Freshman defense

[HuskyNan]

A freshman having trouble adjusting to the speed and physicality of the college game??? How stunning and amazing! Or not.

"At 6-2, the things Svet is able to do are amazing," said junior forward Tamika Williams, also 6-2 and the team's top-scoring reserve. "She is so agile with the ball, she can take you off the dribble, hit really deep threes and play defense now. When I first came, she could never guard anybody." WATCHING HER EVERY MOVE

Geno Auriemma had freshmen Kia Nurse and Gabby Williams playing alongside sophomore Saniya Chong in a challenging defensive drill. ..Playing alongside either Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis or Kiah Stokes, the three relatively untested Huskies were asked to get defensive stops, but more importantly, get out to cover the 3-point shooters while starting the defensive possession with at least one foot inside the paint. The opposing team was comprised of three male practice players, including sweet-shooting Ryan Probst from Appleton, Wisconsin, and former UConn standout Kelly Faris, who happened to be in the area.

Auriemma bemoaned the quartet’s inability to prevent shots from the perimeter, but even more infuriating was how few loose balls the Huskies were able to come up with.

UConn coach Geno Auriemma putting freshmen to the fire

“Like every kid her age, [Maya Moore] has to become a much better ball handler and a better defender,” [Geno] said. “She has to slow down a bit because she’s in a hurry a lot of the time. She has to get a feeling for the game when she doesn’t have the ball in her hands. That’s a skill that comes over a period of time.

In Freshman Season, Moore Shows UConn What May Come

The following from the final article:

[Mel Thomas said],"My journey at UConn definitely started with some tough love. I remember the ups and downs of my freshman year and all the incredibly sweet things he said to me: 'I used to have Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi and now I have YOU! You are the worst player I've ever coached,' and 'You can't guard a chair.' However, no matter how tough he was, I knew how much he cared about me as a person.”

[Kerry Bascom said], “Throughout my four years at UConn, if I had a nickel for every time I heard Geno say to me "you are the worst player in America," I think that I would have as much money as him right now. Through the years though, it is funny when sharing stories with others players how many players he actually said that to.”

[Barbara Turner said], ” I remember my freshman year when we were in the film room and he showed me [looking] so tired I couldn't stand up. I was running with my hands up, bumping into everything and everybody, and he called me a drunk driver. Still, to this day, when anyone asks about him, that definitely is one of the stories I tell.”

1,000 Reasons Geno Will Always Have A Place In Their Hearts

 

[CocoHusky]

In grading the two Freshmen I'd say defensively CW is well ahead of the curve and ONO slightly behind.
CW does not limit the UCONN defense she can play man to man and in the zone she has active hands. Better lateral movement of her feet to get over screens and recover will come with time and practice. One other thing that is noteworthy and definitely Shea doing is that CW understand, remembers, and executes the scout report. She know where her help is coming from and what side to shade the ball handler. She also an outstanding rebounder for a guard.
ONO is behind the curve because she has a tendency to swat down on every shot attempt. She has great lateral movement of her feet but her hands always get her in trouble. When she learns the difference between challenging every shot and trying to swat everything she will have caught up.

 

[BobbyJ]

In grading the two Freshmen I'd say defensively CW is well ahead of the curve and ONO slightly behind.
CW does not limit the UCONN defense she can play man to man and in the zone she has active hands. Better lateral movement of her feet to get over screens and recover will come with time and practice. One other thing that is noteworthy and definitely Shea doing is that CW understand, remembers, and executes the scout report. She know where her help is coming from and what side to shade the ball handler. She also an outstanding rebounder for a guard.
ONO is behind the curve because she has a tendency to swat down on every shot attempt. She has great lateral movement of her feet but her hands always get her in trouble. When she learns the difference between challenging every shot and trying to swat everything she will have caught up.

Good points about ONO. She does have quick reactions and movement, and most of all she gives great effort and tries to get involved in everything. A lot of big kids have the hands problem and once she realizes that she doesn't have to block the ball coming out of the hand and she can get it a foot or so above she'll be fine.

 

[FairView]

I am by no means an expert, however I am very impressed with CW. Let's keep in mind she has only played five college games. My take on Ono is that she is getting better. She is not going backwards or staying the same. I like the present and the future.

 

[SVCBeercats]

"At 6-2, the things Svet is able to do are amazing," said junior forward Tamika Williams, also 6-2 and the team's top-scoring reserve. "She is so agile with the ball, she can take you off the dribble, hit really deep threes and play defense now. When I first came, she could never guard anybody."

Perhaps the freshmen, who were high scoring high school stars, have the same attitude as Svet had.
"I didn't come 9,000 mile to pass the ball (or play defense); I came to shoot the ball!"