Defensive play - Nika

[Bald Husky]

Remember when the early season threads contained some posters suggesting Nika would never be any better than Molly Bent? I suspect most of the people on that side of the argument had not watched the extensive video of her on Youtube, or they would have been willing to give her more time to prove her worth.

I think we can put those comparisons to bed for good now!

Gotcha oldhuskie, I was one of the people that supported her. Through videos, interviews, and her awesome attitude before stepping in this country intrigued me. I really felt bad when she was dissed by the BY in the beginning. I thought she was never gonna get a chance, but our genius of a coach knew what she could do and supported her while others (Meghan) questioned his moves. Congratulations Nika for showing us the way, and kudos to Geno. You've still got it.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Muhl doesn't need to be a "specialist". UCONN will have a couple of them over the next few years. But if she could shoot a few here and there like Rizzotti or Conlon that would be fantastic.

Nika has quietly move from worst of the starters to the 2nd best three point shooter. Her 3pt% is currently 35%.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Remember when the early season threads contained some posters suggesting Nika would never be any better than Molly Bent? I suspect most of the people on that side of the argument had not watched the extensive video of her on Youtube, or they would have been willing to give her more time to prove her worth.

I think we can put those comparisons to bed for good now!

Spot on! That ridiculous comparison should have never been made. Thank God those folks don't recruit players for UCONN.

 

[Bama fan]

Meghan Culmo was really down on Nika toward the end of the season. Constantly pointing out the things she disliked about her game. Perhaps I am overstating it, but she seemed determined to get the lineup changed. Of course we have not heard from Culmo during the BET, but I sure hope she rethinks her late season criticisms. Since overcoming her early season injury, Nika has been growing and learning steadily. Can't ask for much more. She is a big part of this team's commitment to excellence that has been blossoming since the loss at Arkansas and she lifts her mates to higher ground.

 

[j66kicker]

According to Wikipedia, he was a champion high jumper and jumped 6'9 1/2" without the Fosbury Flop ( came about in 1978) which changed the event and led to all the new records. He also ran the 440. He averaged 22.5 rebounds per game for his NBA career. John Wooden said he was the greatest defensive player he ever saw. I also thought he was the best and most astute TV commentator ever on basketball, with Hubie Brown being a close second.

Dick Fosbury won the high jump gold medal in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. I was there and saw it, and can guarantee he used the flop then. (Not saying Russell dId, though - obviously he was before 1968 too. Seems like he would be able to just step over the bar...?)

 

[SVCBeercats]

Remember when the early season threads contained some posters suggesting Nika would never be any better than Molly Bent? I suspect most of the people on that side of the argument had not watched the extensive video of her on Youtube, or they would have been willing to give her more time to prove her worth.

I think we can put those comparisons to bed for good now!

Spot on! That ridiculous comparison should have never been made. Thank God those folks don't recruit players for UCONN.

 

[ShmiCO]

I like it! NIKA THE GNAT

I'm ok with "the Gnat" but this particular depiction seems too "doy-de-doy" placid for Nika. I was thinking something more like this:

 

[npignatjr]

Gotcha oldhuskie, I was one of the people that supported her. Through videos, interviews, and her awesome attitude before stepping in this country intrigued me. I really felt bad when she was dissed by the BY in the beginning. I thought she was never gonna get a chance, but our genius of a coach knew what she could do and supported her while others (Meghan) questioned his moves. Congratulations Nika for showing us the way, and kudos to Geno. You've still got it.

Meghan was particularly anti Nika, to the end of the season. Kara was also early then learned.

 

[AmeriConn]

I'm ok with "the Gnat" but this particular depiction seems too "doy-de-doy" placid for Nika. I was thinking something more like this:

A killer bee!?

 

[jazz]

I like it! NIKA THE GNAT

I've been calling her a pest all year but Gnat has more of a ring (or should I say buzz) to it.

 

[jazz]

Remember when the early season threads contained some posters suggesting Nika would never be any better than Molly Bent? I suspect most of the people on that side of the argument had not watched the extensive video of her on Youtube, or they would have been willing to give her more time to prove her worth.

I think we can put those comparisons to bed for good now!

I'm glad you brought that up oldhuskie. I didn't want to be the one to bring it up.

