Geno's Short Bench Myth

[RockyMTblue2]

Just listened to the last GA Show (first aired 2/16/18). In it Geno positively ridicules the notion, bandied about here quite a bit, that he loves a short bench and would only play 6 or even 5 if he could. He says every coach would love to have "at least 8 "- yes 8.

Yet, I bet we will continue to hear here what Geno says is a myth.

It picks up right here:

 

[mhshuskies]

He did say that 8 was ideal, but that means 8 that all play at the high level he expects them to play at. That is very difficult to do when players are at different levels of development. Geno said the only player to come in and be ready to play at the high level was Maya. Not even D or Stewie were at that level 1st year.

 

[EricLA]

There's a difference, of course, between "loving" a short bench, and having one out of necessity. In some of the biggest games this year, he's literally gone only 6 deep. No matter how fit the players are and no matter how much harder practices are than games, it's a tough ask for players to go full bore for 40 minutes in a game.

Next year will be a different story. Just MHO, but I think Williams will be a better freshman that Walker is/was, so Geno should be able to go 7 deep for sure:

Danger, KLS, Walker, Collier, Stephens
Bench - Williams, Camara (realistic)
Bench - Coombs, Ono, Irwin (possible)
Reserves - Bent, Gordon

Of the Coombs, Ono, Irwin trio, I do think at least one of them will step up and give Geno a legit 8 player rotation. And while it was only 1 game, I think we all finally got to see what a healthy Camara looks like, and it looks REALLY GOOD!

Of course it's all speculation at this point...

 

[mhshuskies]

There's a difference, of course, between "loving" a short bench, and having one out of necessity. In some of the biggest games this year, he's literally gone only 6 deep. No matter how fit the players are and no matter how much harder practices are than games, it's a tough ask for players to go full bore for 40 minutes in a game.

Next year will be a different story. Just MHO, but I think Williams will be a better freshman that Walker is/was, so Geno should be able to go 7 deep for sure:

Danger, KLS, Walker, Collier, Stephens
Bench - Williams, Camara (realistic)
Bench - Coombs, Ono, Irwin (possible)
Reserves - Bent, Gordon

Of the Coombs, Ono, Irwin trio, I do think at least one of them will step up and give Geno a legit 8 player rotation. And while it was only 1 game, I think we all finally got to see what a healthy Camara looks like, and it looks REALLY GOOD!

Of course it's all speculation at this point...

Really interested in how much time Camara gets and how she plays tonight.

 

[Los24]

Of the Coombs, Ono, Irwin trio, I do think at least one of them will step up and give Geno a legit 8 player rotation. And while it was only 1 game, I think we all finally got to see what a healthy Camara looks like, and it looks REALLY GOOD!

Of course it's all speculation at this point...

I think it was the Temple game (maybe LV) where the announcers said that UConn lacks a bruiser.... I think they found one in Camara!

 

[PhillyCoach]

Hey Rocky - first I have to tell you that you are such a plus on the boneyard. You come up with some wonderful, entertaining, and very useful (to me) videos-articles, etc. I am nominating RockMBlue2 for the "Threads" award. I don't know how you dress, however, you do start some attention grabbing threads.
You luckily fulfill the number one attribute of a quality retirement---have something that you like to do; (its a bonus that you are good at it too,) Therefore, I have to thank you with a Hearty THANK YOU.
Since you got my attention, my first thought was "If Geno could put together the best bench--What would it look like?
Speaking in general, with position and skills the primary categories IMO Geno would start (6th man) with a:
A Big and a defender first, then a guard--point guard type - good defender first, finally in the 8th spot would be a quick forward who can score outside or inside. Of course, there could be games where the 8th spot is really needed (bad night for our scorers/shooters) or Geno needs a ball handling guard because of full court pressure being applied and the team is not handling it like usual.
For those with time to spare and any interest--Describe your bench and why/how they would be needed or used.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Speaking in general, with position and skills the primary categories IMO Geno would start (6th man) with a:
A Big and a defender first, then a guard--point guard type - good defender first, finally in the 8th spot would be a quick forward who can score outside or inside

Makes very good sense to me, though for the guard I'd prefer a , and I love this moniker, Combo guard like Kia.

