Geno quote about AEH status

[psconn]

"Freshman guard Andra Espinoza-Hunter missed her fifth consecutive game for 'personal reasons.' Asked if she would be part of the team this season, Auriemma said, 'Right now, it doesn't look that way because she’s still not here. We’re going to try to get a resolution to this in the next day or two. That’s the best I can do for you.'" Mike Anthony, Hartford Courant

I don't know if this will get zapped but I'm just hoping that the resolution is that she is a career Husky. Seems like a great kid and a talented player.

 

[bags27]

Thanks for this update, as sad as it is. I'm "liking" your effort, not the actual content of the report.
It shouldn't get "zapped" because you're quoting a news source. I wish you had labeled the thread less defensively and more informatively, so that it wouldn't drop down as it has.
BUMP!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

The longer it goes .... She has been around the program so long. Hard to figure. Wish the best for her.

PS. Not much opf a post, but it bumped this news up again.

 

[warbler1055]

Factual news should never be "zapped"!!! Thanks for the update psconn!!!

 

[bags27]

Just to say that Geno is not answering a question of whether AEH will be dropped altogether from the team but rather whether she will be part of the team this season. At least, we can hope for that.

 

[meyers7]

Spring semester starts next Tues. 01/16. I suppose we'll know something by then.

 

[Biff]

Spring semester starts next Tues. 01/16. I suppose we'll know something by then.

My suspicion was that is the date that is the hard stop on this and why Geno thinks it will be resolved in the next couple days.

 

[JordyG]

My suspicion was that is the date that is the hard stop on this and why Geno thinks it will be resolved in the next couple days.

And that pretty much summarizes all we know and all we need to know on the subject. Make of it everyone what you will.

 

[Blaneylover]

Ever since we were first informed that she had left the team to go home, I was concerned that she would not be coming back. She had appeared to have played herself into the #2 freshman role, behind only Megan Walker. Who know what really has occurred. She may be unhappy here. Here's hoping it all works out for the kid.

 

[Gus Mahler]

A nitpick: It looks to me as though it was four games, unless she missed Duquesne: Memphis, ECU, USF, UCF. She was in the video of practice we got to see from the 28th or 29th.

 

[Buckaroobanzai]

None of us is competent to judge the reasons why AEH left the team. All we can do is to project the impact of her "temporary" departure on a freshman class that has, at least to date, somewhat underachieved and the impact of that underachievement on the prospects for the team this year and next. Given the arduous nature and complete commitment involved in playing basketball for Coach Auriemma, it is difficult to forsee AEH, even if she returns to the team, being any factor in the team's success this year. And so we have a rotation of 6 (or 7, depending on how we view the enigmatic MW), which should be enough to get the team to the Final Four. Next year becomes a big question mark. Meanwhile, objective evaluations of where the team is and will be must always respect the reality that AEH's decisions are unique to her circumstances. The Boneyard family should remain supportive of this young woman whether or not she returns to the team.

 

[NEforceUConn]

None of us is competent to judge the reasons why AEH left the team. All we can do is to project the impact of her "temporary" departure on a freshman class that has, at least to date, somewhat underachieved and the impact of that underachievement on the prospects for the team this year and next. Given the arduous nature and complete commitment involved in playing basketball for Coach Auriemma, it is difficult to forsee AEH, even if she returns to the team, being any factor in the team's success this year. And so we have a rotation of 6 (or 7, depending on how we view the enigmatic MW), which should be enough to get the team to the Final Four. Next year becomes a big question mark. Meanwhile, objective evaluations of where the team is and will be must always respect the reality that AEH's decisions are unique to her circumstances. The Boneyard family should remain supportive of this young woman whether or not she returns to the team.

Point taken, but I would have hoped Geno would have taken the games this year to introduce the talented freshman into the game. Maybe that's not his style, and he is a hall of fame coach, so who am I to question (but it is an internet board). UConn recruited top freshman who now sit on the bench in a 30 pt blow out. Yes the team is stacked with 6 maybe All Americans, but I think he should devote some game time to developing next year's (or the year after's) players.

With GW gone who knows how the team will play next year. That's a given. She is unquestionable the spark.

Yes KLS and Precious are all stars who should rule next year, but they are one play away from being sidelined.

MW and some of the others need game time to mature.

Not sure if Geno has ever had such a talented bench (he normally plays 6/7 all year). This year he has options, but is he all knowing to develop them on his terms? Does he have a track record of doing this? Or do they really play bad? I hope no potential recruits actually read what I have written, but then again who am I?

 

[Goodgood]

None of us is competent to judge the reasons why AEH left the team. .

I think we are competent enough. We are all reluctant to speculate and we respect her privacy. There is nothing more to say except that we do hope that everything goes well with her personal reasons for not being here at the moment.

 

[trb123]

Point taken, but I would have hoped Geno would have taken the games this year to introduce the talented freshman into the game. Maybe that's not his style, and he is a hall of fame coach, so who am I to question (but it is an internet board). UConn recruited top freshman who now sit on the bench in a 30 pt blow out. Yes the team is stacked with 6 maybe All Americans, but I think he should devote some game time to developing next year's (or the year after's) players.

