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Message: [QUOTE="Huskee11, post: 3963807, member: 7171"] Sometimes you just need a big body out there to keep the opponent`s 5 from totally dominating inside. Natalie Butler was much maligned during her stay at UConn but she was instrumental in some big wins in the 2016-2017 season - certainly Baylor, but Maryland and Texas as well. She didn`t score much in those games but she did rebound and she helped neutralize the size disadvantage we faced. Kalani Brown was a nonfactor in that Baylor game. Coming off the bench, you don`t have to be "better" than the opponent, but you do have to be good enough to keep the team from being overmatched and dominated in that aspect of the game, and hope that the team outperforms in other aspects. Unlike 2016-2017, when Natalie was our only big off the bench, we will have much more depth next season and thereafter, especially if Dorka stays for two years. So Piath will need to work hard to create a role. Natalie was also a much different player than Piath. Natalie was not nearly as athletic but was more skilled and had already played a pretty impressive season of Division I basketball at Georgetown. She appeared to have bad hands but that was likely an injury issue. Piath seems much more athletic although despite her size, from her limited court time she doesn`t yet appear to be a "banger" inside. Surprisingly, she seems to move around kind of gingerly for someone her size. I am rooting for her as well but I think she needs to put the work in at becoming a physical presence off the bench who can play physical post defense without fouling, box out, rebound, set some screens, and block a shot or two. If she can outrun her opponent and get some layups in transition, that`s a bonus. But scoring points shouldn`t be an issue with this team for the foreseeable future. As they say, if you aren`t moving forward you are moving backward. She appears to have a decent potential upside. But potential doesn`t feed the bulldog. If she has the inner desire to put the time in and improve, we will see evidence of that next season. If not, we will see that too. [/QUOTE]

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