I'm Stoked !

[Harry Mangurian]

Better every game. I liked the way she & Stef worked as twin towers also.

If she keeps working, she will become another special player.

 

[alexrgct]

She's earning the coaching staff's trust slowly but surely. She has all the physical tools, plus a superior developer of post players in Chris Dailey. Really rooting for her- seems like a great kid, and UConn is much better with her able to contribute a high level.

 

[John Fryer]

Not meaning to start a riot, but:

IMO, Kiah played better than Stef in last night's game.

Perhaps even in the last two games.

Peace,

John Fryer

 

[Georgestarr7]

Not meaning to start a riot, but:

IMO, Kiah played better than Stef in last night's game.

Perhaps even in the last two games.

Peace,

John Fryer

I agree. Last night was, again, not one of Stef's better nights. I thought Kiah played better.. she runs the floor, positions well and has great hands. The thing that
Stef has a definite edge on her is in setting posts. Stef seemed out of sorts, especially the first half.

 

[pppggg]

Not meaning to start a riot, but:

IMO, Kiah played better than Stef in last night's game.

Perhaps even in the last two games.

Peace,

John Fryer

I agree that Kiah played better the past 2 games. Stef is a little off. No big deal. She will get it together. And with Kiah's improvment and Bria's improvment the team will be in good shape in March.

 

[Wbbfan1]

All Kiah has to do is become more physical in her play and she has the potential to be an All American. Got to become a better rebounder and take the ball up with authority. She's still a finesse player who has shown remarkable improvement since the beginning of the year.

 

[Sonny44]

It's official; Steph is mired in a sophomore slump.

 

[pap49cba]

The key to Syracuse's gaudy rebounding stats?

 

[cferraro04]

Hey I like having the option of fusing the two players together...and I get 14 points and 12 rebounds from the center position...I'll take that in any game.

 

[magic]

The key to Syracuse's gaudy rebounding stats?

Never ceases to amaze me how officials let this go. Of course we don't know whether anything was called on this particular play. But, this goes on all the time .

 

[cferraro04]

It wasn't. What I can see from this picture is that it is difficult to tell if the Syracuse player is trying to prevent Stokes from getting a rebound or is only interested in getting some cheap thrills.

 

[UcMiami]

Stef really is having a bit of a sophmore slump - but I think a lot of the fault is not really in her game as much as in the team's play. I think if we checked back, about half of Maya's assists last year were great passes into the post, and probably half of Stef's were to Maya. And with Maya lurking, teams were really loath to double Stef when she did get the ball. At the moment most of the entry passes to Stef are just a bit off - too high, too low, too soon, too late - which gives the defense an advantage. And if you consider that Kelly is probably Maya's 'replacement' in the starting line-up, the gamble of double teaming is worth taking vs. last year. The one thing I have noticed in her game is that she has been tentative with her foul line jumper this season - seems to not know when to take it and when not. In the last maybe six games, I only remember one game where she just turned and fired - she was maybe 2 of 3 in that game and it just flowed.

 

[Icebear]

Stef really is having a bit of a sophmore slump - but I think a lot of the fault is not really in her game as much as in the team's play. I think if we checked back, about half of Maya's assists last year were great passes into the post, and probably half of Stef's were to Maya. And with Maya lurking, teams were really loath to double Stef when she did get the ball. At the moment most of the entry passes to Stef are just a bit off - too high, too low, too soon, too late - which gives the defense an advantage. And if you consider that Kelly is probably Maya's 'replacement' in the starting line-up, the gamble of double teaming is worth taking vs. last year. The one thing I have noticed in her game is that she has been tentative with her foul line jumper this season - seems to not know when to take it and when not. In the last maybe six games, I only remember one game where she just turned and fired - she was maybe 2 of 3 in that game and it just flowed.

Geno says this type of thing persistently but there are those who do not wish to accept that it is less about Stef than about timing and team play.

 

[HuskyNan]

I agree. Last night was, again, not one of Stef's better nights. I thought Kiah played better.. she runs the floor, positions well and has great hands. The thing that
Stef has a definite edge on her is in setting posts. Stef seemed out of sorts, especially the first half.

Stef was able to show more of her versatility in the second half when Kiah was on the floor with her. The two of them together pretty much own the paint. Maybe this was something Geno wanted to keep under his hat until the Duke game but, man, he hates to lose and there are certain teams where he will do anything to avoid the loss.

 

[AboutWeston]

Oh yes, twin towers can work - with three killer shooters on the outside who can attack the basket too...sounds good to me!!!

 

[glenn fisk]

Now,just imagine,a front line of Dolson,Stokes,and Stewart,with a rotation of Morgan,Kelly,and Heather.SCARY!And yet,even better with Hartley,KML,Jefferson,Doty,etc.outside doing their thing.This is going to be one unbelievable team going forward!

 

[vtcwbuff]

I agree with the soph slump for Dolson, but the slump is much more than just a fall off of production and not getting touches. The slump is on both ends of the floor.