As for the rest of the drivel you're trying to sell, I'm not buying. Thanks for the kind thoughts.

 

[Bronxjeff]

I think the classic sixth man should be a burst of energy guard, especially on defense - role model Ketia Swanier. Seventh man should be a power forward, who can bang it up and rebound - Kiah Stokes , we could hope for Batuly! Eighth man a backup center for fouling and foul trouble - Paige Sauer, Heather Buck was really good at this, Natalie Butler was good too.

I realize we don’t have a starting center, but an eighth man backup is still useful in the role.

 

[MilfordHusky]

He did say that 8 was ideal, but that means 8 that all play at the high level he expects them to play at. That is very difficult to do when players are at different levels of development. Geno said the only player to come in and be ready to play at the high level was Maya. Not even D or Stewie were at that level 1st year.

That’s part of why I rate Maya as the #1 player. Diana and Stewie gave us 3.5 great years. Maya gave us 4 full great years. She finished 2, 1, 2, and 1 in the AP POY voting. No one else has ever done that, not Diana, not Stewie, not Parker, not Griner. Check out the Maya freshman highlights posted recently. She was in a different league. We can’t expect other frosh to be like that. But I think Lou’s first year is a reasonable target for someone like CWill.

 

[cbraarj]

Geno didnt need to play Diana. 2001 team was loaded and was the most talented team Uconn ever had.

 

[Checkmate]

Z is 6'5"

not short

 

[j66kicker]

That’s part of why I rate Maya as the #1 player. Diana and Stewie gave us 3.5 great years. Maya gave us 4 full great years. She finished 2, 1, 2, and 1 in the AP POY voting. No one else has ever done that, not Diana, not Stewie, not Parker, not Griner. Check out the Maya freshman highlights posted recently. She was in a different league. We can’t expect other frosh to be like that. But I think Lou’s first year is a reasonable target for someone like CWill.

Yeah but CWill wants to be legendary. She may surprise us. I'm thinking she may be the "6th starter" next year, much like Z this year.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Yeah but CWill wants to be legendary. She may surprise us. I'm thinking she may be the "6th starter" next year, much like Z this year.

She’s a cute kid from the South. I don’t know how realistic she is. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see her as the 6th man or even starting SG. She also wants to be a lockdown defender. If she turns out to be better than Lou, I’ll be beyond thrilled.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Geno didnt need to play Diana. 2001 team was loaded and was the most talented team Uconn ever had.

But they came up short, and Diana had a clunker of a game in St. Louis.

 

[DefenseBB]

Danger, KLS, Walker, Collier, Stephens
Bench - Williams, Camara (realistic)
Bench - Coombs, Ono, Irwin (possible)
Reserves - Bent, Gordon...

Who is Stephens? Do you mean Azura Stevens? EricSD would never had made that mistake

 

[Bronxjeff]

That’s part of why I rate Maya as the #1 player. Diana and Stewie gave us 3.5 great years. Maya gave us 4 full great years. She finished 2, 1, 2, and 1 in the AP POY voting. No one else has ever done that, not Diana, not Stewie, not Parker, not Griner. Check out the Maya freshman highlights posted recently. She was in a different league. We can’t expect other frosh to be like that. But I think Lou’s first year is a reasonable target for someone like CWill.

Maya was incredible as a freshman phenom.

Diana was too, rewatch her in the Tennessee game where she shot the lights out. She just couldn’t carry the whole team at that point and when the senior leadership of both AA’s dropped out we sank. On the other hand when she could be called on to lead, as a junior and senior she delivered the goods with the Bad News Bears - nobody else could have or did - or will. That’s why she is the GOAT to me.

 

[Bama fan]

Who is Stephens? Do you mean Azura Stevens? EricSD would never had made that mistake

I hear that LA will do that to you.

 

[SVCBeercats]

Next year will be a different story. Just MHO, but I think Williams will be a better freshman that Walker is/was, so Geno should be able to go 7 deep for sure.

