Final pre-season poll: Vote for your starting 5

[Skeets]

I have been trying to think like Geno before posting, not my desires but rather what I think Geno will do. This assumes everyone is healthy and able to practice regularly. Two regular starters from last year are gone. Azzi and Sarah and Jana I believe are locks. Geno has consistently used KK and Ash as interrupters and instant defense (KK) and offense (Ash). I think that continues so they don't start. Caroline is a tall guard that is experienced and good shooter so when healthy fills one slot likely with Blanca as her backup. I also believe that Azzi will act like the point guard at start because of what I think Geno values with KK being a pace changer. Therefore, I think the remaining sport will go to a natural forward that can shoot and that will be Ice.

So Azzi, Caroline at guards, Sarah and Ice at forwards, and Jana at center for his "normal" lineup with KK, Ash, Blanca, Ayanna, and Serah as backups. K9, Allie, Kelis, Morgan (I have not given up on her getting healthy), and Gandy as pushers and reserves. Obviously Morgan could easily move up when healthy and I can see Allie being Azzi's speller is she gets her defense fixed.

I obvious don't know what Geno's plan for Serah is, but I'll go out on a limb here and say that she didn't come to UConn to be a backup. I'm pretty sure she came to UConn to be on an NC contender and get recognized for her talents and what comes next in her career. I think she will be inspired to do all she can do to be in the starting lineup.

 

[Skeets]

Poor Patterson. After reading these posts, she does not stand a chance. ☹️

As of this post, Patterson got 3 votes. Poor Gup Gup got zero.

 

[CL82]

This is a very thoughtful analysis and your conclusions about Ash as a ‘super sub’ are compelling. I’d only add that she is also one of three 40% 3-pt shooters on the team — I’m rounding up slightly for Sarah. This is as important as being able to guard natural wings, ie six footers. It’s possible Caroline or Allie, or even Blanca could emerge this season as that third 40% shooter and are each tall enough to defend and fight for rebounds against natural wings. But we don’t know yet how well any of them would fill that role and Ash is a proven holy terror on defense all over the court.

None of this proves that Ash must start — though I suspect she will early in the season. If all wishes were granted, Carol and Blanca would find their perimeter shot and compete for the wing. What a rich lineup this would give Geno!

Ashlynn being a excellent threat from deep is only part of what she brings to the table. She's also a good defender and a three level threat, though mostly she scores from outside or at the basket. But more than all of that she has a high basketball IQ and understands what Geno wants on the floor. I think that is overlooked by a lot of posters. My sense is this will be a huge year for her. Not necessarily as a breakout scorer or a primary scoring threat on a team that is so rich with people who can occupy that role. Don't get me wrong, she'll score her points, but I view her, especially in the early season, as being critical to the cohesiveness of the team. I'm hesitant to use the phrase "glue player", because often that's applied to players who are not an offensive threat, but I do think she's well positioned to make everyone better. Her outside shooting threat opens up the floor for others. She is an adept passer who understands the flow of the offense and she is a very solid defender. Taken collectively, she'll be a tough player to take off the floor.

Of course that's just supposition, and I look forward to watching the team actually play some games to see how everyone's role shakes out. This is an incredibly talented team. It will be very interesting to see how the coaching staff utilizes that talent.

 

[CL82]

I obvious don't know what Geno's plan for Serah is, but I'll go out on a limb here and say that she didn't come to UConn to be a backup. I'm pretty sure she came to UConn to be on an NC contender and get recognized for her talents and what comes next in her career. I think she will be inspired to do all she can do to be in the starting lineup.

Agreed. If she struggles a little bit with the learning curve, it'll impact her total minutes. But she is one heck of a weapon and gives us the biggest scoring threat we've had at the five in years.

For what it's worth, I think Jana will be her primary backup and Ice will play both the four and the five. I actually think a stretch 4 is a more natural position for her.

 

[Bone Dog]

As of this post, Patterson got 3 votes. Poor Gup Gup got zero.

