Gabby made her case tonight

[EasyEd]

Based on tonight's performance, I think she made her case that she deserves to start

 

[johnnyc]

Based on tonight's performance, I think she made her case that she deserves to start

Yes..... but I wonder if she would be more valuable first off the bench?

 

[Bgillon]

Whether Gabby starts or not, I think she showed she is a force for UCONN. She can be a double double machine. And just a reminder to the naysayers about her mid range jumper and her FTing, she IS a world class athlete! That means also the drive to the best she can be and pay the price to realize it.

 

[Kaizen]

Yes.
But we still have Butler, KLS and Collier. How nice to have so many people to choice....

 

[NutmegDog]

Yes..... but I wonder if she would be more valuable first off the bench?

I'm with you. I love her energy and athleticism. I think she's a prototypical sixth player. She's just an amazing leaper, of a quality we see once in a decade.

 

[CTyankee]

All three will get long minutes. That is until Butler is available and then all four will split major minutes. It means more rest time for the starters and more playing time for the non starters. It's a good thing (borrowed liberally from MS).

 

[ucdt3]

Based on tonight's performance, I think she made her case that she deserves to start

She is still not yet a SHOOTER so it would create terrible spacing to have her on at the 2/3 spot and there's no way she's starting at 4/5 over healthy Tuck/Stewie. So unless Geno plays Stewie at the 3 then KLS will likely start. I think having her as Tuck's back-up. Now, if she's developed a JUMPSHOT then all bets are off and she should START, no doubt!!!!

I live in FL, so only followed game via tweets. Did my Gabs hit anything outside of a lay-up or FT?

 

[HoopsFan21]

Let's wait guys. Remember, this was the first game for the freshmen, and most of our returning starters will be top 10 WNBA picks playing against D2 players.

 

[donalddoowop]

I'm with you. I love her energy and athleticism. I think she's a prototypical sixth player. She's just an amazing leaper, of a quality we see once in a decade.

I think Collier can jump just as high. I watched her for three years and I saw no one out jump her.

 

[johnnyc]

She is still not yet a SHOOTER so it would create terrible spacing to have her on at the 2/3 spot and there's no way she's starting at 4/5 over healthy Tuck/Stewie. So unless Geno plays Stewie at the 3 then KLS will likely start. I think having her as Tuck's back-up. Now, if she's developed a JUMPSHOT then all bets are off and she should START, no doubt!!!!

I live in FL, so only followed game via tweets. Did my Gabs hit anything outside of a lay-up or FT?

I think she hit a couple of mid range jumpers and 91% from the line.

 

[mrmojack]

Gabby looked good tonight. She sky'd for a couple of rebounds and it looked to me like she is stronger.
She also hit 6 of 7 FT's and took a couple 15 footers. A nice double double to start the season.
I really liked what she brought tonight. I like the way she calls for the ball in the post.

We have a lot of pieces to put together and it should be interesting going forward. Now all we
have to do is get healthier.

 

[topogigio]

My observations:
Stewie is Stewie,
Moriah's ball handling is improved, and she is going to be unstoppable
Kia is a killer
Morgan was tentative, and I believe she tweaked her knee a bit - did not play 2nd half.
Katy Lou was nervous, has an sweet release, needs to improve on D, and get tougher around the boards
Gabby is just so athletic, and will outplay, out hustle, out rebound her opponents, and provide continued instant offense
Naphesha is really long, reminds me of a young Asia Jones.
Courtney looked exactly the same as last year.
I left with 4 minutes to go in the game and Brianna and Tierney still hadn't played yet - no excuse, Geno!

 

[Bayareahusky]

she looks great for a gal under 6 feet...... great game gabby

 

[UcMiami]

I left with 4 minutes to go in the game and Brianna and Tierney still hadn't played yet - no excuse, Geno!

He gets 80 minutes of exhibition time to get his team ready for OSU, and while I like our last two scholarship athletes, they are not going to play any meaningful minutes this year so this is completely understandable. This game and the next are all about the figuring out what the freshman and sophomores can do, how combinations with the seniors work, and getting all of the players who may play meaningful minutes comfortable with what they have been working through in practice. If they had played before the 4 minute mark, it would have been because he was really disgusted with the play of one or more of the other players, or because of an injury - neither of which I ever want to see. If you really want to see them play in exhibition games or the first quarter of the season, don't leave early.

 

[Bigpetunia]

My observations:
Stewie is Stewie,
Moriah's ball handling is improved, and she is going to be unstoppable
Kia is a killer
Morgan was tentative, and I believe she tweaked her knee a bit - did not play 2nd half.
Katy Lou was nervous, has an sweet release, needs to improve on D, and get tougher around the boards
Gabby is just so athletic, and will outplay, out hustle, out rebound her opponents, and provide continued instant offense
Naphesha is really long, reminds me of a young Asia Jones.
Courtney looked exactly the same as last year.
I left with 4 minutes to go in the game and Brianna and Tierney still hadn't played yet - no excuse, Geno!

Based upon what I saw, your individual analysis of the players is pretty spot on. It's fun to watch the evolution of a great team over the course of a season. Unsurprisingly, our favorite team came out of the gate looking pretty Ragged (capital R intended), which is why a couple of exhibition games to work out some of the predictable "kinks" are so helpful, especially before they play the likes of OSU. I think that of the returning starters, the greatest improvement in offensive production will certainly come from Kia, whose level of confidence in her game has obviously grown mightily. Gabby is a rebounding machine, and she outmaneuvers and out-hustles taller players down low. Her defense is smothering! Yes, Katy Lou started out with a bit of the deer-in-the-headlights look, which one might expect so early on. Napheesa, on the other hand, looked quite composed and natural, though she blew several easy scoring chances. All pretty predictable for now....great things coming!

