Dolson IN THE LOW POST Imagin that!

[UConn Sal]

As I have posted previously I felt that despite Stephie's passing ability she is a more valuable asset in the low post . So to all the nay Sayers and my detractors here is a Quote from Stephie herself and comments by coach.
“As Coach said we put an emphasis of getting the ball inside and our guards did a great job of delivering it to me and giving me good passes,” Dolson said. “I think we did a good job of getting the ball inside/out and having a good balance.”

Dolson finished with 20 points, most of them coming down low which opened up things for Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis to hit four 3-pointers and score a game-high 24 points.

“We talked a lot about that the last couple of days,” Auriemma said. “We made it a point the last couple of days to get Stefanie the ball as much as possible. We did and I think that created a whole other set of problems with Marquette. I thought the ball movement was great that first 20 minutes. We got the exact shot we wanted to get most every time down the floor. It has been a while since we have come out with that kind of focus to start games and it was good to see.”
I guess I know a little bit about Bball after all.

 

[doggydaddy]

They didn't double Dolson. They didn't pack the paint. They don't have the defensive ability that G'town had.

Otherwise, you make a valid point.

 

[UConn Sal]

Thanks I just hope we can figure out how to do the same thing when teams do have the ability an do pack the middle if not it will be tough for us to win. As has been stated before live by the three die by the three. I would hate to see us become a" Harry Parreta Villanova".

They didn't double Dolson. They didn't pack the paint. They don't have the defensive ability that GTwown had.

Otherwise, you make a valid point.

 

[HuskyNan]

Kaleena has had no problems hitting threes no matter where Stef plays. She has 3 or more made threes in 7 of 14 games played this season.

 

[doggydaddy]

Thanks I just hope we can figure out how to do the same thing when teams do have the ability an do pack the middle if not it will be tough for us to win. As has been stated before live by the three die by the three. I would hate to see us become a" Harry Parreta Villanova".

Even though my last sentence was sarcastic, you're still welcome.

If any good team packs the paint with decent size, Dolson will be forced to pass it out of the post more often than tonight just as she did against GTown. And UConn will take plenty of 3 point shots. Thank goodness they are good at it. I'm not one to believe in the "live by the three...etc" stuff. You have to take good/open shots and sometimes 3 pointers are the good/open shots.

Become a Villanova? Based on 3 point shooting? It's not a comparison I would agree with.

 

[msf22b]

There is an additional option other than post or "3," ... mid-range 2. I wish that option were more emphasized.

 

[doggydaddy]

There is an additional option other than post or "3," ... mid-range 2. I wish that option were more emphasized.

According to the play by play

JUmpers taken - 25
3 point shots taken - 21
Layups taken - 23

Looks pretty good to me.

 

[msf22b]

According to your figures here were only 4 short jumpers taken
Perhaps too few?

 

[HuskyNan]

According to your figures here were only 4 short jumpers taken
Perhaps too few?

I believe doggy is saying that of the 69 shots taken today, 25 were mid-range jumpers (outside the paint, inside the three point line).

 

[doggydaddy]

According to your figures here were only 4 short jumpers taken
Perhaps too few?

Huh????

3 pointers - 21 (taken outside the circle)
Layups - 23
Jumpers - 25 (all shots other than layups and 3 pointers)

 

[msf22b]

Got it.
I unfortunately missed the game today, couldn't resist Les Troyens

 

[UConn Sal]

Kaleena has had no problems hitting threes no matter where Stef plays. She has 3 or more made threes in 7 of 14 games played this season.

The inside out game just makes it easier, I never said KML couldn't shoot the three ball. Stephie in the low post gives us better rebounding and points in the lane plus her passing ability improves the inside outside game. The statement about KML was made by Elliot of the NH Register>

 

[chrissaran]

As I have posted previously I felt that despite Stephie's passing ability she is a more valuable asset in the low post . So to all the nay Sayers and my detractors here is a Quote from Stephie herself and comments by coach.
“As Coach said we put an emphasis of getting the ball inside and our guards did a great job of delivering it to me and giving me good passes,” Dolson said. “I think we did a good job of getting the ball inside/out and having a good balance.”