Poor Big Fish.

Actually, I imagine Ayana or Kelis or even Allie would be alarmed if they ended up starting without having proven something very special in practices. I know they all dream of great things and of starting on an NC team. But they are also kids who have spent a lot of time playing competitive ball, working with coaches, and they probably understand very well how serious coaches operate.

I mean, imagine how they'd feel if they started ahead of someone who was routinely outperforming them in practice. Even worse, if they let the team down in a game. Sure, some freshmen arrive on campus with an overly inflated sense of their talent, but I doubt Geno recruits a lot of kids like that. And if a few show up, I expect the rest of the team will show them how to estimate their talent in those early pickup games even before official practices begin.

 

[Bone Dog]

Agreed. If she struggles a little bit with the learning curve, it'll impact her total minutes. But she is one heck of a weapon and gives us the biggest scoring threat we've had at the five in years.

For what it's worth, I think Jana will be her primary backup and Ice will play both the four and the five. I actually think a stretch 4 is a more natural position for her.

This is my sense, too. However, I watched replays of a couple of Serah's games against Iowa from last season, and she struggled against them for stretches of those games. Stuelke is a physical type she doesn't always do well against, smaller, but quicker and aggressive at both ends of the floor. In some games, she can seem intimidated by athletic opponents. Of course, she also played well against much bigger opponents too. My sense is she works best against posts she's quicker than. This doesn't change my overall expectations for Serah. But it does suggest that there will be an important role for Jana (and even Ice) at the 5 this season.

 

[BobbyJ]

I have been trying to think like Geno before posting, not my desires but rather what I think Geno will do. This assumes everyone is healthy and able to practice regularly. Two regular starters from last year are gone. Azzi and Sarah and Jana I believe are locks. Geno has consistently used KK and Ash as interrupters and instant defense (KK) and offense (Ash). I think that continues so they don't start. Caroline is a tall guard that is experienced and good shooter so when healthy fills one slot likely with Blanca as her backup. I also believe that Azzi will act like the point guard at start because of what I think Geno values with KK being a pace changer. Therefore, I think the remaining sport will go to a natural forward that can shoot and that will be Ice.

So Azzi, Caroline at guards, Sarah and Ice at forwards, and Jana at center for his "normal" lineup with KK, Ash, Blanca, Ayanna, and Serah as backups. K9, Allie, Kelis, Morgan (I have not given up on her getting healthy), and Gandy as pushers and reserves. Obviously Morgan could easily move up when healthy and I can see Allie being Azzi's speller is she gets her defense fixed.

This would be the slowest overall and weakest defensive lineup he could put on the floor.

 

[huskyd]

So now that everyone is there, on campus and practicing (if not injured like Cheli), and before our exhibition game Monday, I thought maybe we could revisit the starting 5 people think. I'm talking about game 1 in the regular season, not exhibition games or scrimmages. What say you? Vote for 5...

A couple interesting tidbits.

• Geno has said Ice has looked very good
• Geno has had high praise for Ash and Blanca
• Geno has said Fisher is the fastest player on the team and a good shooter
• We've seen a "report" that Blanca is in the top 5 for expected "impact freshmen"
• We've heard Serah has struggled a bit

Lots more tidbits from comments and practices, but I wonder if any of that will change people's votes from before. I'll admit I originally had Blanca starting (early in the summer) but changed that to Ash. I still think Serah starts.

Haven't seen enough of the women to guess who Geno prefers as his hybrid player under the basket to pair with Williams and Strong. Quinones may be preferred based on her overseas experience and perfect size. We'll see once the head-knocking begins in earnest.

 

[rugbymate]

In defense of Ash, she's not what you would think of as a natural 3. But what she lacks in height she makes up for with defensive intensity. Plus she rebounds better than most guards because she's willing to stick her nose in there and go toe to toe with the bigs. Also, teams will try to get a mismatch with a forward against a guard. Ash can handle this mismatch better than most other "natural" guards. "Hybrid" guards, I'm thinking of Sarah and Caroline, can handle this as well.

