Ice and Jana....what am I missing?

[mainerhuski]

The SNY announcers on Sunday's game said that she was targeting around January 1st.

That would be awesome!

 

[Zarathustra]

One overall comment on this game, as well as the last several (but pertinent because of Sarah's 14 rebounds against Georgetown):

I am extremely impressed with Sarah's leaping ability on rebounds. You would not expect that someone with her rather heavy-set build would have those kind of hops. I did expect her to be (um) a strong rebounder, but I didn't think she could go as high for rebounds as she has been demonstrating.

I guess we will see if she can out-jump top opposing rebounders as easily as she leaped over Georgetown's inside players. I don't think that she will have any trouble jumping higher than Audi Crooks of Iowa State.

My pleasure of seeing those "STRONG" rebounds is that when the
ball meets her hand....it is like GLUE.... and she then brings it home...
with power and confidence. Every rebound is a work of art! NICE!

 

[Zarathustra]

I guess we’ll see who Geno likes tomorrow night.

The game vs the Cyclones will be the prelude/audition(s)
to the rotation for USC. In many ways this is going to be
an eye opener game (at least for me!)

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Geno likes Kaitlyn at the point. Ash only has started when Azzi has been unavailable. Why would Geno change horses now. Ash is a reliable hard worker that can score as well, she will continue to do that off the bench assuming Azzi stays healthy.

Hey great post. Your foresight is impeccable.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Put me down as Kaitlin starting, with Ash as first off the bench. As far as front court goes, I wouldn't be surprised to see Morgan getting as many or more minutes than either Ice or Jana. The latter two are fine to bang with players like Cardoso, but their scoring issues make Morgan the better choice, with more upside over time.

Ash needs to start, she won that starting roll last year as a freshman. Not starting her now and some of UConn’s point production goes up in smoke. Kaitlin is a very good ball handler but passes up way to many open threes.

 

[packwrap]

Ash needs to start, she won that starting roll last year as a freshman. Not starting her now and some of UConn’s point production goes up in smoke. Kaitlin is a very good ball handler but passes up way to many open threes.

Ash and Kaitlyn play different positions, so it's largely a non issue.

Kaitlyn has proven herself to me. She is working hard to be a pass first distributor, but if Paige was ever in foul trouble, Chen has also shown she has scoring mode. She can get anywhere she wants to, and can get her own shot!

Only as she is short, there is some negative on defense. (Maybe she'll watch tape of Hidalgo on defense though)

Kaitlyn and KK will share time, Azzi and Ash will too.

Next year, most likely the path is clear for the KK Ash tandem to start again.

 

[Zarathustra]

Did anyone else notice the number of "tipped balls" on defense for ICE? "NICE, ICE!"
Ice had three rebounds, four assists, and four steals?? in only 21 minutes of play!

 

[ERWUC65]

Did anyone else notice the number of "tipped balls" on defense for ICE? "NICE, ICE!"
Ice had three rebounds, four assists, and four steals?? in only 21 minutes of play!

Would like to see Ice take more shots from the top of the key when she is open. Teams are playing off her knowing that she will wait to pass. I see an opportunity here for her to make a few and gain some confidence.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Ash and Kaitlyn play different positions, so it's largely a non issue.

Kaitlyn has proven herself to me. She is working hard to be a pass first distributor, but if Paige was ever in foul trouble, Chen has also shown she has scoring mode. She can get anywhere she wants to, and can get her own shot!

Only as she is short, there is some negative on defense. (Maybe she'll watch tape of Hidalgo on defense though)

Kaitlyn and KK will share time, Azzi and Ash will too.

Next year, most likely the path is clear for the KK Ash tandem to start again.

Of all the 3’s made last night, how many were made by Kaitlyn or KK? Only one, made by Chen. KK was 0-3. They have their place on the team, but Ash, Paige and Sarah are starters. Also, if you’ll recall that Ash came out of the gate hitting everything in site in the 1st quarter, which caused Iowa State to have to extend its defense, and only then did Paige and Sarah start to heat up. This is something that Ash did that you won’t see reflected in the box score. She is very very important to this team as a scorer, and she definitely extends the perimeter defense, which opens the door for Paige, Azzi or Sarah.

 

[Dugway]

My observation, it appears that over the past several games, Ice's play has been improving, while Jana has been struggling. Once it is all said and done, I am expecting that both will be better than where they are today. Honest assessment is that Ice Brady is not playing as well today as Aaliyah Edwards was last year. Shocker? Honest assessment, Jana is not playing as well today as Dorka Juhasz was two years ago. Okay, So What? Were we really expecting that either of them would be? Each of our current 'Bigs' contribute something different to the game than the other, and in my opinion each of their play is acceptable. I look forward to them getting better; they still have a long time with us!

I was so happy to see Ashlynn's explosion of offense last evening. She was another player who has received ridicule. Now, reading various posts this morning, it seems that some have elevated her to golden goose standard. I suspect that although the golden goose may be a little much, in addition to her defensive play, a consistent dozen points out of her is realistic. I don't know that Ice Brady's style of play will ever be such that she will be the really dominant offensive player; maybe I am wrong in that. And, even if she isn't the offensive prowess, that is only a portion of what she can bring to the game! There are many ways in which Brady can influence the outcome of a game. Come Saturday evening, I fully expect that she will be the starter over Jana.

