Guarding Nina Davis

[HuskyNan]

I was re-watching the game and in the first half, it was Napheesa Collier that had primary responsibility of guarding Davis with a lot of help from Lou. The two of them did a great job.

Napheesa is one of those players who can help win a game without scoring, although she did have a double-double Thursday night. She's showing great consistency in effort, too. I love this kid.

 

[bags27]

Me, too. When we talk about the "sophomore leap" or "jump", it's Pheesa who has clearly made that. It may be that her injury last year cost her just enough, or maybe the game has slowed down for her, or whatever. Her partner in crime, Lou, hasn't (yet) made that jump. Maybe because she already made a jump last February; maybe because she's not a "jumper", but incrementally improves and will continue to do so gradually over the next 3 years. Different learning styles, maybe. But for me, Pheesa, along with Natalie and now Crystal, are the important big surprises of this young season.

 

[UcMiami]

There isn't a player getting minutes who hasn't made significant contributions to the team in their 2 games to date and I think that is what is so impressive to me. We do not yet see any one player taking ownership of this team and leading them to success, it is really the whole team that has taken ownership of their own destiny - I don't remember seeing that kind of collective leadership before. Last year it was a triumvirate, in other years it has been a single or multiple players, but right now, it really seems that they are all in it together.
That will probably change and one or a few of the players will start distinguishing themselves, but it is like Geno's headache inducing difficulty in deciding what expectations and burdens to place on the team - they have turned around and said as a team 'we got this coach!'

I agree that Napheesa has made the most dramatic improvement, but we sort of forget that she was the first of last years freshman to get the starting nod - she had nine starts in total, so maybe it was always there and the injury was just holding her back.

 

[donalddoowop]

I watched her play three years of ball so I expected this. Her team won three straight State Championships and one year defeated Crystal's Blackmon team in an early season tournament before losing to them in a later tournament. Napheesa was player of the year three times. She played the kind of competition Crystal played in high school.

 

[huskeynut]

Watching the game for a second time, Napheesa was a blanket on Davis. Lou's help took Davis out of the game. And Kim made no attempt to adjust.

This team is already a whole lot of fun to watch and we just started. Who the team I have no idea but Crystal made a big statement about who is could be.

 

[CocoHusky]

Watching the game for a second time, Napheesa was a blanket on Davis. Lou's help took Davis out of the game. And Kim made no attempt to adjust.

This team is already a whole lot of fun to watch and we just started. Who the team I have no idea but Crystal made a big statement about who is could be.

Not true. Nina got the ball three different ways in three different position on the floor and made nothing of her touches in the first quarter. Her first touch was off a pick and roll on the left side of the floor Gabby rotated over and blocked her shot. Her second touch was on the right block she attempted a reverse spin and traveled. Late in the shot clock she got the ball at the top of the key and attempted a three point shot that rimmed out. That is three unproductive touches in a big game and the 3 point shot was pure desperation because Nina has only attempted (11) 3Pt shots in her 3 full years at Baylor. She was largely invisible for the remainder of the game.

 

[tonehill68]

I kinda feel sorry for Davis. She had been (for the most part) the focal point of the team's offense. Now with the post players becoming that, she seems to be lost in their offense. She doesn't have an outside shot and her game is primarily down low. I know it's just two games into the season but that's just my observation. With Pheese guarding her just made it impossible to get in the flow of the game.

 

[CajunHusky]

I read or heard somewhere that with the arrival of all those bigs Nina Davis' opportunities -offensive boards, weakside plays - aren't there anymore. Mompremier and Brown and Cox have pushed her further out where she just isn't that effective.

 

[Kaizen]

Napheesa is the most consistent and defense, offense player.
I predict she will be a AA first team at end of season.

 

[donalddoowop]

Geno had Gabby work on developing a mid-range to outside game to make her more of a threat and she is doing just that. I wonder if Mulkey is doing the same with Davis. It does not seem so. That's coaching.

 

[Plebe]

I kinda feel sorry for Davis. She had been (for the most part) the focal point of the team's offense. Now with the post players becoming that, she seems to be lost in their offense. She doesn't have an outside shot and her game is primarily down low. I know it's just two games into the season but that's just my observation. With Pheese guarding her just made it impossible to get in the flow of the game.

I can't help but agree. Nina was a freshman the year after Griner graduated, and she was really a godsend and a pleasant surprise for Baylor in a year when Sims was their only significant returning player. (In fact, I really thought she should have won Freshman of the Year instead of DeShields that year, but that's another story.) But as Baylor has added more talent and size down low, it seems to be squeezing her out of the areas where she can most excel. Her lack of an outside shot places a bit of a low ceiling on how much she can develop as a player.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

You would think though that Nina Davis on her own during the off season would work on her game to add some new areas to her strong inside game! Both Gabby & Napheesa worked on moving outside to get an inside/outside attack. And so far it's been impressive to watch their skill set!
That being said I watched B. Turner in ND vs Washington shoot no further than 8' to 10' as she has since her freshman year! Great player but no depth to her game!