Ash has no problem at the 3 largely due to her high basketball IQ. Her rebounding skills stem from her uncanny ability to be in the best position for a rebound. It’s fun watching her off the ball as she is always in motion.

 

[ERWUC65]

Ash has no problem at the 3 largely due to her high basketball IQ. Her rebounding skills stem from her uncanny ability to be in the best position for a rebound. It’s fun watching her off the ball as she is always in motion.

Ash is not a catch and shoot player, she has to have time to set and that is tough at the 3. Also giving up 4 inches makes the floater more difficult. I am sure with the riches Geno has at the 3 (Blanca and Caroline) he would not tire out Ash on offense when she is such a defensive stalwart as a relief for Azzi at the 2.

 

[DEpup]

I love the 3 contrarians who think Azzi and/or Sarah won't start. That cracks me up.

 

[Cuango]

I love the 3 contrarians who think Azzi and/or Sarah won't start. That cracks me up.

And the one who thinks Gandy will!

 

[BBallF]

I have been trying to think like Geno before posting, not my desires but rather what I think Geno will do. This assumes everyone is healthy and able to practice regularly. Two regular starters from last year are gone. Azzi and Sarah and Jana I believe are locks. Geno has consistently used KK and Ash as interrupters and instant defense (KK) and offense (Ash). I think that continues so they don't start. Caroline is a tall guard that is experienced and good shooter so when healthy fills one slot likely with Blanca as her backup. I also believe that Azzi will act like the point guard at start because of what I think Geno values with KK being a pace changer. Therefore, I think the remaining sport will go to a natural forward that can shoot and that will be Ice.

So Azzi, Caroline at guards, Sarah and Ice at forwards, and Jana at center for his "normal" lineup with KK, Ash, Blanca, Ayanna, and Serah as backups. K9, Allie, Kelis, Morgan (I have not given up on her getting healthy), and Gandy as pushers and reserves. Obviously Morgan could easily move up when healthy and I can see Allie being Azzi's speller is she gets her defense fixed.

Without KK or Kayleigh, Azzi has to run the point which will inhibit scoring by her because the point makes the first pass in the offense. KK will start at point but expect to see a lot of Kayleigh. The real question is the 3-5 positions. Sarah can play the 3 but she is the best rebounder on the team so why take her outside to a wing? That's why I like two true guards in KK and Azzi, Sarah at the 4 and then Serah or Jana at the 5 and either CD, Blanca or Ash at the 3. However, you can go big with Serah/Ice, Sarah and Jana at times, Or small with Ash at the 3 and Sarah and Jana/Serah underneath. Or really small with Ash, Sarah, Azzi, KK, and Kayleigh. That team is lightning. Kelis is also a nice "chaos and confusion" player on that team also. I also like Ice at the 4 and even some 5 and when she starts Monday in the post position don't be shocked. We have to stop overlooking her. She played more minutes than Jana in the finals against SC and has been there and everywhere.

 

[Zinethar]

I really appreciate the great discussion of my last post. I didn't say this was my favorite lineup or what I think Geno will ultimately start when the season actually begins but what I thought he'd start in the first game. Kayleigh (K9) will see more action as she gets more practice time (she was with the USA team this summer) but the missed time will impact her early so this will impact team speed early on but the big lineup will be imposing during that first game. Serah will likely get a lot of playing time during regular season but according to Geno is still getting used to playing in his offense. He absolutely never promised her a starting spot when he recruited her from the portal. He never has or would do that. She might assume that but I expect she had her eyes wide open when coming and knew she had work to do. I'm looking forward to see her as I'm sure all of you are but I think many of you under estimate what Jana has cone and can do. She was a starter last year for a reason and did extremely well in the NCAAs. I'd be surprised if UConn didn't play a lot with Jana/Ice, Jana Serah, or Serah/Ice on the floor at the same time. For years we've heard the cries that UConn needed more bigs. Now they have them.