IMO Saniya Chong is playing just fine.....criticism unfair...

[DobbsRover2]

Sure, absolutely nothing when you decide that their is no difference between stats garnered against very different quality of opponents. And the context of posts never matters when a poster decides to only focus on convenient stats for his latest version of spiel and ignores the inconvenient ones.

But whatever, as you say, nothing is "solved" under these conditions, though most posters don't think they can "solve" anything on the BY. That's for the players and coaches to do, and they will.

 

[VAMike23]

She said that she was so afraid of turning the ball over that she started thinking about every little thing she did instead of just reacting and playing with confidence. Basically she had a case of "paralysis by analysis".

Gotcha - I did hear her talk about those things. Similar to what Mo has said about some of her freshman year experiences, overthinking, etc., minus the part about looking over at the bench every 10 seconds

 

[RockyMTblue2]

May the Freshman Wall crumble and fall. Saniya has great promise. She sits on a team bench made up of staggeringly talented and accomplished athletes. I look forward to her contributions to the UConn juggernaut.

 

[johnnyc]

Geno sent a message and it was received. I am looking forward to both BB and Saniya to keep 'getting good fast.'

 

[Buzzyboy]

Actually for 74 minutes 6 steals is quite good. (How many freshman guards do you think are averaging more than that per minute? Not many) And for a 2 guard 9 assists in 74 minutes with only 3 TOs is more than respectable. It's only the shooting that's an issue. All in all this 5 game stretch is much better than Breanna's worst stretch last year.

I'm venting at previous posts and so don't take this as a response to this particular remark. You can't just take statistics out of context and apply them to suit your point. When did they happen and under what circumstances. Who was out on the court. If it's the end of the game and the game is already decided, maybe a certain player is playing against bench warmers who haven't played but a moment or two all year and prone to making mistakes. You could take a few minutes here and a few minutes there and make someone Michael Jordan or Larry Bird and conversely you can make a superior player to be a scrub based on those moments when they make a bonehead play which happens at some point to everyone. Geno has a pretty good handle on what he wants and EXPECTS from certain players, based on what their ABILITIES are. If you are a walk on he probably has a little less expectation but even those kids might get an earful under certain circumstances. Welcome to the real world.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

1. She has played 396 minutes, an average of almost 19 per game. That really doesn't allow for someone who was playing high school ball last year to adjust to the college game. Especially as played by UConn.

As an aside...

High school games are generally (in most states) 32 minutes long. 19 minutes per game is a good percentage of what she was playing in high school.

Second, 19 minutes per game is a LOT for a freshman, especially at a top program. That is more than enough time to adjust to the college game, especially when some of her minutes are in blowouts (i.e., less pressure in a blowout than in a tied game with one minute left).

Without commenting on the other points issues, I wanted to mention this one, as the comment just "stuck out" to me.

As another aside, Mercedes Russell, the top recruit in 2013, is getting approximately 19.9 minutes per game for Tennessee.

 

[DobbsRover2]

As an aside...

High school games are generally (in most states) 32 minutes long. 19 minutes per game is a good percentage of what she was playing in high school.

Second, 19 minutes per game is a LOT for a freshman, especially at a top program. That is more than enough time to adjust to the college game, especially when some of her minutes are in blowouts (i.e., less pressure in a blowout than in a tied game with one minute left).

Without commenting on the other points issues, I wanted to mention this one, as the comment just "stuck out" to me.

As another aside, Mercedes Russell, the top recruit in 2013, is getting approximately 19.9 minutes per game for Tennessee.

Not sure that Russell is the best example of a player who has had enough minutes to adjust to college play capably, although the Vol posters here seem to have a rosier view of her season so far. And as David said, "Especially as played by UConn." 19 minutes a game is a solid chunk of time, but a lot more is expected of UConn players than your average college team, and Husky freshmen not named Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore have generally struggled t0 pull together a basic core of skills to perform well on offense and defense. In a lot of ways, it's not so much the amount of minutes involved as the fact that it takes more than 4 or 5 months for the required instincts and energy level to kick in, at least well enough to satisfy Geno that the freshman is really getting it.

 

[DavidinNaples]

As an aside...

High school games are generally (in most states) 32 minutes long. 19 minutes per game is a good percentage of what she was playing in high school.

Second, 19 minutes per game is a LOT for a freshman, especially at a top program. That is more than enough time to adjust to the college game, especially when some of her minutes are in blowouts (i.e., less pressure in a blowout than in a tied game with one minute left).

Without commenting on the other points issues, I wanted to mention this one, as the comment just "stuck out" to me.

As another aside, Mercedes Russell, the top recruit in 2013, is getting approximately 19.9 minutes per game for Tennessee.

Cam....IMO there is no way the minutes she has played at UConn compare in any way to the minutes she played in high school. Not in the number of them, the opponents she was playing or the role she was asked to play by the coach. Opponents in college are faster, bigger, tougher, etc... The game is faster, more athletic... She is adjusting, but it will take more time. I felt, due to injuries, she was asked to play more than she might have w/ everyone healthy. I also think she has done a "fine" job. Not great or spectacular, but good enough considering she is a freshman. Her role at UConn is very different than it was at Ossining, where she did everything but sell programs. We disagree, but no worries, plenty of good basketball ahead for both Saniya and UConn.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Cam....IMO there is no way the minutes she has played at UConn compare in any way to the minutes she played in high school. Not in the number of them, the opponents she was playing or the role she was asked to play by the coach. Opponents in college are faster, bigger, tougher, etc... The game is faster, more athletic... She is adjusting, but it will take more time. I felt, due to injuries, she was asked to play more than she might have w/ everyone healthy. I also think she has done a "fine" job. Not great or spectacular, but good enough considering she is a freshman. Her role at UConn is very different than it was at Ossining, where she did everything but sell programs. We disagree, but no worries, plenty of good basketball ahead for both Saniya and UConn.

