Geno Comments on Piath Gabriel, and ...

[Cheddie]

RE: Stef Dolson. I think one of the biggest transformations she made at UConn was getting into much better game shape, akin to Kara Wolters.
Older Courant article

 

[oldude]

Correct me if I am wrong but I think when Teaira McCowan enrolled at Mississippi State, expectations initially were low. Her height was the major appeal. Vic Shaeffer and has his staff worked with with her relentlessly to develop her into the player she is today.

Will this happen with Paith? The ingredients are there. It is just a matter of whether she has the patience to endure the hardship. Great players struggle at UConn initially (with Maya being the exception). So if she embraces the struggle, she will be great--eventually.

That’s a very good comparison. I watched McCowan play against UConn at the Bridgeport regional in 2016 during the now famous (per Vic Schaefer) “piranhas on a roast” game. McCowan was a non-factor in that game. Eventually she became an AA leading MS St to a championship game.

 

[CocoHusky]

Correct me if I am wrong but I think when Teaira McCowan enrolled at Mississippi State, expectations initially were low. Her height was the major appeal. Vic Shaeffer and has his staff worked with with her relentlessly to develop her into the player she is today.

Will this happen with Paith? The ingredients are there. It is just a matter of whether she has the patience to endure the hardship. Great players struggle at UConn initially (with Maya being the exception). So if she embraces the struggle, she will be great--eventually.

Teaira was the 45th ranked player in her HS class according to ESPN. There was no need for expectations to be low because she was the second highest ranked player to ever commit to Mississippi State.

 

[Alydar]

How about, “she needs to develop a hook shot.”

Don't forget "Geno needs to play her" if she sits the first few games.

 

[Mdoggie]

UCONN WBB recruit=high expectations. If/when that changes we're in real trouble.

Point taken however I am sure many understand the point I was making also.

 

[soxfan23]

Gabriel is just extremely raw at this point. She has everything you need to succeed at the high D1 level, she has the size, she is a tremendous athlete, and she plays extremely hard. She is simply not yet a complete basketball player. She has improved a ton over the past couple years, which is a great sign to indicate future development. If she continues to work hard and develop her game she will be able to hold her own against any big in the country!

 

[CocoHusky]

That’s a very good comparison. I watched McCowan play against UConn at the Bridgeport regional in 2016 during the now famous (per Vic Schaefer) “piranhas on a roast” game. McCowan was a non-factor in that game. Eventually she became an AA leading MS St to a championship game.

McCowan & Mississippi State actually played in two consecutive championship games. The other part of the comparison that makes some sense is that Mississippi State had a solid 6'5" post player in Chinwe Okorie who allowed McCowan to sit, learn, and practice against for two years before being thrown into the fire.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

I doubt Stef was ever a project. She was a pretty highly ranked player coming out of high school.

I think Dolson definitely was a project. She was slow of foot, not well conditioned, and not a jumper. Dolson improved dramatically during her four years, especially becoming a superb passer, rolling up the assists.

 

[JonathanXIV]

I think Dolson definitely was a project. She was slow of foot, not well conditioned, and not a jumper. Dolson improved dramatically during her four years, especially becoming a superb passer, rolling up the assists.

I think the better comparison is to Kara.

 

[Carnac]

The following quote is from a new article in the Hartford Courant which is mostly about Paige Bueckers and the pressures that will be on her:

“She adds a presence in the lane that nobody in America has almost, a big six-[five] kid that can take up space,” Auriemma said. “What about the other stuff? The other stuff doesn’t exist. But you’re thinking, ‘what happens if she gets that, then you’ve got something really, really good.’ So you’re taking the chance, but a really good chance because the kid is competitive, she wants to be good. She works hard, she runs up and down the floor.”

So I guess she will be a project. We definitely shouldn't expect big things in her freshman year. But the quote above could almost apply word-for-word to Stef Dolson when she arrived on campus. and she turned out OK. If the athletic ability and internal motivation is there, rawness is a surmountable problem, especially in the hands of a position coach like CD.

As I said, the article is mostly about Paige and the expectations that are placed on players like DT, Stewie, and Maya who come into UConn with enormous expectations on their shoulders. I thought it was interesting that Geno said that DT and Stewie handled that in the way you would expect, letting it get the best of them at some point in their freshman years. But Maya was a different case:

"Maya is the only freshman who came here [snaps his finger], ‘Got this.’ ... First day of practice, you knew: best player in the country. She hadn’t even practiced yet."

"So I guess she will be a project. We definitely shouldn't expect big things in her freshman year." I hope UConn fans remember this quote from Geno next year if Piath comes out of the gate slowly.

 

[Bretski]

"So I guess she will be a project. We definitely shouldn't expect big things in her freshman year." I hope UConn fans remember this quote from Geno next year if Piath comes out of the gate slowly.

Update: They won’t

 

[diggerfoot]

After the Big East Tournament, Dolson's freshman year, a humble Moore declared she thought Dolson should have received the MVP, similar to Stewart's declaration for Jefferson in the NCAA. Dolson was no project. She was a McD AA in high school despite her physical condition precisely because she had skills and savvy, but lacked a college ready fitness and endurance. Even after she was in condition she still could not jump higher than a "piece of paper," so I guess that part of the project didn't work out.

In a sense, Dolson was virtually the opposite of Gabriel, low on skills and savvy but high on fitness and conditioning.

I have no idea who Gabriel might be like in a UConn uniform, but if I had to make a wild stab I would guess Schumacher.

 

[UConnCat]

After the Big East Tournament, Dolson's freshman year, a humble Moore declared she thought Dolson should have received the MVP, similar to Stewart's declaration for Jefferson in the NCAA. Dolson was no project. She was a McD AA in high school despite her physical condition precisely because she had skills and savvy, but lacked a college ready fitness and endurance. Even after she was in condition she still could not jump higher than a "piece of paper," so I guess that part of the project didn't work out.

In a sense, Dolson was virtually the opposite of Gabriel, low on skills and savvy but high on fitness and conditioning.

I have no idea who Gabriel might be like in a UConn uniform, but if I had to make a wild stab I would guess Schumacher.

Exactly right. Stef was not a project. She needed to work on her fitness and conditioning. She already had excellent footwork, great hands, great vision and a feel for the game. Her entire game improved as she improved her fitness.

 

[bluedevil]

Its hard to project how much progress a project will produce...

 

[Steelerone]

I think that we can all agree on a couple of things, one being that Geno does not want to depend at any time of the season on a freshman in any of the games.. The second is that no matter how highly ranked or how talented a player is in high school by the time Geno is done with her even that player will admit that their improvement rating is off the charts.