Gameday notes - some good stuff on Ayanna

[BRS24]

Gameday Notes: The 2021 UConn-Baylor Elite Eight ending remains controversial

Plus, Ayanna Patterson could be turning a corner, Azzi Fudd is confident her shot will return and more.

uconnwbbweekly.substack.com

"In early February, Auriemma praised her recent performance in practice and felt she had turned a corner, but then didn’t play her in the team’s next two games. Patterson never got discouraged, though.

“I understood the teams we were playing in those games, sometimes I just don't fit in that offensive scheme or defensive scheme,” she said. “So I have no problem with just sitting on the sidelines, cheering on my teammates and just being happy when we get the win.”

The team still believes Patterson can make an impact this season, too. Even though her statline doesn’t show much — she’s averaged just 2.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per game — the results are bound to come eventually.

Patterson hasn’t lost the faith of the coaching staff either. In fact, they expect her to be a key part in a potential run deep into the NCAA Tournament.

“As the games go on now — if we are able to play beyond tomorrow — she's gonna have to help us because the kinds of teams that we're going to face going forward, whether it's foul trouble or whether it's fatigue, she's going to have to contribute,” Auriemma said. “I see a big difference because she's just working through things better right now. She loves it. She wants to get better. She works so hard at it that I want to see her have some success.”

 

[Charliebball]

she looked pretty good in the Vermont game.......just has to stop thinking so much and just play free.....

 

[Centerstream]

And as I posted in another thread, Ayanna seemed to make a leap between the first and second half of the Vermont game. In the second half she seemed more involved in both the offense and defense, but particularly in the offense. In the first half she seemed to be a screener looking for someone to stop. In the second, she was looking for her shots and for rebounds.
And the smile after her first points on the assist from Aaliyah, priceless.

 

[hoopsnloops32]

Ayanna is someone who gets it 90% there 100% of the time. Meaning she gets great position for a rebound but the knocks it out of bounds. Or she makes a great post move and then misses the bunny. etc etc. So the results look pretty bad even though 90% of the work that needed to be done was excellent. If she could just get to 100% 50% of the time, she would be an important rotational player.

 

[JellyBean]

"I understood the teams we were playing in those games, sometimes I just don't fit in that offensive scheme or defensive scheme,” she said. “So I have no problem with just sitting on the sidelines, cheering on my teammates and just being happy when we get the win.”

I got goosebumps reading that part. That is the mark of a mature young lady. So many players would get upset that they are aren't getting minutes on the floor. Not realizing that they are helping their team out, in the big picture, by being there cheering the team on and going hard in practice in order to not only make themselves better but also make their teammates better. Mature players see the big picture. AP is that type of player. She is going to be a force.

 

[BRS24]

"I understood the teams we were playing in those games, sometimes I just don't fit in that offensive scheme or defensive scheme,” she said. “So I have no problem with just sitting on the sidelines, cheering on my teammates and just being happy when we get the win.”

I got goosebumps reading that part. That is the mark of a mature young lady. So many players would get upset that they are aren't getting minutes on the floor. Not realizing that they are helping their team out, in the big picture, by being there cheering the team on and going hard in practice in order to not only make themselves better but also make their teammates better. Mature players see the big picture. AP is that type of player. She is going to be a force.

Here's a player that took Geno's words when being recruited. He doesn't make promises. He tells players that they will have to work for everything. They could be in top 10 rankings in HS and win a bunch of awards, but it's a clean slate when they get to UConn. I think there are some similarities with Amari and Inês, who know where they stand. In retrospect, when I think about the 2017 class of Coombs, Espinoza-Hunter, Gordon, and Walker (1, 13, 16, I wonder if they heard what he said, but didn't believe it, and then three of them looked elsewhere, or perhaps realized that UConn wasn't for them. But I digress. Not everyone can be a Paige, or a Diana, or a Maya. Some players' journeys are a bit more complicated, as my dad used to say, "let's take the scenic route, rather than the direct A to B".

 

[Littlemin]

And as I posted in another thread, Ayanna seemed to make a leap between the first and second half of the Vermont game. In the second half she seemed more involved in both the offense and defense, but particularly in the offense. In the first half she seemed to be a screener looking for someone to stop. In the second, she was looking for her shots and for rebounds.
And the smile after her first points on the assist from Aaliyah, priceless.

Ditto on that smile, she obviously cares and you can’t teach that. You don’t know until a player does it, but all the ingredients appear to be there for an impactful, successful career.

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

she looked pretty good in the Vermont game.......just has to stop thinking so much and just play free.....

I remember many people saying that about Aubrey in her freshman year... and look at what she has become! So let's wish the same for Ayanna...

 

[Charliebball]

I remember many people saying that about Aubrey in her freshman year... and look at what she has become! So let's wish the same for Ayanna...

exactly............the more opportunities she got to play the better she played...........I think AP is going to be dominant in the next few years.......she's way too talented and is also willing to work on her game and that's the recipe for success.....

 

[TWG236]

I'm sure that Ayanna has been given directions on what she needs to work on this summer. My guess one aspect of her game would be midrange jump shot, midrange jump shot and midrange jump shot. All the Big East Teams know that when she catches the ball in or near the paint, she won't take the shot but will always drive to the basket. She is very talented and against Vermont she took two midrange jumpers and made one. She has the right mind set, so I believe we will see a different Ayanna next year. Love her attitude and smile.

 

[Mandoo]

All I remember about her recruiting committment was that she was very highly rated, but I remember nothing that refers to her shooting abilities. Admittedly, the coaches knew much about her, they naturally figured that shey could teach her what she didn't already know. Tremendous athlete, stone fingered shooter.