Your post sounds like it was posted in October, 2017 for 2017-18 season. Of course that didn't happen. Geno has 6 reliable players and Megan kind of shows up and kind of doesn't show up. He is losing two All-Americans (in my book) who represent a great part of the offense and defense. Megan was christened the second coming of Maya. That surely did not happen. Actually to me she never looked like the NPOY for high school. She better get Crystal's religion over the coming summer. Expect another year with barely 6 reliable players and another on again off again 7th. "I could be wrong but I don't think so." Adrian Monk

 

[BroadwayVa]

But they came up short, and Diana had a clunker of a game in St. Louis.

That was a game of coaching decisions and luck--some bad -some good . Who would ever expect DT to miss 15 shots, not Geno! Who would expect Riley to become a decent passer and to play the second half better than the first?/ I always felt DT felt the pressure of the hype surrounding her and tried too hard, she was after all a young kid and human. She did a great comeback against Okla..

 

[Buckaroobanzai]

There's a difference, of course, between "loving" a short bench, and having one out of necessity. In some of the biggest games this year, he's literally gone only 6 deep. No matter how fit the players are and no matter how much harder practices are than games, it's a tough ask for players to go full bore for 40 minutes in a game.

Next year will be a different story. Just MHO, but I think Williams will be a better freshman that Walker is/was, so Geno should be able to go 7 deep for sure:

Danger, KLS, Walker, Collier, Stephens
Bench - Williams, Camara (realistic)
Bench - Coombs, Ono, Irwin (possible)
Reserves - Bent, Gordon

Of the Coombs, Ono, Irwin trio, I do think at least one of them will step up and give Geno a legit 8 player rotation. And while it was only 1 game, I think we all finally got to see what a healthy Camara looks like, and it looks REALLY GOOD!

Of course it's all speculation at this point...

This post highlights the conundrum that the freshman class has created. It has the unhappy potential of becoming the class that never was. Espinosa-Hunter is already gone. Gordon has shown no flashes that suggest that she will be much more than a marginal contributor. Walker and Coombs’ development has stagnated, perhaps even stopped, maybe even started going backwards. When the season began, Geno raved about Walker’s athleticism and bragged that we would be enthralled by what she could do on the basketball court. Coombs had great speed and the potential of being another in a succession of great guards. With the NCAA tournament now but a few weeks away, the most positive comment Geno can muster about his remaining freshmen is a non-response.

Optimistic BYers hopefully seek redemption for the class that never was by looking to “the next game” or the AAC tournament, convinced that the signs of future stardom will be revealed to us. Since I have never seen a glass that was other than half empty and have discarded my rose colored glasses, I cannot join this glorious band of optimists.

The existence of the class that never was probably won’t make a difference this year or next. But after Katie Lou, Napheesa and Azura graduate, the cupboard will be bare, even if Williams and Ono are as good as we are told. I suspect that is when Geno will retire.

So it goes.

 

[JoePgh]

The existence of the class that never was probably won’t make a difference this year or next. But after Katie Lou, Napheesa and Azura graduate, the cupboard will be bare, even if Williams and Ono are as good as we are told. I suspect that is when Geno will retire.

So it goes.

Where is the "DISLIKE" button?

Let's see: the year after next, it's possible that the starting lineup will contain the #2 (C. Williams), #3 (Crystal), and #4 (ONO) players in their respective high school classes, all beyond their freshman year blues. It may also contain the #1 and #13 players if they get their act together. It may contain an Australian star (we should know about that in a month or less). Crystal is likely to be the best point guard in the country in her senior year. That is without considering the contributions of that year's freshmen, whoever they are (which admittedly are unlikely to be decisive).

If all of the roster players are the right kind of people and teammates, then based on everything Geno has said, he will enjoy coaching them, even if their raw basketball skill is less than what UConn fans are accustomed to (and that remains to be seen). Geno has said that the trigger for his retirement will be when he cannot recruit players who buy in to the UConn way of doing things. If he gets those kinds of players, he will enjoy coaching them, even if the result is a 5-loss, non-Final Four year or two.

