Geno Gets Coaching Needle Out: Uh Crystal

[RockyMTblue2]

Geno wants more out of Crystal.

“Her personality is very, very cautious. She needs to be more kind of free-flowing, take more chances, be a little more of a risk taker,” Geno Auriemma said Wednesday from the UConn Coaches Roadshow at Stony Creek Brewery.

Crystal Dangerfield is both mild-mannered and soft-spoken, the type who leads more by actions than words. While Auriemma finds that admirable, he wouldn’t mind seeing Dangerfield push the envelope a bit more on the court.

“You’ve got to be willing to take some risks, create stuff,” Auriemma said. “I think she can do more defensively. All the things that I’ve seen our great guards do is they’re really good at guarding their man when they have the ball, and they’re even better at guarding when their man doesn’t have the ball.”

Auriemma wants to see Dangerfield ‘be a little more of a risk taker’ Also:

"Some people are just born leaders, and some are not,” Auriemma said. “Sometimes, you try to impose things on some people. ‘Crystal, you have to be a great leader.’ Maybe she can’t be. I don’t know. "

 

[eebmg]

Personally, I think she already is a great leader and she will show it even more as
the senior PG. I do think she can be a little bit more attack minded on the drive and improve defensively but I do not think she will be Moriah on that end.

 

[JordyG]

Classic Geno attempting to light a psychological fire under one of his charges. "Maybe she can't be. I don't know." Classic.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Geno wants more out of Crystal.

“Her personality is very, very cautious. She needs to be more kind of free-flowing, take more chances, be a little more of a risk taker,” Geno Auriemma said Wednesday from the UConn Coaches Roadshow at Stony Creek Brewery.

Crystal Dangerfield is both mild-mannered and soft-spoken, the type who leads more by actions than words. While Auriemma finds that admirable, he wouldn’t mind seeing Dangerfield push the envelope a bit more on the court.

“You’ve got to be willing to take some risks, create stuff,” Auriemma said. “I think she can do more defensively. All the things that I’ve seen our great guards do is they’re really good at guarding their man when they have the ball, and they’re even better at guarding when their man doesn’t have the ball.”

Auriemma wants to see Dangerfield ‘be a little more of a risk taker’ Also:

"Some people are just born leaders, and some are not,” Auriemma said. “Sometimes, you try to impose things on some people. ‘Crystal, you have to be a great leader.’ Maybe she can’t be. I don’t know. "

Someone please tell Geno Danger isn't Moriah!! Only one of those. Danger isn't too far removed from Jefferson. If you want "free flowing" give the General Job to CW now that Kid can be FREE. In AAU and McD she was free as a bird and flew.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Classic Geno attempting to light a psychological fire under one of his charges. "Maybe she can't be. I don't know." Classic.

It is difficult to change. Once you've been trained in one mode, to become the opposite is near impossible. Her passing is loosie goosie, as reported by KLS and Precious. "If she isn't looking at you expect a pass"

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I suspect Geno read the first article and picked up the phone:

Is Crystal Dangerfield ready to lead UConn women’s basketball? Geno Auriemma thinks so

“I think next year is going to be her most difficult year," coach Geno Auriemma said. "She’s going to have to be way better than she’s ever been. We’ve talked about it a lot since the season ended, and I think she’s conscious of some of the changes that she wants to make and some of the areas that she definitely needs to improve on. There’s no reason why she can’t.”

I think what happened in that second half of the UCLA game has to be part of her regular game and her regular routine, because she’ll be the first to tell you she’s not happy with the way she played in some of the bigger games that we had last year," Auriemma said. "She’s not happy with the way she led or some of the things that she looked back at and could’ve done or should’ve done. I feel great about her. I think she’s going to have a great year.”

 

[BroadwayVa]

Personally, I think she already is a great leader and she will show it even more as
the senior PG. I do think she can be a little bit more attack minded on the drive and improve defensively but I do not think she will be Moriah on that end.

Moriah was/is more athletic. I don't know what she can do better defensively other than grow 7 inches. For my money she was the best PG in the country these past 2 years. Other guards do some things better my bet is their coaches would trade them for Danger any week day and Sunday.

 

[BostonCanuck]

This all makes a ton of sense to me. One of the more overlooked statistics from the 2019 Final Four loss is that Crystal went 2-11 from the field in that game, including 0-6 from three. And while she is not Moriah, one thing I do believe is that when a UConn point guard calls her own number in a big game, she needs hit that shot as often as not.

 

[HuskyNan]

Someone please tell Geno Danger isn't Moriah!! Only one of those. Danger isn't too far removed from Jefferson. If you want "free flowing" give the General Job to CW now that Kid can be FREE. In AAU and McD she was free as a bird and flew.