Dolson finished with 20 points, most of them coming down low which opened up things for Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis to hit four 3-pointers and score a game-high 24 points.

“We talked a lot about that the last couple of days,” Auriemma said. “We made it a point the last couple of days to get Stefanie the ball as much as possible. We did and I think that created a whole other set of problems with Marquette. I thought the ball movement was great that first 20 minutes. We got the exact shot we wanted to get most every time down the floor. It has been a while since we have come out with that kind of focus to start games and it was good to see.”
I guess I know a little bit about Bball after all.

You are right. They must make an effort to get the ball down low to Stef. Hopefully, Breanna was watching an can avoid clogging the lane when she's in the game with Stef. Breanna has to learn to move in and out of the post. Also, she can't afford to fall in love with the three. Yes, when she's open, but they need her rebounding.

 

[calpedaler]

The inside out game just makes it easier, I never said KML couldn't shoot the three ball. Stephie in the low post gives us better rebounding and points in the lane plus her passing ability improves the inside outside game

Stephie? Ugh! If you must shouldn't it be Steffi or Steffie?

 

[JS]

So to all the nay Sayers and my detractors * * *

I guess I know a little bit about Bball after all.

 

[UConn Sal]

Even though my last sentence was sarcastic, you're still welcome.

If any good team packs the paint with decent size, Dolson will be forced to pass it out of the post more often than tonight just as she did against GTown. And UConn will take plenty of 3 point shots. Thank goodness they are good at it. I'm not one to believe in the "live by the three...etc" stuff. You have to take good/open shots and sometimes 3 pointers are the good/open shots.

Become a Villanova? Based on 3 point shooting? It's not a comparison I would agree with.

I would have more respect for you without the sarcasm! It's unattractive! Also if you go back some time ago you can remember Parretta teams that killed the clock and shot almost all outside jump shots. And it is to that type of play I was referring. G'town game highest # 3's ever.

 

[doggydaddy]

I would have more respect for you without the sarcasm! It's unattractive! Also if you go back some time ago you can remember Parretta teams that killed the clock and shot almost all outside jump shots. And it is to that type of play I was referring. G'town game highest # 3's ever.

I'm really not interested in your respect. My sarcasm is one of my better qualities.

I remember Perretta and I think that is one of the most ridiculous comparisons I've seen.

UConn looks for the first good shot in the 30 second clock. Villanova looks for the last good shot in the 30 second clock.

 

[VAMike23]

They didn't double Dolson. They didn't pack the paint. They don't have the defensive ability that G'town had.

Otherwise, you make a valid point.

How do you see these factors influencing GA's choice for where to put Stef, as far as emphasizing her play in either 1) the high post or 2) the low post? I can think of some reasons why Stef would play more high vs. low in a given game, but to me the factors above don't necessarily have that much to do with where GA decides to (or adjusts to) utilize her on the floor.

 

[doggydaddy]

How do you see these factors influencing GA's choice for where to put Stef, as far as emphasizing her play in either 1) the high post or 2) the low post?

While Stewart is out, he clearly played her in the low post a little more. And tonight, the defense allowed Dolson to do whatever she wanted.

When Stewart is back, he will do what he has doing all season, working on the high low with those two with rotating each one at the high and the low.

It's a fluid situation sometimes dictated by the defense and what GA sees working best.

 

[Kibitzer]

The statement about KML was made by Elliot of the NH Register>

I think it is Mr. Fuller who is employed by the New Haven Register. (Pssst. Try the Connecticut Post.)

 

[VAMike23]

While Stewart is out, he clearly played her in the low post a little more. And tonight, the defense allowed Dolson to do whatever she wanted.

When Stewart is back, he will do what he has doing all season, working on the high low with those two with rotating each one at the high and the low.

It's a fluid situation sometimes dictated by the defense and what GA sees working best.

OK - choosing to play Stef in the post as a response to not having Stewie is certainly reasonable, although neither Marisa nor Geno mentioned that when talking about their desire to get Stef more active down low today. But your reply to the OP mentioned double teams, a sagging/packed-in defense and defensive ability as items that--because they weren't present today--resulted in GA choosing to keep Stef in the lane more than she has been lately. At least that seemed to be your implication.

