I hear what you are saying and agree with you.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.
All good points. And regarding #4 DeBerry was able to develop and use that smooth shot at her own somewhat relaxed pace throughout HS. 6-5 kids get very little challenge on shots outside the paint or even inside. Now with bigger, quicker posts in her face she’s having a problem having to speed up the whole decision making and shooting process. And this applies to her whole game, she’s a couple beats slow and is trying to rush to compensate and it’s obviously not happening in practice or she’d probably be getting at least limited PT. Auriemma doesn’t just sit 6-5 kids that can really play. This will be her major adjustment to make going forward through the summer or she’ll continue to sit.
I was in no way comparing skill levels, merely pointing out the three highest ranked posts after C. I think of the three Cunningham is really good while the others might be more hit or miss. Vasconcelos especially I don’t know much about while DelRosario was highly praised but has perhaps slipped a little. I’m thinking C and/or Cunningham. If neither comes, we wait for “24 or perhaps find a strong transfer. Who knows though, Geno may surprise us. After all, there are diamonds in the rough out there.
I wouldn’t anticipate Cunningham, Oregon and UCLA each have one of her former HS teammates and I think she’ll be staying out west. And I have doubts that Del Rosario has the skills or athleticism needed to play at UConn’s level. But we’ll see.
Fair point, but based on their HS tape, both Ice & Amari are good passers & shooters from the high post; Ice also has good handles for a big. Ayanna has the handle & shooting form to be an effective spacing big, but her passing is unproven.
… I would add significantly improved strength/fitness, greater focus, & a more physical, aggressive mindset to initiate/absorb body contact. All should come over time. Not unusual for young college bigs to struggle with major D1 adjustment. I recall Liv being being resistant to contact early in her UConn tenure, though she was in better shape. Same with Azura Stevens, who is the better Amari comp as a finesse-oriented, stretch-capable post.
Video game stats!
is she playing against kindergarten kids? those are Wilt numbers...
You may be correct because Hana Muhl (Nika's sister) is enrolling at Illinois this summer and she will be 19 years when she arrives on campus. Jocyte's FIBA profile list her DoB as 19 Nov 2005 so while you are correct that she just turned 16 she would actually be only a few months short of her 18th Birthday were she to enter UCONN in the August of 2023. I'm not sure what the rational is but
justwomenssports.com
Sky's the limit for AP, literallyThe five-star recruit, per ESPN, has recorded more than 1,000 rebounds in her high school career, and last Friday she put on a show in the Spartans’ 62-51 win over Columbia with 35 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks. The following night, in Homestead’s 87-55 win over South Side to clinch the Class 4A-6 sectional championship, Patterson poured in 32 points to go along with 14 rebounds.
The pair of superlative performances helped Patterson earn JWS Player of the Week honors.
Homestead’s Ayanna Patterson named JWS Player of the Week - Just Women's Sports
Ayanna Patterson, a 6-foot-2 wing, will continue her career next season at UConn. First, she wants to lead Homestead to a state title.
Sounds like a high school version of Aneesah Morrow.
