Jefferson and Dangerfield. When you play one way for a number of years, it's not easy to flip a switch, and change your style of play. That metamorphosis takes time. Simmons eventually slowed down, and began to play under control. So too will Crystal. Be patient. Allow her to develop at her own pace. This is her first go 'round. She'll be a different, more consistent player next year. The coaching staff will bring her along as they see fit. She'll be fine.

 

[UConn990411]

Her season reminded me a lot of Moriah Jefferson's freshman year - we saw the athleticism and talent in spurts, and even for full games at a time, but the consistency wasn't there.

I don't think she'll be quite as good as Moriah - who, in my opinion, was UConn's most dynamic point guard ever by her senior year - but I expect her progression as a player to follow a similar path. Whether she's a starter next year or the spark off the bench, I think she's going to be a key player for them next season.

 

[HumblePie]

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.

Well said and I couldn't agree more. I think she's scary and not in a good way.

 

[Florida Fan]

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

Repeating, Crystal Dangerfield got hurt, Saniya rose to the occasion, and we thrived. IF, not for the concussion, Saniya sits, Crystal Dangerfield learned to run the offense and we would have thrived, or not. I'm happy for them both to have had the chance to demonstrated their skills and Saniya to remember the crowd cheering her off the floor.