Very sensitive to this, There is no negativity towards Caroline at all. I do love her game. No need for research or homework. It doesn’t matter what she did in the past. If you read the previous post I was talking about Amari and Ice returning this season post surgery. that’s my point. Giving someone grace besides Caroline. why do you get so defensive? Good lord, relax dude. It’s just someone’s opinion. I call my 40 year old family members kids.
Huskies Have A Little Break: What Needs To Change Before Texas?
- Thread starter kidfrom360
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Just saying Paige got 2 quick fouls. Amari got 2 quick fouls. it happens.
I agree. Everyone is so fixated on discussing her because she’s got the size we lack. I will give her this, she had some good defensive moments in the Cayman Islands, and her size is her biggest asset to us. But on the season she’s played 23 minutes and taken 0 field goal attempts, grabbed a single rebound, 3 blocks, and a single assist. Counter that with 5 fouls and 5 turnovers. At some point having a good game does positively impact a box score. (For everyone not stats focused) Being a big body isn’t enough, especially on a team who is offensively challenged thus far, and in need of a rebounder.
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You don't believe that there is a difference between the frequency that Paige might commit two quick fouls vs Amari? My point was that Amari vs quality teams will be a most likley be a foul machne.
You don't think Paige's 2 quick fouls was more of an anamoly?
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I try not to read the things you post because they usually make little to no sense! Neither Amari nor Ice have done much of anything for us to date. I think many fans here have given plenty of sympathy to Ice last season. You probably missed it because you weren't a member then. Amari has gotten plenty of sympathy. Perhaps you just don't read enough of the posts here? What you call your 40 year old family members has absolutely nothing to do with how you refer to these young women.
As far as me being defensive, I guess to some degree it's just the way the higher power made me.
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Most of the time ICE was up against a 6' 6" 'Super Senior" graduate who had 109 blocks last
year and 95 blocks the year before. The 6 ' 6" Kansas player also helped foul out Aaliyah Edwards,
an All American last year. This was ICE's 5 th career game... I'll give her a "bye" for now. Of course,
ICE needs to complete those " down low" shots on offense.... but that will come!
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Even so, and I don’t disagree that she’s been truly ineffectual when she’s been put in, I still think Geno needs to, not start her, but give her 15-20 minutes a game (except for the ranked teams at first) and do it consistently, followed by one on one coaching sessions with film! This at least, would have a possibility that she could improve enough by the end of the season to where she could actually contribute in the tournament.
She has basically never played any consistent minutes and I think, as unlikely as many would think, the possibility of even a mediocre contribution from a 6’6” big against the likes of Cardoso, Betts, Lee, and Kitley, is worth overlooking her reportedly poor practice habits. Who knows? Perhaps a fire can be lit under her if she actually feels that she could actually become a contributing member of the team! I know many will say she’s already been given lots of opportunities but I disagree!
There are some people, whether athletes or not, that simply dance to a different drum. All I know is that she is 6’6”, well liked (thus not a spoiled jerk) and has never (not saying she hasn’t brought this upon herself) been given real extended minutes on a consistent basis. We are going to have many games where letting her play 20 minutes will not change anything but perhaps the margin of victory!
Given that, I believe, unassailable fact, and also, given that our team is made up of high character, fairly mature individuals who are not likely to see this as a license for themselves to adopt poor practice habits, where is the harm in giving her potentially unearned minutes in the pursuit of a larger team goal? Geno could even meet privately with Paige, Nika, Aubrey, and Aaliyah to ask them to look out for and tamp down any grumbling among the younger players. (I don’t believe there would be any)
Again, it could be, that no matter what the coaching staff does, she simply does not have it in her! If that turns out to be the case, what have we lost? I think it’s worth a shot!
She has basically never played any consistent minutes and I think, as unlikely as many would think, the possibility of even a mediocre contribution from a 6’6” big against the likes of Cardoso, Betts, Lee, and Kitley, is worth overlooking her reportedly poor practice habits. Who knows? Perhaps a fire can be lit under her if she actually feels that she could actually become a contributing member of the team! I know many will say she’s already been given lots of opportunities but I disagree!
There are some people, whether athletes or not, that simply dance to a different drum. All I know is that she is 6’6”, well liked (thus not a spoiled jerk) and has never (not saying she hasn’t brought this upon herself) been given real extended minutes on a consistent basis. We are going to have many games where letting her play 20 minutes will not change anything but perhaps the margin of victory!
Given that, I believe, unassailable fact, and also, given that our team is made up of high character, fairly mature individuals who are not likely to see this as a license for themselves to adopt poor practice habits, where is the harm in giving her potentially unearned minutes in the pursuit of a larger team goal? Geno could even meet privately with Paige, Nika, Aubrey, and Aaliyah to ask them to look out for and tamp down any grumbling among the younger players. (I don’t believe there would be any)
Again, it could be, that no matter what the coaching staff does, she simply does not have it in her! If that turns out to be the case, what have we lost? I think it’s worth a shot!