And I still think that Kyla and Molly will make some kind of significant contribution to the team both next year and in their senior years. There have been a lot of very successful UConn teams on which players like that have been starters as seniors-- think of the Mel Thomas years (never mind the Kerry Bascom years, which I was not in a position to observe in real time).

 

[Buckaroobanzai]

Where is the "DISLIKE" button?

Let's see: the year after next, it's possible that the starting lineup will contain the #2 (C. Williams), #3 (Crystal), and #4 (ONO) players in their respective high school classes, all beyond their freshman year blues. It may also contain the #1 and #13 players if they get their act together. It may contain an Australian star (we should know about that in a month or less). Crystal is likely to be the best point guard in the country in her senior year. That is without considering the contributions of that year's freshmen, whoever they are (which admittedly are unlikely to be decisive).

If all of the roster players are the right kind of people and teammates, then based on everything Geno has said, he will enjoy coaching them, even if their raw basketball skill is less than what UConn fans are accustomed to (and that remains to be seen). Geno has said that the trigger for his retirement will be when he cannot recruit players who buy in to the UConn way of doing things. If he gets those kinds of players, he will enjoy coaching them, even if the result is a 5-loss, non-Final Four year or two.

And I still think that Kyla and Molly will make some kind of significant contribution to the team both next year and in their senior years. There have been a lot of very successful UConn teams on which players like that have been starters as seniors-- think of the Mel Thomas years (never mind the Kerry Bascom years, which I was not in a position to observe in real time).

I understand that you may dislike the truth. But, then, maybe you are correct: Geno may have boffo recruiting years from 2019/2020 on. At some point, however, the albatross that is the AAC will catch up to us. Crystal Dangerfield as the best point guard in the country? Nice idea but without any statistical confirmation. Bent and Irwin becoming significant contributors? Now you are moving directly into neverland.

We are on the cusp of “the class that never was.” If the present rising sophomores (on the eve of the NCAA tournament, they are no longer freshmen) remain unproductive, we will have one productive recruit (Crystal Dangerfield) in the last two years (excluding the transfers). That is NOT the way to build national championship teams.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I understand that you may dislike the truth. But, then, maybe you are correct: Geno may have boffo recruiting years from 2019/2020 on. At some point, however, the albatross that is the AAC will catch up to us. Crystal Dangerfield as the best point guard in the country? Nice idea but without any statistical confirmation. Bent and Irwin becoming significant contributors? Now you are moving directly into neverland.

We are on the cusp of “the class that never was.” If the present rising sophomores (on the eve of the NCAA tournament, they are no longer freshmen) remain unproductive, we will have one productive recruit (Crystal Dangerfield) in the last two years (excluding the transfers). That is NOT the way to build national championship teams.

I have been a bottom of the glass kind of person with this class---but you are far more than just half empty.
I suggest that everyone has their own version of the TRUTH. My version of the TRUTH I have seen is: Coombs is a quick, intelligent, good passing point guard. She will be all she should be and interchangable with the Best Point Guard in the USA next season. Walker, is outstanding, a real talent, and capable--she has openly shown those attributes this season. Geno's comments and sitting not withstanding. Touly, whom you apparently dismiss, has to the potential to be a useful factor in the NCAA games, Irwin isn't where I hoped she'd be, but she is an accurate passer, good under the boards, decent defender, and has an accurate 3 and not afraid to throw it up. Molly is about 80 percent to where I wanted her to be---I confess she is a conundrum, she has BB IQ, she knows the system--I stop short purposedly.
With a few weeks of the season and post AAC all things are possible. Geno I believe will not keep his threat to use 6 players--that is suicide. Believing that I suggest you shall see a more improved version of Megan Walker and M. Coombs, maybe Irwin, and certainly Batouly appearing in the NCAA tournament. No I don't drink the Geno Vino or even lemon aide--but with watching him for 30 years or so, he ain't no fool, and he at times goes into this time of the year kicking and screaming, he may not win it all but you can be sure Uconn will be proud of where they go.