With GW gone who knows how the team will play next year. That's a given. She is unquestionable the spark.

Yes KLS and Precious are all stars who should rule next year, but they are one play away from being sidelined.

MW and some of the others need game time to mature.

Not sure if Geno has ever had such a talented bench (he normally plays 6/7 all year). This year he has options, but is he all knowing to develop them on his terms? Does he have a track record of doing this? Or do they really play bad? I hope no potential recruits actually read what I have written, but then again who am I?

In 2000-01, Morgan Valley averaged 10.3 mpg (10.5 conference only), Ashley Battle 10.4 mpg (12.4) and Maria Conlon 7.1 mpg (6.8).
I would think that the freshmen now have a steeper learning curve and Geno is happier (more comfortable?) with his starting 7 than he was in the early 2000s.
You earn your playing time at practice was a mantra both then and now.
I wish somebody would compare the practices of the two eras.

One problem in comparing the two teams is that only Dangerfield's time can be compared to the sophomores of that era.
Molly and Kyla are not exactly the same quality data points.

 

[uconnever]

I pray she comes back, I liked her game a lot and saw Huge things for her going forward. This would be devastating for me because I was looking forward to see her play more than any other player.

 

[NewCorn]

MW and some of the others need game time to mature.
Not sure if Geno has ever had such a talented bench (he normally plays 6/7 all year). This year he has options, but is he all knowing to develop them on his terms? Does he have a track record of doing this? Or do they really play bad? I hope no potential recruits actually read what I have written, but then again who am I?

From reading Geno's quotes over the years, I surmise that recruits know when they arrive that they must prove themselves in practice or they will not get into the game. I would, however, like to see more of MW and MC on the court. Coombs especially I think is greatly under estimated. If I were the coach, I would use Z, the sophomores, and the freshmen for the entire 4th quarter in some of these blowouts. But, I do have eleven less NC's and 1000 less wins than Geno.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Precious

Precious is an assistant coach at UCF. There is only one Precious. Just ask Jennifer Rizzotti.

 

[Jaybird65]

Geno's approach that playing tine is earned in practice is an ingrained pillar in his program. No recruit should be surprised by that. But it's one thing to know it, it's another thing to live it... Some of these kids haven't sat for 3 minutes in a full year in their HS & AAU programs.....

 

[Bigboote]

The Boneyard family should remain supportive of this young woman whether or not she returns to the team.

Hey, Banzai. I like your sentiment, much as it pains me to agree with my arch enemy.

PS -- it's big-boo-TAY

 

[NEforceUConn]

Precious is an assistant coach at UCF. There is only one Precious. Just ask Jennifer Rizzotti.

My bad I obviously meant Napheesa, thought at some points during the last year i thought BYer's referred to her as Precious.

 

[Checkmate]

Geno's approach that playing tine is earned in practice is an ingrained pillar in his program. No recruit should be surprised by that. But it's one thing to know it, it's another thing to live it... Some of these kids haven't sat for 3 minutes in a full year in their HS & AAU programs.....

is playing time the issue ? I agree that playing time should be earned, and I think Geno is an awesome coach. However, I think Geno should empty the bench earlier when he has a 30 point lead.

 

[Jaybird65]

is playing time the issue ? I agree that playing time should be earned, and I think Geno is an awesome coach. However, I think Geno should empty the bench earlier when he has a 30 point lead.

I'm sure lots of folks feel that way...but it has never been his way. I doubt that he would change.

 

[nyfanofwbb]

I think we all would like to see more playing time for the bench in the 4th quarter. With weak defense a 20 - 30 point lead can disappear quite quickly! One of the things Geno harps on that defensively his bench is not that strong. He pointed it out with AZ that she scored this many points but gave up this many points.

 

[UcMiami]

AEH went home for personal reasons which can obviously cover a lot of territory, but ... personal is not team, or playing time, or anything else related to the actual basketball being played so all this speculation about how Geno treats freshman and the minutes they are getting has at this point nothing to do with AEH's situation.

Looking at the players on the bench and their interactions on and off the court I am impressed by how tightly the freshmen seem to be integrated into the team, whether they are getting minutes or not. That has not been the case with players who have left the team for team related issues in the past.

 

[donalddoowop]

I think we all would like to see more playing time for the bench in the 4th quarter. With weak defense a 20 - 30 point lead can disappear quite quickly! One of the things Geno harps on that defensively his bench is not that strong. He pointed it out with AZ that she scored this many points but gave up this many points.

What ticks me off is that Z was not the only player giving up points because of poor defense. KLS did not sit one second until she got her third foul and she was having a hard time guarding. I know Geno has won 11 NC but these players today who see him sitting some of freshmen when the team is 30 or more points ahead may just say we don't want any part of that and UCONN may start losing out on some very good recruits. Sometimes positive comments can be very helpful players who are struggling. The game would have been a lot closer without Z's offensive contribution. Just my opinion.