How much does Geno like Crystal's game?

[bags27]

Thank you for that confirmation because the announcers during the LSU game said she wanted to go to Tennessee but came to Connecticut instead because Moriah was leaving.
I hadn't ever heard that version of events. Always heard that UConn was her primary school of choice.

In fact, last year Crystal said she wish she was already at UConn [and therefore sitting on the bench!] so that she could learn from Mo. Looks like she's done okay anyway.

 

[BobbyJ]

Hey Jim - Agree wholeheartedly. IMHO Crystal is the only PURE point guard on the team. Kia, Chong, & Bent can play the point, but as Geno states--Crystal was born with the innate knowledge of a pure point.
Nurse & Chong are so much more valuable at the 2 guard. Nurse on defense and just an all-around BB player. IMHO Chong is a scorer first and can help in the future. As Geno says--We want people to play to their strengths.
Like others, I watch one player at a time during key moments in a game. Crystal runs the point so different than the others because she not only scans the floor looking for an effective pass, she instantly recognizes when there is no pass available and then SEES A VULNERABLE spot on the floor and penetrates. Sometimes it just takes a step or two to draw the defender, sometimes she knows she has to get deeper. Of course, like Mo could (and sometimes Chong or Kia) Danger sees the fleeting opening and motors in for the score. Chong is better than Kia. Kia still bangs around too much, where Chong can wiggle and get there in an uncanny fashion.
Kia and Chong--too often when at point--come down the floor, don't see much to attack, then throw a pass to another player on the outside. Maybe run through, come back out, and do the same thing again. Correct me if I am wrong, but Chong rarely sees an opening and does not penetrate as often as is necessary.
Finally, as a pure point, Crystal has more passing methods, styles, skills than all the other guards. And it has to be said, she has executed those varied methods in the first games of the season. I have not seen Chong or Kia execute that variety over the years.
Remember the end of game embrace with Geno and Crystal? They both knew that she has what it takes and she showed it that game.
Of course she is a frosh and will be inconsistent, but it is all there. You can't fake that scoring, passing and leadership!
Crystal is the 5th piece to the puzzle. Butler and Chong will have their roles this season as will the rest of the team. Those 5 will take us far. One side note - - I am more fearful of South Carolina than any other team.

Thanks for doing the typing for me, my thoughts exactly. Chong and Nurse do a lot of shuffling and dribbling but pretty much only see the player they're passing to. They can't see through the defense. And I agree 100% on S. Carolina.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Thank you for that confirmation because the announcers during the LSU game said she wanted to go to Tennessee but came to Connecticut instead because Moriah was leaving.

I hadn't ever heard that version of events. Always heard that UConn was her primary school of choice.

That was a totally speculative yarn spun on Vol fan boards and it had to do with Tenn having signed a highly ranked point guard a year ahead of Crystal ,T'ea Cooper. They needed some salve for UConn snatching a highly ranked recruit out of Tenn. I'm sure that yarn was picked up by a lot of SEC homers and made it's way into the broadcast booth.

 

[TroyHouse66]

BobbyJ-
<<Chong and Nurse ... pretty much only see the player they're passing to. They can't see through the defense.>>

One must consider that Crystal Dangerfield has an over-riding advantage in passing. It's relatively easy when you only see knees and waists. Passing is EASY... when all those arms and heads aren't crowding your vision.
****************************

PhilCoach- <<Crystal is the only PURE point guard ... with the innate knowledge of a pure point.>>
JimR- <<She's not a normal freshman.>>
BroadwayVa- <<...Crystal ...see's what isn't there but developing. Stuff like that usually comes with CHEMISTRY>>

Bingo!!
I say we turn ourselves in to the NCAA & have her tested for excess BSH* before we get into real trouble.

*Basketball Smarts Hormone
or
Possibly suffering from an on-going display of the Maravich-Magic Syndrome?