Sure, no need to help his rising senior develop any more. She’s going to graduate anyway so the coaches can spend time helping the younger players get better instead of wasting it on someone with one foot out the door

 

[HuskyNan]

It is difficult to change. Once you've been trained in one mode, to become the opposite is near impossible. Her passing is loosie goosie, as reported by KLS and Precious. "If she isn't looking at you expect a pass"

She meant that Crystal throws no-look passes. Diana threw no-look passes, too

 

[Gus Mahler]

She meant that Crystal throws no-look passes. Diana threw no-look passes, too

And Paige does now.

I have a colleague who is from Minnesota originally and I was telling her about Paige today. Told her she has all the passes and all the shots. She's fun to watch.

 

[MilfordHusky]

And Paige does now.

I have a colleague who is from Minnesota originally and I was telling her about Paige today. Told her she has all the passes and all the shots. She's fun to watch.

When Paige is finished, she likely will be regarded as the best female high school player in Minnesota history.

 

[Plebe]

i agree with Geno: UConn will need Crystal to be better. She's been a very good point guard the past couple of years -- but not quite *great* at the level of a Rizzotti, Bird, Taurasi, Montgomery or Jefferson, all of whom were All-Americans by no later than their junior year. I like Crystal a lot and am hoping she has another leap in her.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

When Paige is finished, she likely will be regarded as the best female high school player in Minnesota history.

Well, on April 8, the elusive State Championship in her grasp, the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen declared her to be that.

"But if Hugunin won’t say it, I will. With everything that she has accomplished and possessing perhaps the most well-rounded game of any of the top players to come before her, Paige Bueckers, even with a year remaining in her high school career, can now take her place at the head of the table as the best Minnesota has ever produced. "

Paige Bueckers: Minnesota's best ever?

BTW: I listened to a podcast from this reporter and he mentioned that with her commitment to UConn a lot of people in Minn. "turned their backs on her" and "wrote her off" for not running to local hero Whalen at U of Minn. It's here: Listen: Is UConn-bound Paige Bueckers No. 1 all-time? Has prep recruiting become too over-heated?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Stumbling around in the old news this AM while the caffein takes hold I ran across a local news video with Paige just after her commit which I had not seen and is, for my money, her at her best describing the process, while highlighting what I feel is a very important attribute that points to great things: obviously goal oriented but unselfish and goal oriented. At the same time "it doesn't seem real ... it's crazy". Geno "that's the main reason I'm going there..." Anyway, here it is:

Bueckers chooses UCONN for college basketball destination

 

[MilfordHusky]

Well, on April 8, the elusive State Championship in her grasp, the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen declared her to be that.

"But if Hugunin won’t say it, I will. With everything that she has accomplished and possessing perhaps the most well-rounded game of any of the top players to come before her, Paige Bueckers, even with a year remaining in her high school career, can now take her place at the head of the table as the best Minnesota has ever produced. "

Paige Bueckers: Minnesota's best ever?

BTW: I listened to a podcast from this reporter and he mentioned that with her commitment to UConn a lot of people in Minn. "turned their backs on her" and "wrote her off" for not running to local hero Whalen at U of Minn. It's here: Listen: Is UConn-bound Paige Bueckers No. 1 all-time? Has prep recruiting become too over-heated?

The short list includes Lindsay Whalen and Tayler Hill.

 

[UConnNick]

Well, on April 8, the elusive State Championship in her grasp, the Star Tribune's Jim Paulsen declared her to be that.

"But if Hugunin won’t say it, I will. With everything that she has accomplished and possessing perhaps the most well-rounded game of any of the top players to come before her, Paige Bueckers, even with a year remaining in her high school career, can now take her place at the head of the table as the best Minnesota has ever produced. "

Paige Bueckers: Minnesota's best ever?

BTW: I listened to a podcast from this reporter and he mentioned that with her commitment to UConn a lot of people in Minn. "turned their backs on her" and "wrote her off" for not running to local hero Whalen at U of Minn. It's here: Listen: Is UConn-bound Paige Bueckers No. 1 all-time? Has prep recruiting become too over-heated?

It's like deja vu all over again. The same reaction occurred in Minnesota when Khalid El- Amin opted to abandon the Twin Cities and sign with UCONN. History repeats itself.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The short list includes Lindsay Whalen and Tayler Hill.

In the podcast I cited he and the other high school sports writer agreed that for HS careers it is Paige and Lindsay really cemented her rep in college and the pros.

 

[MilfordHusky]

In the podcast I cited he and the other high school sports writer agreed that for HS careers it is Paige and Lindsay really cemented her rep in college and the pros.

Lindsay was pretty good in college. I think she was an All-American at least as a senior, and she and Janelle McCarville led their team to the Final Four. In the pros, Lindsay has won at least 2 Olympic Golds and World Cup Golds, I believe, along with 4 WNBA Championships. She is also the winningest player in WNBA history, or she was about a year ago. She is third in WNBA career assists, behind the great Sue Bird and Ticha Penicheiro. She's 14th in career scoring.