Guns Growing Up Fast

[RockyMTblue2]

Okay, you know her as Crystal D:

UConn Women's Insider: Crystal Dangerfield Growing Up Fast As A Husky

"She looked bit overwhelmed the first times she was out there," Geno Auriemma said after the Notre Dame win. "I thought she looked a little bit like the moment was a little too big for her, the first time she's been in that situation on the road. She'll learn from it."

 

[BroadwayVa]

Okay, you know her as Crystal D:

UConn Women's Insider: Crystal Dangerfield Growing Up Fast As A Husky

"She looked bit overwhelmed the first times she was out there," Geno Auriemma said after the Notre Dame win. "I thought she looked a little bit like the moment was a little too big for her, the first time she's been in that situation on the road. She'll learn from it."

Prior to arriving to UC, in the USA's , Crystal had a fan in me. I saw what Geno saw--she wasn't overwhelmed--she just ran into situations not expected! Geno pulled her the first time Muffet pulled her "trap the Freshman" that's sits big in her play book. It usually works--and did with KML and Moriah in the past--.
Crystal--learned from that--she learns every game-remember she is STILL a freshman!! Geno is extremely high on Crystal--so are most BYer's--she will give him a leader in the NCAA's. The kid sees the court and passes really well, and gambles a bit.

 

[oldude]

Danger's situation is unique. She has had to learn to swim by being thrown into the deep end of the pool. She's doing OK. Pretty soon, she is going to be really good.

 

[Carnac]

Crystal is on a fast track to making that sophomore leap...............as a freshman. Yes, she's making the typical rookie/freshman mistakes. That's part of the maturation process. We all see her working hard and learning something with every trip up and down the court. The more she plays NOW, the faster the game will slow down for her. She's much better now, than when the season began. We all know this IS NOT an over night process.

I look for her to get substantial playing time during conference play. Geno and staff know exactly where she needs to be come March. She'll have some 30+ games under her belt, she'll have her "sea legs", and she'll no longer be a freshman experience wise.

I'm confident they'll have her exactly where she needs to be. The game will have slowed down for her by then. Everything she sees then, she will have already seen before. She'll be ready for tournament play. She's got to take her lumps and bumps now to get there. Crystal came in with a high BB-IQ. She's a quick study. You can tell, she wants to be good, and contribute to this team anyway she can. She'll be fine.

 

[huskeynut]

Fear not, the girl can flat out play.

 

[bags27]

Mo may have been more "protected" by a stronger team around her, but I don't think Crystal needs that. Her greatest strength is that she absolutely believes she belongs out there, whatever the pressure of the moment. Her parents both saw action in Iraq: ya think Crystal thinks what she's doing is tough?

She's 5'5" and already averaging 3 rebounds/game. Now that's tough....

 

[oldude]

Mo may have been more "protected" by a stronger team around her, but I don't think Crystal needs that. Her greatest strength is that she absolutely believes she belongs out there, whatever the pressure of the moment. Her parents both saw action in Iraq: ya think Crystal thinks what she's doing is tough?

She's 5'5" and already averaging 3 rebounds/game. Now that's tough....

Mo was one of the best PG's ever, but at this point in her career, Danger does a couple of things better than Mo at the same point in her career. Danger is really working to slow things down and play under control, while Mo had basically one speed, 100 mph. Danger is also a better shooter than Mo as a freshman. It's going to be an absolute thrill to watch her develop.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Danger's situation is unique. She has had to learn to swim by being thrown into the deep end of the pool. She's doing OK. Pretty soon, she is going to be really good.

You are correct, again! The most difficult way, but quickest way, to learn to swim is to be in over your head. Crystal came with loads of treading water skills, was great at the breast stroke, (see her arms)--she had to learn the Geno American/UConn crawl. Your belief (from what you don't say) that she will be exceptional next year --I too go along with.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Mo may have been more "protected" by a stronger team around her, but I don't think Crystal needs that. Her greatest strength is that she absolutely believes she belongs out there, whatever the pressure of the moment. Her parents both saw action in Iraq: ya think Crystal thinks what she's doing is tough?

She's 5'5" and already averaging 3 rebounds/game. Now that's tough....

Thanks for all that is implied/inferred (pick one) in this posting!!

 

[NewCorn]

The real Danger is going to explode all over some team pretty soon. Why not OSU? I'm not trying to rush things; just saying it could happen. She already did it to Baylor, as a novice playing her second game. And let's not forget, Danger corralled the ball after Pheesa's 24-k block against FSU. There's no way to be certain UConn would've won either of those games without her. And she's a freshman. The future is now!

 

[BostonCanuck]

Mo may have been more "protected" by a stronger team around her, but I don't think Crystal needs that. Her greatest strength is that she absolutely believes she belongs out there, whatever the pressure of the moment. Her parents both saw action in Iraq: ya think Crystal thinks what she's doing is tough?

She's 5'5" and already averaging 3 rebounds/game. Now that's tough....

This.

 

[Carnac]

If you look hard enough, you can look at her, and see the potential greatness that she has in her now, that will manifest itself later. It's like what we saw in Gabby and Napheesa in their freshman year. You could see flashes of brilliance and greatness, but only for brief moments. They'd make a great play, then follow it up with a turnover, a silly foul, or some other freshman man gaff.

We were looking at raw and unrefined talent that just needed to be polished and coached up. Look at Gabby and Collier now. The difference we see in them now, is the same difference we'll see in Crystal next season. Not this season, NEXT season. The difference is ........MATURITY. Crystal has been in the program for 7 months (May to Dec = 7 months) This time next year, she' will have been in the program for 19 months + she'll be a year older, and have a full season of 38 or so games under her belt. Next season, she'll make better decisions with the ball on a consistent basis. She'll also have the benefit of playing her teammates for those same 19 months.

Let me put it another way. If you're a Star Trek fan (which I am), you're familiar with their ship's warp speed capability. When their Starship (the Enterprise) goes into "warp drive", the stars on the view screen blur, because they are traveling at light speed. But....when they stop or slow to "impulse drive", the stars go back to looking as we're use to seeing them. They appear to not be moving.

Right now, Crystal is in warp drive. Everything is new to her, and it's coming at a very fast pace. She's got coaches and players in her ear at practice. She's learning to play basketball the UConn way. She's doing the best she can to learn as much as she can, as fast as she can.

It's like starting a new job and being introduced to 50 of your new co-workers, and trying to remember everyone's name. It's not going to happen. But like she said in an interview, NOTHING she did up to the first day of official practice prepared her for what she's experiencing now.

UConn basketball (and it's expectations) is unlike anything else she's ever seen or experienced. Next year, everything will slow down for her, just like it does for most 2nd year players. THEN, we'll get to see the real Crystal Dangerfield. She'll make plays that will make you curse. That "no-look" pass (assist) she made in the Baylor game made me shout an expletive. The Crystal Dangerfield that takes the floor next season will be hard to watch and keep your mouth closed.