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Whoa, coaches all around the country call their players “kids”! I’m not seeing the insult in that. You are obviously welcome to your opinion but I doubt any but the most narcissistic, chip on their shoulder, prima donnas are going to take offense at their coach (or fans, for that matter) referring to them in that way!
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I’m surprised that I would need to say this but overlooking poor practice habits or performance is one of the fastest ways for a coach to lose his/her locker room credibility not to mention players.
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I’m not sure what is going on with Aaliyah! She has suddenly gone from a sure handed, confident PF who rarely traveled or missed a pass, to being unsure and tentative. She is missing bunnies around the basket that she rarely used to miss. Sometimes we forget that these young women have a life beyond basketball and occasionally that life can intrude into their basketball life. She carries a heavy weight on her shoulders as really the only effective big on our team. Hopefully, this break will give her (and the rest of the team) a chance to recharge their batteries and they can come back with renewed focus and intensity!
Obviously, I don’t know why, or even if, she is distracted, but it sure looks like it to me. I just hope she can successfully resolve whatever is affecting her play and reestablish herself as one of the best PFs in the women's game and earn a well deserved All American spot! This team has been put through the wringer these past three years and deserves a break!
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1-- Possibly we lose more games. Maybe even lose The Big East?
2-- We show it's okay to reward players that don’t' deserve more minutes. Probably meaning as a coach we've gone back on our word that we reward "Practices and Performance."
3-- We stunt the superior player's future a bit with less minutes and we stunt the team not playing as much the better players as we should have. This isn't an experienced team - they need a lot of time together. Not "projects and prayers."
4a- If I were a player knowing that I was better and the coach wasn't playing me in a tight game in which I could probably have helped the team win, I'd be furious with the coach. Not for me but for my teammates. In addition, I'd feel that the coach broke his promise to me.
4b-- If I were a player promised Practices and Performances mater yet see a player not as good as me being rewarded I'd get a little frustrated.
4b- And if I was a player such as Paige, I'm not too sure I'd be so happy that I'm busting my butt and for what all I've done to come back and the coach is on me game-to-game yet here he is not playing the best players in order to give our team the best chance to win. I'd feel like I'm not getting what I came for. I came to win and i came to a program that expected they will always play to win. it's my legacy too. Playign lesser players and not playing to win each game - I wouldn't be too happy with this. Because who says you would be playing to win when you are deliberately not playing your best players for that game that you could lose?
Add up all this it's a potential disaster not only for the current team but future recruiting. IMO you lose yoru identity that has been UCONN. If Amari deserves it -- play her. If she doesn't - please no "project and prayers."
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Fair enough! Perhaps it's just the person calling them that, that goes against the grain with me.
Bald Husky
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How about making a shot, 1-11 I believe. Missed 3 layups and always back rims her 3 pt shots. BTW, I think she is slower down the floor than Liv and Amari. I really had high hopes for this girl.
Aaliyah had a 5th year 6'5" centre playing alongside with her. Dorka cleaned up the rebounds and she was their best player at the end of the season.
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There are many games on our schedule that, even now, we will win comfortably! As for your insistence that allowing her to play would fracture the team, I have to say I doubt it. Some teams, sure, but I think, as I said in my post, you could likely get buy in from the rest of the team who can very likely see the potential benefit of having a contributing 6’6” player off the bench! I would expect, as she reportedly is universally well liked by the rest of the team, that this team could rise above petty jealousy, if there were any, which I doubt, and realize that not everyone is treated the same anyway!
The truth is, if we experience many more injuries, he will play her anyway! Wouldn’t it be better to have her (possibly) more capable/prepared if that eventuality were to come about? Obviously, all this would ultimately depend on the staff’s assessment on whether such a move would negatively affect the team. I’m just offering my opinion.
There are many instances in life where kids/people are treated differently.
The effect of those actions are dependent on a whole myriad of reasons, some reasoned and some completely unfair . I think this team is mature enough to recognize that if he did play her, it would be because everything their coach has tried, has not worked, and to understand that this is merely one last effort to help their teammate succeed!
Obviously Paige and Aaliyah start- but I'd like to change the other starters. Have KK start instead of Nika, have Amari start instead of Ice (let's see what she can do, her size will free up Aaliyah), and until Caroline returns, have Q start to get outside shooting threat. Ice, Nika and Ash can get time as needed and they'll get plenty. But whatever team UConn fields, don't play both Nika and KK at same time- offense is too limited when this happens.
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It's an interesting argument and I can't wait to see what Geno does about it (if anything). He doesn't have to start Amari (which would satisfy the legitimate concerns of @hoophuskee , but he could bring her in within the first few minutes and then just leave out there for an extended amount of time. What's the worst that could happen ... that we lose another meaningless game? We are going to lose plenty this season, so get use to it.
