February Recruiting Thread

[Mdoggie]

Also, her mom likes UNC tweets significantly more than any other program. Obviously we will see but I am guessing UNC is pretty high in her top 8.

Or at least one of her TOP 8!

 

[UConnCat]

 

[Huskie02]

Or at least one of her TOP 8!

If C opts for North Carolina who is our next best option?

 

[Mdoggie]

For me it’s C or bust at the position post/wing. Cunningham is a post put I see her at UCLA with teammate Jada. If C chooses any place other than UConn, it would be akin to Boston choosing SC.
Some might say Mikayla William but she is a guard.

 

[Cuango]

If C opts for North Carolina who is our next best option?

Cunningham, Del Rosario, Vasconcelos?

 

[oldhusky]

Cunningham, Del Rosario, Vasconcelos?

That might be option B,C,and D at least for bigs.

 

[Mdoggie]

Cunningham, Del Rosario, Vasconcelos?

None of these three has Cs skill set

 

[mudcat]

I actually want a whole lot of nasty in the front court..........imagine a 6'3" Nika..........don't think Toomey has that in her so perhaps Patterson or Brady will develop that intensity....

A 6'3" or 6'4" Nika would be frightening.

 

[nomdoux]

Latest Charlie Crème Bracketology projection places UNC with us in Bridgeport, presuming both teams advance. A decisive H2H victory may impact C’s evaluation.

 

[CocoHusky]

If C opts for North Carolina who is our next best option?

There are three very good alternatives Chloe Kitts, Justus Jocyte and Madison Booker. Prospects nation actually has Kitts ranked higher than Toomey and she is the same size. Before you start talking about alternatives and is that we need to come to grips with a projected position for Toomey. Toomey is being tracked by both ESPN and Prospects Nation as a post player. I don't envision Toomey as pure college post. I envision her as a big guard and a stretch 4 in the mold of KLS/Ann Strother and Stewie -with the ability to play all over the floor and occasionally going into the post. C envisions herself this same way as she indicated in her last video posted here ( google: getting to know Cierra Toomey). This does not make @Cuango answers of Cunningham, Del Rosario, Vasconcelos wrong because that answer would lead me to believe that he views C as being a post. BTW I don't envision Vasconcelos as a UCONN level talent and I have not read or seen anything in performance that would make me change my mind.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

If Toomey does choose UCONN, is there room for a post out of the portal? I don't pay close attention to all those spreadsheets you pass around. For certain scenarios UCONN needs a bruiser at the 5 with a mentality that "no contact" is the "worst contact". lol

 

[CocoHusky]

If Toomey does choose UCONN, is there room for a post out of the portal? I don't pay close attention to all those spreadsheets you pass around. For certain scenarios UCONN needs a bruiser at the 5 with a mentality that "no contact" is the "worst contact". lol

Toomey is class of 23. When she arrives on campus she will come into a team that includes Amari, Piath, Ice, Ayanna, & Aliyah. If UCCONN "needs" a portal post at that point we are really in trouble. It would have to be someone very worthy in the portal or UCONN has had another (subject we are not supposed to speculate on) for there to be "room".
BTW @BRS24 is the one that does those spreadsheets give him a follow to stay up to date. The spreadsheets were last updated with the Shade commitment.

 

[pacific 44]

A 6'3" or 6'4" Nika would be frightening.

Even at 5-10 Nika is 2 iron fists who can sometimes be wearing velvet gloves and when the horn blows to start the game, off come the gloves. Time for fun.

 

[BobbyJ]

Toomey is class of 23. When she arrives on campus she will come into a team that includes Amari, Piath, Ice, Ayanna, & Aliyah. If UCCONN "needs" a portal post at that point we are really in trouble. It would have to be some very worthy in the portal or UCONN has had another (subject we are not supposed to speculate on) for there to be "room".

Thanks for typing this out for me. I had the same immediate thought.

 

[nomdoux]

There are three very good alternatives Chloe Kitts, Justus Jocyte and Madison Booker.

CH, what are UConn’s realistic chances of getting Jocyte? I’ve read that she is already an elite teenage pro talent that can easily make big money in Europe without the opportunity cost of playing D1 college ball, even here.

Prospects nation actually has Kitts ranked higher than Toomey and she is the same size.

Bold type surprising. Kitts looks like a true 6’2” wing while Toomey now 6’4” hybrid wing/stretch 4/post.

C’s shooting & versatility would be tough to miss on— but Ice, Amari, & Ayanna all should offer effective front court shooting/spacing as they develop. And Aliyah will refine her shot to be more consistent as well. She hit a 3 against the Vols & has made a few midrange J’s this season.

FYI— Recent male practice players UCTV interview revealed that Amari has the prettiest shot of any UConn big. That is encouraging for her/team’s future.