I thought that her poor play to start off the game last night was indicative of a good part of her season. I'm not talking about the poor shooting and lack of rebounding. It's almost seems like a lack of focus. If you have last nights game on DVR watch how slowly she reacts in the paint, how often she was out of position around the basket, and a general lack of aggressiveness going after the ball. That changed in the second half where I thought she played much better.


I guess this makes me a certified Dolson basher.

 

[Rob Signor]

Kiah is a much better rebounder and shot blocker than Dolson because she is quicker on her feet and can leap. I thought the post play in the first half when the game was being decided was horrible. The second half it did improve but not until our guards broke the game open. We will not compete for a national championship without Dolson getting better and more involved in the offense posting up. Stokes is improving each game and we need this to continue also.

 

[Olde Coach]

Not meaning to start a riot, but:

IMO, Kiah played better than Stef in last night's game.

Perhaps even in the last two games.

Peace,

John Fryer

Well, John. You have NOT started a riot.

To the contrary, it is clear that lots of people agree with you -- for pretty obvious reasons. I'm not smart enough to pontificate on the causes of Stef's obvious slump.

But I am smart enough to see that Kia is improving rapidly -- and likely has a lot more upside potential than Stef. Kia is just a better athlete (quicker, faster, lots more hops). What has really impressed me the last few games is that Kia is shooting without any hesitation (even left handed hook shots) -- whenever she has the ball in the right place at the right time. I could not say that until the last 3 or 4 games.

When she gets a little meaner/more competitive, Kia will be an awesome player. And this will mean Geno doesn't have to play Stewart at the Center position.

 

[Jonathan Husky]

Well, John. You have NOT started a riot.

To the contrary, it is clear that lots of people agree with you -- for pretty obvious reasons. I'm not smart enough to pontificate on the causes of Stef's obvious slump.

But I am smart enough to see that Kia is improving rapidly -- and likely has a lot more upside potential than Stef. Kia is just a better athlete (quicker, faster, lots more hops). What has really impressed me the last few games is that Kia is shooting without any hesitation (even left handed hook shots) -- whenever she has the ball in the right place at the right time. I could not say that until the last 3 or 4 games.

When she gets a little meaner/more competitive, Kia will be an awesome player. And this will mean Geno doesn't have to play Stewart at the Center position.

OC I agree with you and for the first time with John. Stef does not seem to be able to compete on the boards wihout Maya's support. Kiah is more athletic than Stef and reacts to the ball better. I also agree that Stef seems to be in a funk. She needs to play her way out of it if we are to be a final four team.

 

[HuskyNan]

Now,just imagine,a front line of Dolson,Stokes,and Stewart,with a rotation of Morgan,Kelly,and Heather.SCARY!And yet,even better with Hartley,KML,Jefferson,Doty,etc.outside doing their thing.This is going to be one unbelievable team going forward!

Welcome to the Boneyard, Glenn. Please check you inbox (upper right hand part of your screen)

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Geno says this type of thing persistently but there are those who do not wish to accept that it is less about Stef than about timing and team play.

Quite right Ice...many fans never played BB, nor understood the concepts of BB, e.g. team play, entry pass timing, hi lo court position, and emphasis on outside vs inside screens etc...they just know points and number of shots taken.

 

[JoePgh]

I think that if Stef had made the 3 first-half layups that she missed from inches away, and therefore had 12 points (and maybe some more minutes to build up more points), we would all have been satisfied with her game.

I agree that Kiah is a better rebounder and shot blocker, but Stef is a much better passer from the high post at this point, and Geno thinks that she understands the offense better. A twin towers configuration with Stef high and Kiah low makes sense.

Next year, Stewart will surely play the 4 -- no need to get her muscling in the paint with Stef, Kiah, Heather, and perhaps Morgan to do that. Breanna may even see some time at the 3, although I think Kaleena will own that position most of the time. That seems to imply a starting backcourt of Bria and Kelly, with Caroline and Moriah (!!) as a second unit coming in at the first time-out. That will surely be the best 2nd-unit backcourt in the history of WCBB. And then Brianna and Lauren as the 3rd unit.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Quite right Ice...many fans never played BB, nor understood the concepts of BB, e.g. team play, entry pass timing, hi lo court position, and emphasis on outside vs inside screens etc...they just know points and number of shots taken.

Once again Oz I have to disagree and I actually find you post a bit condescending. Are you saying that one can't understand how the game is played if they haven't played it? Lots of fans here have been watching UConn basketball for many years and have a more than a passing understanding of how the game should be played.

 

[Bigpetunia]

In my opinion, both Stef and Kiah suffer a bit from what might be called The Sweetheart Syndrome, sort of the way Tina did in her first two years before Geno turned her into an animal in the paint. Both of them will improve as they learn to use their physical advantages in a more aggressive, take-no-prisoners way. That is almost impossible for a Freshman to do, and it took Tina until her Junior year to fully develop it, establishing position, blocking out, etc. In that regard, both Stef and Kiah have to stop putting the ball on the floor so much once they get the inlet pass, but go straight to the hoop with it. Both will be huge contributors for us, because Geno will bring that aggression out in them, but this doesn't happen overnight.