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I can't see Geno benching Nika (she doesn't deserve that, and I'm not her biggest fan). KK at this point is the perfect replacement for Paige or Nika when necessary. Aubrey should remain in the starting lineup at least until a healthy Caroline can return (if that's even going to be possible?). But if that happens, Aubrey is the best 6th woman in college basketball, but either way it's going to be hard to sit her based on the freshmen's inconsistency. Of course Aaliyah will be in the starting lineup. So, if Geno decides to go BIG does start Ice and bring in Amari if Ice remains cold? I think what I've suggested above works best regarding this issue. Q and Ashlynn will be subbed in where needed and will get minutes based on their production.
Anyway, it should be interesting come Dec. 3.
I think we need to go with Ice to start, having no idea if she is ready or not. Unfortunately we do not have a true big that looks like a very good rebounder or shot blocker for that matter. AE is ok there but not terrific by any means. Her main assets are very efficient inside scoring, pretty good interior position defender, and mobile enough to guard well away from the basket.
Amari has played enough minutes over three years that her rebounding numbers mean something, and the results are terrible. A 6-6 player who rebounds like an average SF. Some have more hope that she will improve, but improvement in rebounding rarely happens, it is usually related to better decision making, fewer turnovers, less fouls, better shot selection etc.
In Ice's case I think she can be a good position defender and can box out for rebounds, but I don't think rebounding or shot blocking is her best trait either. Her value, so far not showing, is her versatile offensive skills, with the potential to score inside, outside and pass effectively.
Ayanna came here with expectations of being very good at rebounding and shot blocking due to her obvious athletic ability and hops. She wasn't bad, but also nowhere close to expectations her freshmen year, but perhaps that was due to injury. This year her return seems to be lagging initial timelines which raises the question when and if we will ever see the rebounder/shot blocker we expected when she was recruited.
Right now the only proven bigs, and one isn't even big, is AE and Aubrey. AE is a natural 4 and Aubrey a 3/4, but AE will have to play a lot at the 5 where she is far less effective than at the 4. We have to use Ice some now if she is any good or not. Despite her poor performance thus far, she is clearly ahead of Amari and Ayanna is not available. To the extent Ice can warrant more playing time it allows AE to at least play more at her natural position.
When Ayanna returns she could break into the rotation, but she too is a more natural 4. She could take some of Ice's minutes, but if she does it still means probably playing AE at the 5.
Heading into the season I considered both Jana and Ice to be by far the most important freshmen for this season. I thought KK might find a role but with Nika and Paige returning it wasn't a pressing need, and Ashlynn and Q figured to have learning years behind Azzi and Caroline and others.
Both Jana and Ice were exceptionally important because Dorka was gone and we had nobody proven at the 5 returning. With two prospects, as long as one of them came thru early we were ok,, but now it is Ice or nobody. Hopefully she is an asset not a liability very soon, but regardless one thing missing from this roster is a real rebounding and shot blocking stud. Aubrey overachieves for her height, but our ceiling in those areas is significantly lower than at least many Uconn teams have been in the past. We have to try to make up for it in other ways.
Amari will only be a player if she is told exactly what to do when she enters a game. The way Geno communicates isn't the way Amari understands and consequently he either has CD do the talking to Amari or she can't play. She would or could be a force with her length and AE needs some help or she will always draw the 6'6 player on the opposing team.
Q is not ready to be a prime time player at this level. KK is way ahead of her in terms of floor competence and she isn't ready to be a key contributor yet. Ashlyn to me is a hustler but if she can't hit shots she isn't going to help the team win at this point. This team has three horses they can ride and they are Paige, Nika and Aaliyah. They have a great energy player in Aubrey and they fifth starter needs to be someone that takes the pressure of AE in the low post.
This team is still loaded with talent but it will take a moment to get them all playing together and it will take the Freshmen most of the season to find their way too.
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The sky needs to open up and someone needs to heal Jana and Azzi before we play Texas....otherwise my liquor cabinet might show a bit of a shortage by spring. Watching UConn go to the final four year after year has been a blessing. If we get to the elite eight this year it will be a sign of success, not in UConn terms, but in the reality of Women's College BB. Parity has consumed us.
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This is twice in a few days. How many times are you going to repeat this fallacy that DeBerry, now in her third year, hasn’t been told exactly what to do in games by all the coaches? Dailey has always worked closely with all the posts and she’s explained things many times to her.
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Alas, I haven't seen Amari doing much of anything (offensive or defensive) "fighting for the ball," "defending the rim" or "grabbing" rebounds. At both ends of the court, she seems tentative and out of effective position.
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The kids just need to relax and have fun playing basketball. No one can ask for more than just going out and giving it their best, win or lose. At the end of the day, it's still just basketball, not life or death. The kids put to much pressure on themselves.