 

[rvwsleep]

There are three very good alternatives Chloe Kitts, Justus Jocyte and Madison Booker. Prospects nation actually has Kitts ranked higher than Toomey and she is the same size. Before you start talking about alternatives and is that we need to come to grips with a projected position for Toomey. Toomey is being tracked by both ESPN and Prospects Nation as a post player. I don't envision Toomey as pure college post. I envision her as a big guard and a stretch 4 in the mold of KLS/Ann Strother and Stewie -with the ability to play all over the floor and occasionally going into the post. C envisions herself this same way as she indicated in her last video posted here ( google: getting to know Cierra Toomey). This does not make @Cuango answers of Cunningham, Del Rosario, Vasconcelos wrong because that answer would lead me to believe that he views C as being a post. BTW I don't envision Vasconcelos as a UCONN level talent and I have not read or seen anything in performance that would make me change my mind.

Vasconcelos is, imo, the most overrated of the 2023 recruits on the Hoopgurlz list.

 

[southernfan]

Really should be Betts and not even close.

Just looked Betts up on Maxpreps, the team record ain't that great but she is a force. Also noticed she has a freshman little sister (6'3" 175lbs) who averages as good as Lauren or better in most categories, scary! Let's hope there's enough sibling rivalry that Sienna Betts will want to go to the opposite coast that her sister went to, lol.

 

[nomdoux]

I remember in an Azzi Slam(?) vid, Delaney Thomas (2023 6’2” F) said her dream program was Connecticut. Azzi’s mom said if she works hard Delaney can get a UConn offer. Delaney also came with Azzi to be dropped off in storrs. I really feel for the kid who has the heart to play here. Sure hope she does get a UConn offer! Haven’t heard any buzz on her final teams tho.

Recycling this prospect post for informed input/evaluation.

Hoopgurlz has Delaney Thomas #22 nationally with 4-star rating. Apparent size for wing position.

Thoughts?

 

[Mdoggie]

 

[darrell]

If C opts for North Carolina who is our next best option?

Madison Booker?

 

[temery]

If C opts for North Carolina who is our next best option?

D

 

[CocoHusky]

CH, 1) what are UConn’s realistic chances of getting Jocyte? I’ve read that she is already an elite teenage pro talent that can easily make big money in Europe without the opportunity cost of playing D1 college ball, even here.

Bold type surprising. 2) Kitts looks like a true 6’2” wing while Toomey now 6’4” hybrid wing/stretch 4/post.

3) C’s shooting & versatility would be tough to miss on— but Ice, Amari, & Ayanna all should offer effective front court shooting/spacing as they develop. And Aliyah will refine her shot to be more consistent as well. She hit a 3 against the Vols & has made a few midrange J’s this season.
4) FYI— Recent male practice players UCTV interview revealed that Amari has the prettiest shot of any UConn big. That is encouraging for her/team’s future.

1) What you may not have read about Jocyte is that she is American born and as things stand right now she is not WNBA eligible until she turns 22 which will not be until 2027. She is already an elite talent and the chances of her playing college basketball are very slim. But let's keep hope alive that she wants to play college ball and suit up as a UCONN Husky.
2) Again it all depends on how you envision the players being utilized. Between Booker, Kitts, Jocyte and Toomey there is a maximum height difference of 1.5 inches=not significant. Among the players Kitts has a slighter build but I'm not too concerned. Within the UCONN offensive any of the 4 players could be a devastating wing (KLS) featured forward (Maya, Stewie, Napheesa, Caroline lately ) or primary offensive facilitator (Gabby Williams) because all 4 have exceptional ball handling, passing and shooting skills.
3) The key part of this sentence "as they develop". Caroline, Ice, Ayanna and even Amari will bring adequate shooting to the front court. However, IMO they will not develop to the point of having the overall combination of ball handling, passing and shooting skills to be a featured forward primary facilitator that these 4 players have the potential to provide.
4) Amari does have a nice stroke. I've seen it up close at an AAU practice before. That stroke is not what is going to determine Amari's future at UCONN. The key to her development is to understand that there is a pace and quickness of execution that she must achieve and maintain to be successful at UCONN. Amari briefly achieve that pace and quickness of execution in the Georgia Tech game. I though that was going to be a spring board- it wasn't. I'm looking forward to Amari getting back to that place. Practice is a great place for her to start but I really don't care how pretty her shot is in practice she needs to be making more of her shot in the game=she currently 2 of 15 (13%).

 

[Mdoggie]

D

Does D have as many friends as C?

 

[CocoHusky]

Recycling this prospect post for informed input/evaluation.
Hoopgurlz has Delaney Thomas #22 nationally with 4-star rating. Apparent size for wing position.
Thoughts?

Very solid all around player that does everything well but nothing at what I would consider an elite level, her nickname is the "big fundamental". Don't see the quickness, ball handling or deep shooting to be able to play on the wing at the next level.

 

[Alydar]

Also, her mom likes UNC tweets significantly more than any other program. Obviously we will see but I am guessing UNC is pretty high in her top 8.

Who cares about her mom's top 8.

I'm reminded of a picture several years ago with Bueckers and about every other top recruit at a N Dame football game wearing gear and smiling. I think we lost a dozen posters that day to heart attack/stroke.