I do believe that at some point in the future, we will see something similar to the offensive explosion that we saw from Ashlynn last evening, come out of Jana. Not likely going to happen with the hype / tension of the upcoming Trojan game (one would hope though). But at some point, against an unsuspecting conference opponent, the Great Pyramid is going to have an 'Ah Ha' moment, and she is going to produce an overabundance of points in addition to the rebounds. Right now, it seems like Jana is a giant pressure cooker, and the pressure release valve is working extremely hard to contain it. Eventually, that valve is going to regulate, she will transfer the nervous energy into something astonishing, and she will be a dominant beast for the opposition to try to deal with! Audi Crooks level of dominance? Certainly, and trying to contain that on the interior, with our perimeter players ... oooh dawg!

 

[mauconnfan]

Don’t watch as much as many of you but for me by Feb Jana will be better. She is a solid rebounder which is a huge weakness for Ice. Even slapped a rebound into possession last night. Also a couple of solid moves which of course she needs to finish better. Ice and her need to keep improving their post up defense, move their feet better. Might be wrong but I think the upside of Jana will be there at some point. Again, hope they both get better no matter.

 

[Bone Dog]

The question of rebounds and who gets the credit for them has come up before, in this thread even. One way the stat sheet often doesn't capture the reality of a post player's game is when the work they do to box out opposing bigs results in a rebound taken by one of their own guards. Ice in particular seems to get 'shorted' by the rebounding stats in this way. But Jana does, too.

Against ISU, however, it seemed to me that Jana grabbed a few of the rebounds that have often gone to one of the guards, whether it was KK or Kaitlyn or Ash or even Paige. In previous games, both Ice and Jana have yielded those boards to a guard. Well, Jana didn't yield all of them this game.

 

[cgshuskie]

Jana is moving up. Getting more rebounds. Once her shots improve, including her foul shooting, she will be ready to take over. Ice should be a 4, not a 6.

 

[JellyBean]

Did anyone else notice the number of "tipped balls" on defense for ICE? "NICE, ICE!"
Ice had three rebounds, four assists, and four steals?? in only 21 minutes of play!

I am tracking Ice's stats at home just because folks always want to criticize her (and Jana now) for not doing "X". Them girls be out there working hard.

 

[JellyBean]

Jana is moving up. Getting more rebounds. Once her shots improve, including her foul shooting, she will be ready to take over. Ice should be a 4, not a 6.

What's a 6? Is that a new position?

 

[Barkin Out]

What's a 6? Is that a new position?

A 6 is like a really really big 5. ;-)

 

[oldhusky]

I think in time Ice's role will change both in position and regarding playing time. Is she more of a 4 than a 5? Probably, but this year that doesn't matter, she is needed more at the 5. If Jana takes her starting position at the 5, she would still be the principle backup at the 5, but also available for some backup minutes at the 4.

That changes though when Aubrey returns, since Aubrey would then become first in line for backing up Sarah, and Ice could be reduced to just the backup 5.

Next year could be different again. We will have two natural 5's by adding Gandy, who if she is ready could be Jana's backup, turning Ice into more of a pure 4. Not much time behind Sarah, but Aubrey will be gone, and who knows if Ayanna will be in the mix or not. I was very disappointed we lost out on Somfai, who I thought could have been the principle backup to Sarah and Jana, kind of like the way Dorka was to Liv and Aaliyah, with Ice and Gandy being the 4th and 5th bigs.

Obviously in small ball lineups it would be far different, but next year the 4 guard option won't be as potentially good because we presumably don't have a player like Paige, so good and so versatile, that she can even be a very good 4. Morgan might be the best option for a guard at the 4 next year.

 

[oldude]

I think in time Ice's role will change both in position and regarding playing time. Is she more of a 4 than a 5? Probably, but this year that doesn't matter, she is needed more at the 5. If Jana takes her starting position at the 5, she would still be the principle backup at the 5, but also available for some backup minutes at the 4.

That changes though when Aubrey returns, since Aubrey would then become first in line for backing up Sarah, and Ice could be reduced to just the backup 5.

Next year could be different again. We will have two natural 5's by adding Gandy, who if she is ready could be Jana's backup, turning Ice into more of a pure 4. Not much time behind Sarah, but Aubrey will be gone, and who knows if Ayanna will be in the mix or not. I was very disappointed we lost out on Somfai, who I thought could have been the principle backup to Sarah and Jana, kind of like the way Dorka was to Liv and Aaliyah, with Ice and Gandy being the 4th and 5th bigs.

Obviously in small ball lineups it would be far different, but next year the 4 guard option won't be as potentially good because we presumably don't have a player like Paige, so good and so versatile, that she can even be a very good 4. Morgan might be the best option for a guard at the 4 next year.

I like your analysis. But just to complicate things a little more, Aubrey still has an option to play again next season, which would be her 7th in college.

 

[oldhusky]

I like your analysis. But just to complicate things a little more, Aubrey still has an option to play again next season, which would be her 7th in college.

I'm not expecting that, but since Ayanna and Ice have not played up to their HS ratings yet, and we didn't get Lara, on paper she would be a significant upgrade if she did return.

As long as she does great things with that year, and isn't like John Belushi in Animal House after finding out his frat was being suspended, saying "Seven years of college down the drain!", ha!