If the defense double-teams Stef, that's not usually going to cause a coach to respond by bringing her to the high post, is it? I'd think that if they double team before the pass, the guards look for whoever else is left open, and if they send help after the ball goes in, you'd want Stef to kick it out to the shooter. And if the defense really packs it in the lane, probably (not always) with a zone, why would I necessarily bring my center out? I would hope that she could get some offensive rebounds in the gaps and mix it up a little, especially if you can get someone to challenge the defense with a little dribble penetration (admittedly not our strongest suit this year, until Bria gets back to 100%). Yes Stef would normally flash to the free throw line sometimes against a packed defense, but IMO she wouldn't spend nearly as much time at the high post as she would when the defense is not packed in and is instead playing a tight M2M. That's when we get our cutters and backdoors going, where Stef can make those passes in the motion offense. Lastly, defensive ability wouldn't seem to dictate where we put Stef either, at least as far as I can tell. I think it would have more to do with the defense's particular personnel, and if they have a center you want to draw out (like Griner). Yes, a weaker defense like Marquette's allowed Stef to be more effective in a lot of places, but it seemed clear that had Geno wanted her to continue playing her a lot at the high post today, she would have done that. Instead they chose to emphasize her work in the lane, with some occasional moves to the high post where she hit several nice jumpers.

 

[Icebear]

While Stewart is out, he clearly played her in the low post a little more. And tonight, the defense allowed Dolson to do whatever she wanted.

When Stewart is back, he will do what he has doing all season, working on the high low with those two with rotating each one at the high and the low.

It's a fluid situation sometimes dictated by the defense and what GA sees working best.

Bingo, DD. A huge difference in the game today with Stef in the low post was the absence of Breanna from the game plan. Much of the time Stef was in the low post she was the only big on the floor. CD, Kelly, Bria and KML started with Stef. The first subs were Mo and Brianna when Bria went down. At 23-5 Morgan Tuck comes in for Stef.

Stef's second basket was from the foul line and numerous times she had still started in the high post and moved down the lane in motion and scored on the move. Stef's first foul shots came from her setting high and rolling to the hoop receiving Kelly's feed. See, also, the play with her baby hook at about 5:50 in the first half. Also, note her her basket on the feed from Caroline at 15:15. She was still setting numerous picks and screens from the high post. See her give and go with KML at 16:24 in the first half. Stef starts in the high post with a feed to Caroline and then crashes the boards from the high post on Caroline's miss from there at 9:32. See her high pick for Kelly's great drive at 5:15 in the first half. All this and more was run with Stef out in the high post. She was in the low post more without Breanna but not solely in the low post by any means. Add to it KML's shooting outside and Marquette's not collapsing the whole center on her and you have why she was able to play inside unlike the last few games when we were cold outside and there was another big on the floor.

Geno's game planning based on scouting reports no doubt understood Marquette's tendencies and once Breanna was questionable and the tentative condition of his other posts he made a practical decision. Stef in the low post may have been more of a necessity because of the loss of Breanna but she still played mostly out of the high post and UConn's regular offense. You can't make huge changes and abandon what you do for a single game.

 

[arty155]

...5:50 ...at 15:15. ...at 16:24 ... at 9:32. ...at 5:15 ...

- Please slow down, Padre!
- Exactly which book are you,… I mean, are all your readings here about centers from Paul’s Epistle of the Colossians??? From Numbers???
- Forgive me – I confess, I’m still just a new Canaanite!

 

[Icebear]

Arty, having just rewatched the the game I really do not think Stef spent a whole lot more time in the low post. I think it was largely a matter of altered perception by the pre game comments. Stef played only 20 minutes with the vast majority of it out of the high post.

The dive play from the high post worked nicely at least twice.

 

[HuskyNan]

Stephie? Ugh! If you must shouldn't it be Steffi or Steffie?

I believe it should be Stef or Stefanie. I've never heard her called Steffie.