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I’m not sure I see what you guys are seeing about Nika and Azzi. Admittedly, I didn’t track the numbers very carefully. But it looked like Azzi brought the ball up a lot, and quite purposefully. This seemed to be more pronounced in the second half. One inbounds play they ran seemed to make this even inevitable, with azzi inbounding the ball and receiving it back immediately. This had to be by design. But other times I seem to recall her simply receiving an inbounds pass.
In one recent presser, Geno suggested that who brings the ball up the court would not be so scripted and that there wasn’t an absolutely designated point guard role. But it’s clear that Nika and Azzi have both functioned as something like a point guard, at least in bringing the ball up and initiating a set offense. On other occasions, they bring the ball up and simply seize on an opening to “just go” as Geno sometimes says. This is more typical of Azzi than Nika.
Who’s better suited to this role? They are both very capable, though I think Azzi has the better handles and is less easily troubled by pressure. In the second half, Gonzalez was able to “stop” Nika with the ball, ie get her to pick up her dribble at the top of the key before she’d set anything in motion. This wasn’t a deep problem, but it did slow things a bit. I don’t think any of the Texas guards was able to get Azzi to even slow down. She never picks up her dribble without already knowing where the ball will go next. This comparison isn’t really fair to Nika, since Azzi is possibly the most talented player in the land, while she is merely an excellent point guard.
So, who should we prefer to bring the ball up the court? I’m not sure. Clearly Azzi can wreak havoc on opponents in this role. But there is a lot to be said for letting her play “off the ball” sometimes too. This means a partnership between Azzi and Nika may be the best option, on offense and defense. That first steal Nika engineered yesterday is a perfect example. She tipped a backcourt pass and scrambled for the ball, ultimately flipping it to Azzi for the immediate basket. Talk about sending Texas a message!
In one recent presser, Geno suggested that who brings the ball up the court would not be so scripted and that there wasn’t an absolutely designated point guard role. But it’s clear that Nika and Azzi have both functioned as something like a point guard, at least in bringing the ball up and initiating a set offense. On other occasions, they bring the ball up and simply seize on an opening to “just go” as Geno sometimes says. This is more typical of Azzi than Nika.
Who’s better suited to this role? They are both very capable, though I think Azzi has the better handles and is less easily troubled by pressure. In the second half, Gonzalez was able to “stop” Nika with the ball, ie get her to pick up her dribble at the top of the key before she’d set anything in motion. This wasn’t a deep problem, but it did slow things a bit. I don’t think any of the Texas guards was able to get Azzi to even slow down. She never picks up her dribble without already knowing where the ball will go next. This comparison isn’t really fair to Nika, since Azzi is possibly the most talented player in the land, while she is merely an excellent point guard.
So, who should we prefer to bring the ball up the court? I’m not sure. Clearly Azzi can wreak havoc on opponents in this role. But there is a lot to be said for letting her play “off the ball” sometimes too. This means a partnership between Azzi and Nika may be the best option, on offense and defense. That first steal Nika engineered yesterday is a perfect example. She tipped a backcourt pass and scrambled for the ball, ultimately flipping it to Azzi for the immediate basket. Talk about sending Texas a message!