 

[JordyG]

Hey Jim - Agree wholeheartedly. IMHO Crystal is the only PURE point guard on the team. Kia, Chong, & Bent can play the point, but as Geno states--Crystal was born with the innate knowledge of a pure point.
Nurse & Chong are so much more valuable at the 2 guard. Nurse on defense and just an all-around BB player. IMHO Chong is a scorer first and can help in the future. As Geno says--We want people to play to their strengths.
Like others, I watch one player at a time during key moments in a game. Crystal runs the point so different than the others because she not only scans the floor looking for an effective pass, she instantly recognizes when there is no pass available and then SEES A VULNERABLE spot on the floor and penetrates. Sometimes it just takes a step or two to draw the defender, sometimes she knows she has to get deeper. Of course, like Mo could (and sometimes Chong or Kia) Danger sees the fleeting opening and motors in for the score. Chong is better than Kia. Kia still bangs around too much, where Chong can wiggle and get there in an uncanny fashion.
Kia and Chong--too often when at point--come down the floor, don't see much to attack, then throw a pass to another player on the outside. Maybe run through, come back out, and do the same thing again. Correct me if I am wrong, but Chong rarely sees an opening and does not penetrate as often as is necessary.
Finally, as a pure point, Crystal has more passing methods, styles, skills than all the other guards. And it has to be said, she has executed those varied methods in the first games of the season. I have not seen Chong or Kia execute that variety over the years.
Remember the end of game embrace with Geno and Crystal? They both knew that she has what it takes and she showed it that game.
Of course she is a frosh and will be inconsistent, but it is all there. You can't fake that scoring, passing and leadership!
Crystal is the 5th piece to the puzzle. Butler and Chong will have their roles this season as will the rest of the team. Those 5 will take us far. One side note - - I am more fearful of South Carolina than any other team.

Accurate and again, cogent post. Yet ND scares me because of their guard play, and as good as Ms. Danger is offensively she still has a way to go defensively. Bigger guards like Baylor's Jones showed her weaknesses off the dribble, inside, and bigger guards can shoot over her. And of course, Chong still has some of these weaknesses. These can all be corrected, but I don't think by Dec 7.

 

[PhillyCoach]

BobbyJ-
<<Chong and Nurse ... pretty much only see the player they're passing to. They can't see through the defense.>>

One must consider that Crystal Dangerfield has an over-riding advantage in passing. It's relatively easy when you only see knees and waists. Passing is EASY... when all those arms and heads aren't crowding your vision.
****************************

PhilCoach- <<Crystal is the only PURE point guard ... with the innate knowledge of a pure point.>>
JimR- <<She's not a normal freshman.>>
BroadwayVa- <<...Crystal ...see's what isn't there but developing. Stuff like that usually comes with CHEMISTRY>>

Bingo!!
I say we turn ourselves in to the NCAA & have her tested for excess BSH* before we get into real trouble.

*Basketball Smarts Hormone
or
Possibly suffering from an on-going display of the Maravich-Magic Syndrome?

--
Hey TroyHouse - - I appreciate your unique perspective. It got my attention.

 

[Carnac]

Dangerfield will be in the starting lineup within two months, imo. Don't know if it'll be sooner than later but the team is much better when she's on the floor.

I'm going to step a little further out on that limb than you are. I see her starting by (or before) the first of the year (the next 5 weeks). Actually I see her starting before that, but I'm leaving myself some wiggle room.

You can see her evolve with each passing game. You're right. It's because the team is better when she's on the floor (which is why Geno has no problem inserting her in the first quarter), that she will eventually start............sooner rather than later.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I'm going to step a little further out on that limb than you are. I see her starting by (or before) the first of the year (the next 5 weeks). Actually I see her starting before that, but I'm leaving myself some wiggle room.

Five weeks is within two months.

 

[TroyHouse66]

BroadVay-
<<I liked Paige and Bam Bam---tw0 Mid West City, OK women. (Paige was an import)>>

Absolutely correct! Good memories...
Paige was 6'-5" from out our way... Fallon, Nevada.
At that height, in a little, dusty town 65 miles beyond Reno, she faced little competition & stagnated in development. She packed off to Oklahoma, to family friends, and blossomed in the fertile sports environs. Picked a color that suited her, (no pun intended),... National Blue over Orange & earned the golden ring at the end of the rainbow.

TH66
ex-Chief, Silver City, Nev. VFD

 

[cferraro04]

"That reminds me: haven't heard from Mone lately. We can fit her in, no?"


I have to wonder if she will live up to her childhood hype....

 

[Carnac]

Five weeks is within two months.

Right, but I'm shortening MY range (prediction) from YOUR 8 weeks to 5. I'll take a break from prognosticating for a while if I'm wrong on this one. Book it!!!!

Geno pulled Chong from the starting lineup once already. I have a feeling he doesn't want to do it again unless he's compelled to, because of what it would do to her confidence, which is already fragile.

Most posters here agree that the offense does run smoother with Crystal on the floor, and she's getting better at running it with every game. I won't, but I'd be willing to say two weeks if you press me. The more Dangerfield plays NOW, the faster she'll get to where Geno wants her to be, and her comfort level with the other starters will grow.