I am so very happy that the BY loves and appreciates NM now. She deserves all the credit in the world for coming 4000 miles away, different country, different language, different culture, got to adapt to learning in the USA and then your reward is you get to play for the biggest hard-ass coach out there in GA!

When I was 18, I didn't want to move across town....it was too far from home....

Now all those posters who thought NM was slow and never going to be any good, well since GA saw it a different way and gave her the start way back when, just like magic, all those comments disappeared.

 

[jazz]

Nika has quietly move from worst of the starters to the 2nd best three point shooter. Her 3pt% is currently 35%.

What is it over the last 10 games? I think it might even be higher...

 

[SVCBeercats]

What is it over the last 10 games? I think it might even be higher...

Note the 21 games played.

 

[AmeriConn]

I've been calling her a pest all year but Gnat has more of a ring (or should I say buzz) to it.

Whoever she is defending has to be irritated by her tenacity or is it gnaticy!?

 

[jazz]

Whoever she is defending has to be irritated by her tenacity or is it gnaticy!?

yeah keep it going Americonn. I mentioned in another post that she will probably cause somebody to take a swing at her one day. That is probably how she go the shiner in practice as well.

 

[jazz]

Note the 21 games played.
View attachment 65547

Thanks SVC, I'm just wondering what her percentage is over the last 10 games or so. Maybe it is higher?

 

[Ozimoto]

She really is fun to watch. Makes the opposing point guard's life a nightmare and disrupts the establishment of the opponents' half court offense.

She is the "soul and the heart's inspiration" of the defense.

 

[HopJim]

I would add Dennis Rodman and Bill Russell, neither of whom were speedsters either, with the additional characteristic that they were great students of the game and the opposing players. For them defense, including defensive rebounding, was also about positioning. Bill Russell said he "got" most of his rebounds before the ball even hit the rim and there was that great scene in The Last Dance where you saw Rodman studying ball flight and bounces off the rim from various players and also the moves of the player he was going to be guarding. One thing about Nika is that she waits for the crossover from the opposing PG and frequently times the deflection perfectly. You knew she was going to pick her pocket last night and it could not have come at a better time. What an incredible transformation this year for a young woman thousands of miles away from home and for our team.

Always been a Celtics fan and met Rodman several times his rookie season while living in Detroit. Both were elite defenders. Nika has had some excellent defensive games but let's not stretch the comparisons too far.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Thanks SVC, I'm just wondering what her percentage is over the last 10 games or so. Maybe it is higher?

The older I get the more I miss read things. My apologies! In the first year of our marriage Mrs. SVC determined out I am dyslexic. Cleveland Clinic confirmed it (not severely dyslexic). They taught me to deal with it. But old age is making it worse. That and brain cells dying off. Again sorry!

 

[Ozimoto]

I also think that Nika has learned to position herself so that if her opposing player does get around her, she is forced in a direction where they then have to contend with Liv or Aaliyah where as earlier in the season when she got beat there was no help. All a part of learning to operate in the context of "team defense" that has improved so much from the Arkansas game.

Also interesting to note that Dennis Rodman is one of Nika's favorite players...

 

[AmeriConn]

yeah keep it going Americonn. I mentioned in another post that she will probably cause somebody to take a swing at her one day. That is probably how she go the shiner in practice as well.



I was thinking the same thing. One of these games the player she is defending is going to lose it!

 

[GW15MJ4MM23]

I also think that Nika has learned to position herself so that if her opposing player does get around her, she is forced in a direction where they then have to contend with Liv or Aaliyah where as earlier in the season when she got beat there was no help. All a part of learning to operate in the context of "team defense" that has improved so much from the Arkansas game.

Also interesting to note that Dennis Rodman is one of Nika's favorite players...

Hope that Nika never imitates Rodman's teammate Flopper Bill.

 

[jazz]

Hope that Nika never imitates Rodman's teammate Flopper Bill.

Ha..I remember Lambeer. He was annoying.

Loved Rodman though. Bad boys of Detroit. They don't allow you to play defense like that anymore.

 

[meyers7]

Nika has quietly move from worst of the starters to the 2nd best three point shooter. Her 3pt% is currently 35%.

Yea, Rizzotti and Conlon both shot around 37%. So Muhl is about right there.