2025 Recruiting: Gandy Malou-Mamel

[HopJim]

Full game from last week, scroll forward to about 11:30. Gandy is the biggest player on the court, #42 in dark blue. Hey, she knows how to box out!

In my experience, this is a pretty average high school game. Two highly ranked teams might look more familiar to those that have only watched college games but most high school games look like this. Watch 10 minutes and you can see why the best kids come out of high school with gaudy numbers.

Wish you had not sent this video Gandy had 6-12+ inches over any player on the other team and it was rare that any of her guards got her the ball. She appears to be growing into the defensive stopper role but needs many, many touches to improve her offensive skills. Fortunately, have seen other videos where she got the ball down low but hoping she belongs to some good AAU teams that will help polish her skill set.

 

[Cuango]

Just want to put my two cents in on Gandy. Obviously, I’m hoping she hits a “growth spurt” and suddenly improves tremendously this year and is able to be a big time contributor next season! However, even if this does not happen I believe she will eventually be, at the very least, a solid player for us! Also, I’m unsure what was said about Morgan but I am very happy to have her! I believe she will be a very good player for us! 6’2” with pg skills? Sign me up!

 

[Stinger92860]

It's a really good video, really showcases Amari's skill set. She was especially good at turn and shoot plays and she knew to keep the ball high. It also shows the low energy of her play, which stuck with her throughout her time at Storrs. This is what makes me think she may have had back soreness all along.

If she could have translated that offensive skill set to D1 competition she'd have been awesome. When I first saw videos like this one when she was being recruited, I was impressed by her shooting touch. What I didn't pay as much attention to was the low intensity of her game. Compare this to HS videos of Liv and one thing you see is how Liv would sprint the length of the court. She did rim runs even then.

One thing Amari said in one interview is that she had little experience playing against kids her size in high school. Gandy is in a similar position. But Gandy's energy level is just so much higher. She sprints down the court to make a play, not because she has to in order to save the game. She doesn't appear to be competing against the smaller kids on the other team. She's competing against herself.

2 different motors driving Morgan and Amari. 11 games in, one is now getting more minutes.

 

[HuskyNan]

From Saturday. Gandy with 26 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 1 assist

 

[Bone Dog]

From yesterday

Excellent photo. Against smaller competitors she leaps to get her shot! And the form on her hands and elbows is really good. This is a kid who listens to coaching.

 

[HuskyNan]

Wish you had not sent this video Gandy had 6-12+ inches over any player on the other team and it was rare that any of her guards got her the ball. She appears to be growing into the defensive stopper role but needs many, many touches to improve her offensive skills. Fortunately, have seen other videos where she got the ball down low but hoping she belongs to some good AAU teams that will help polish her skill set.

Here are highlights of Gill St Bernard's lone loss to Rutgers Prep. Gandy had 21 of her team's 38 points.

 

[Bone Dog]

Good highlights. Rutgers is clearer a bigger more athletic team than Gill St Bernards is used to. They had three 6-footers in their starting lineup. Still not as big or strong as Gandy, but this was tougher competition. Good to see that Gandy can hold her own against bigger girls. I wonder if she’ll encounter anyone her size this season.

 

[Zarathustra]

From Saturday. Gandy with 26 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 1 assist

A "BIG" girl! GO GANDY!

 

[HuskyNan]

Good highlights. Rutgers is clearer a bigger more athletic team than Gill St Bernards is used to. They had three 6-footers in their starting lineup. Still not as big or strong as Gandy, but this was tougher competition. Good to see that Gandy can hold her own against bigger girls. I wonder if she’ll encounter anyone her size this season.

I looked this up. Apparently, Gandy is currently the tallest girls high school player in New Jersey. Cherry-Montague, listed below, graduated in 2023. Next tallest is Taylor Sofilkanich of St John Vianney, a team that Gandy's beat last week.

The rank given (Gandy is 4th) is the girls rank in her high school graduating class.

 

[Bone Dog]

I looked this up. Apparently, Gandy is currently the tallest girls high school player in New Jersey. Cherry-Montague, listed below, graduated in 2023. Next tallest is Taylor Sofilkanich of St John Vianney, a team that Gandy's beat last week.

The rank given (Gandy is 4th) is the girls rank in her high school graduating class.

View attachment 105850

I’d love to see video of the game against St John Vianney.

 

[Charliebball]

Rutgers Prep is coached by Mary Klinger one of the best in the high school ranks.....her teams always play smart and hard and are a difficult match up against any opponent........that said i expect a closer game when they play again this season......

 

[Steelerone]

I think the biggest problem Gandy is going to have to deal with right off the bat is playing against players as tall as her.

Fortunately, there are not that many and a lot of those are just starting to play against players as tall as them.

 

[msf22b]

This is why Kiah Stokes keeps coming up as a comparison. As a freshman she was also a project. But she was quite coachable

I don't reckon that Geno would agree with that...

 

[donalddoowop]

I wonder how many players Ayoka Lee, Boston, Griner, Dorka, Cunnane and Betts played against who were as tall as they were? Did not seem to make much difference in how they played as freshmen.

 

[donalddoowop]

I don't reckon that Geno would agree with that...

I thought she was a high school AA.

 

[uconnfan68]

I don't reckon that Geno would agree with that...

He knew what he had. He just wanted more. He loved being able to stop any offensive rebounding by opponents, and he loved being able to stop opponents frontcourts.

 

[PJCLaw]

Wish you had not sent this video Gandy had 6-12+ inches over any player on the other team and it was rare that any of her guards got her the ball. She appears to be growing into the defensive stopper role but needs many, many touches to improve her offensive skills. Fortunately, have seen other videos where she got the ball down low but hoping she belongs to some good AAU teams that will help polish her skill set.

Unfortunately, seniors don't play AAU ball after they graduate. Most will be in summer school with their college teams and summer practices. She will have to wait until then to develop her skill set more.

 

[PJCLaw]

I wonder how many players Ayoka Lee, Boston, Griner, Dorka, Cunnane and Betts played against who were as tall as they were? Did not seem to make much difference in how they played as freshmen.

Well, we know Tina schooled Griner in her freshman in the 2010 FF even though Tina was 4 inches shorter than Griner.

 

[HuskyNan]

Well, we know Tina schooled Griner in her freshman in the 2010 FF even though Tina was 4 inches shorter than Griner.

Heather Buck also defended Griner really well

 

[HopJim]

One asset Gandy has is she always is moving to the ball. In many ways Jana could take a lesson. Both take up a lot of space down low but Gandy moves to where the ball is going. Jana tends to get fixed on a spot and while she owns this real estate, it sometimes appears that she is still recovering from last year's injury and isn't quick to the ball. I can see Gandy getting minutes as a frosh when defense and rebounding are needed in short bursts.

 

[donalddoowop]

Well, we know Tina schooled Griner in her freshman in the 2010 FF even though Tina was 4 inches shorter than Griner.

All the more reason to believe Gandy can do well against players as tall as she is.

 

[Zarathustra]

All the more reason to believe Gandy can do well against players as tall as she is.

"You gotta BELIEVE!" I DO!! GO GANDY.!!

 

[msf22b]

He knew what he had. He just wanted more. He loved being able to stop any offensive rebounding by opponents, and he loved being able to stop opponents frontcourts.

Wasn't she a regular occupant of the "dog-house" her first couple of years

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Sorry, Heather Buck was mentioned, so I gotta do this:

 

[HuskyNan]

End of 2024 stats for Gandy (7 games): 20.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1 assist, 2.1 blocks. Next game is tomorrow

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