 

[meyers7]

He gets 80 minutes of exhibition time to get his team ready for OSU, and while I like our last two scholarship athletes, they are not going to play any meaningful minutes this year so this is completely understandable. This game and the next are all about the figuring out what the freshman and sophomores can do, how combinations with the seniors work, and getting all of the players who may play meaningful minutes comfortable with what they have been working through in practice. If they had played before the 4 minute mark, it would have been because he was really disgusted with the play of one or more of the other players, or because of an injury - neither of which I ever want to see. If you really want to see them play in exhibition games or the first quarter of the season, don't leave early.

Very well put.

 

[Gabbyfan]

Kia and Gabby, the two players that Geno saw a big difference from last year...both were aggressive and hustling. These two super sophomores will provide highlight reels for the next three years! Just think about that !

 

[meyers7]

I think Collier can jump just as high. I watched her for three years and I saw no one out jump her.

ummm, no.

Other than Collier is 2-3 inches taller, not even close.

 

[Ouremblem]

Has anyone heard anything about Gabby's injury? I didn't like the way she limped after it happened. The improvement in her free throws was really nice to see, but I expected nothing less with her work ethic.

 

[nd2tty]

In order for Geno to make the decision long-term (March etc) - in addition to accepting the wear-and-tear on Stewie - to play Gabby, Stewie, MoJeff, Tuck, and Nurse as the starting 5, Gabby needs to prove she can guard the 2/3 and shoot the mid-range. She certainly didn't prove this in her freshman year, and we'll see if she does this year. Gabby Williams is amazingly gifted, talented, and already improved even in this offseason/exhibition game, but just not yet convinced she is the best 5th player to complement Stewie, MoJeff, Tuck, and Nurse. This year. In her current form...

 

[Bgillon]

She is still not yet a SHOOTER so it would create terrible spacing to have her on at the 2/3 spot and there's no way she's starting at 4/5 over healthy Tuck/Stewie. So unless Geno plays Stewie at the 3 then KLS will likely start. I think having her as Tuck's back-up. Now, if she's developed a JUMPSHOT then all bets are off and she should START, no doubt!!!!

I live in FL, so only followed game via tweets. Did my Gabs hit anything outside of a lay-up or FT?

If you did not see the game, why tell us what she is not?

 

[Kibitzer]

Kia and Gabby, the two players that Geno saw a big difference from last year...both were aggressive and hustling. These two super sophomores will provide highlight reels for the next three years! Just think about that !

I posted elsewhere that my eye-test tells me that Kia and Gabby both play that fiercely tenacious defense that Kelly Faris did. Add to that Kia's arsenal of shots and Gabby's nose for the ball (rebounds and steals) and you have a pair of real badasses who will have a disruptive effect on opponents. "Just think about that!," indeed.

 

[Bgillon]

In order for Geno to make the decision long-term (March etc) - in addition to accepting the wear-and-tear on Stewie - to play Gabby, Stewie, MoJeff, Tuck, and Nurse as the starting 5, Gabby needs to prove she can guard the 2/3 and shoot the mid-range. She certainly didn't prove this in her freshman year, and we'll see if she does this year. Gabby Williams is amazingly gifted, talented, and already improved even in this offseason/exhibition game, but just not yet convinced she is the best 5th player to complement Stewie, MoJeff, Tuck, and Nurse. This year. In her current form...

So Gabby was touted as the most improved player by Morgan, she just had a double double (only one by UCONN) despite playing less minutes than a few others, made 6 of 7 fts, made at least one mid range jumper, was 5 of 7 on FGs, and you want to use Gabby's freshman year as your yard stick. I assume your retort will be it was only an exhibition game. I prefer to think Gabby may have a break out year and then what a pair sophs in Kia and Gabby we have ; hard nosed, athletic, play great D, rebound, and can score.

 

[nd2tty]

So Gabby was touted as the most improved player by Morgan, she just had a double double (only one by UCONN) despite playing less minutes than a few others, made 6 of 7 fts, made at least one mid range jumper, was 5 of 7 on FGs, and you want to use Gabby's freshman year as your yard stick. I assume your retort will be it was only an exhibition game. I prefer to think Gabby may have a break out year and then what a pair sophs in Kia and Gabby we have ; hard nosed, athletic, play great D, rebound, and can score.

No retort. Just not sure that Gabby's skill set works best with those other 4 starters. But she's a good player, whether she is a starter, coming off the bench, or some combination of the two. As to how much she's improved, we have her teammates and coaches's statements, a little media insight into practices and off-season, and one exhibition game: remains to be seen. I only referenced her freshman year because that's the (public) body of work we have.

 

[Bgillon]

No retort. Just not sure that Gabby's skill set works best with those other 4 starters. But she's a good player, whether she is a starter, coming off the bench, or some combination of the two. As to how much she's improved, we have her teammates and coaches's statements, a little media insight into practices and off-season, and one exhibition game: remains to be seen. I only referenced her freshman year because that's the (public) body of work we have.

Life is better when you tell people your glass is half full. Just a suggestion. We all know what Gabby did last year but thanks for reminding me. I forgot it because of all the positive things that I've heard this year.