Except 19.5 minutes per game is half of the entire collegiate game and many more minutes than other freshman are getting. I used the Russell comparison as an example that even the #1 player in the country is getting the same amount of minutes.

 

[magic]

I thought Saniya played very well again last night against SMU. Very little for th coaching staff to be upset about, I would think !

 

[DobbsRover2]

I thought Saniya played very well again last night against SMU. Very little for th coaching staff to be upset about, I would think !

Yep, even if she missed all her threes and scored less points than last game, she dealt out a huge 6 assists, and her teammates know that their is now another point guard on the team who can be relied on to help out if another team has some kind of mutant defender who can stay with MoJeff. Saniya's defense is also very active, and good to see her pick up another block, and she's also getting to the FT line a bit.

 

[Zorro]

What Geno says publicly about a player or the team as a whole is generally an amalgam of what he really thinks and what he thinks will be effective motivationally, being aware that the player or team will hear or read what he says. The gist of what he said about Saniya, as I read it, is that she is doing quite well for a freshman, but has the potential to be much better. He does not want her thinking that she is doing badly, but neither does he want her to think that she is achieving the best of which she is capable. I doubt that this surprised her.

 

[huskies29]

Saniya's main problem imo is deferring to her more accomplished teammates which is natural when you join a team with the talent this team has. While the injuries are not good news for Uconn for Saniya it will help her by giving her plenty of time to just play her game and gain her confidence. The last couple of games she has been pretty good to me. With the margin of victories we are rolling up at this time she can make whatever mistakes she's going to without much of an effect on the team. Will be surprised if she's anything but terrific the rest of the way

 

[watanabe]

Still passing when she should be shooting. Better, but not what is needed yet. Signs of breaking out of it for sure.

 

[hoophuskee]

What Geno says publicly about a player or the team as a whole is generally an amalgam of what he really thinks and what he thinks will be effective motivationally, being aware that the player or team will hear or read what he says. The gist of what he said about Saniya, as I read it, is that she is doing quite well for a freshman, but has the potential to be much better. He does not want her thinking that she is doing badly, but neither does he want her to think that she is achieving the best of which she is capable. I doubt that this surprised her.

He also "tells" us things "without speaking." The main thing he told all of us when Chong didn't play but 3 minutes vs. Baylor that he didn't quite trust her yet. If she was playing "well enough" to Geno's "standards," she would have seen more time.

I do agree though- she's been doing fine.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Still passing when she should be shooting. Better, but not what is needed yet. Signs of breaking out of it for sure.

I guess we can all have different opinions on that, as 6 assists with some of them semi-spectacular makes me think that she could be passing more and UConn would be better off. She tried three reasonably open threes and missed them all, so I think her teammates might well feel that some great passes to them for buckets is better than tossing up more threes that clang away. She's mainly a point guard right now and took 1 less shot than MoJeff last night, so 6 shots seems to me a decent amount. And yeah, with 6 assists, I think she's pretty broken out.

 

[DobbsRover2]

He also "tells" us things "without speaking." The main thing he told all of us when Chong didn't play but 3 minutes vs. Baylor that he didn't quite trust her yet. If she was playing "well enough" to Geno's "standards," she would have seen more time.

I do agree though- she's been doing fine.

Overall, yeah, but with a Baylor it was likely more the situation with trying to handle Sims, who is very good at getting fouls. It's probably that part of it that Geno didn't trust, that Saniya plays strong defense but was not experienced enough to handle a wily Sims. Saniya saw 27 minutes against MD and 17 minutes against Stanford, so there are likely some high-level match-ups that she is very trusted for.

 

[msf22b]

that Saniya plays strong defense

Wasn't it but a short few weeks ago that Geno was saying that Saniya didn't play defense at all?
She's made great progress in that regard.

 

[Suebird10fan]

Wasn't it but a short few weeks ago that Geno was saying that Saniya didn't play defense at all?
She's made great progress in that regard.

It was also several weeks ago (ok maybe a couple months ago) that he said "I never worry about Saniya Chong." And my guess is that fundamentally that hasn't changed, regardless of what he might say in prodding her to get even better.

 

[Zorro]

He also notoriously said that Kalana couldn't guard a chair. You think he meant it?

 

[msf22b]

It was also several weeks ago (ok maybe a couple months ago) that he said "I never worry about Saniya Chong." And my guess is that fundamentally that hasn't changed, regardless of what he might say in prodding her to get even better.

We actually may be speaking of the same interview on SNY

 

[DobbsRover2]

Wasn't it but a short few weeks ago that Geno was saying that Saniya didn't play defense at all?
She's made great progress in that regard.

I'm sure he absolutely meant it too since she was in for such long stretches against top opponents, and he'd certainly want a player in there who couldn't play defense at all so that Stanford wouldn't feel bad. It's the same with Stewie, who he's always saying doesn't have a clue about playing defense, so when three no-good defenders like Stewie, Chong, and KLM are on the court at the same time, that's when the opponents have been lighting the Huskies up for 70 to 80 points.

 

[watanabe]

I guess we can all have different opinions on that, as 6 assists with some of them semi-spectacular makes me think that she could be passing more and UConn would be better off. She tried three reasonably open threes and missed them all, so I think her teammates might well feel that some great passes to them for buckets is better than tossing up more threes that clang away. She's mainly a point guard right now and took 1 less shot than MoJeff last night, so 6 shots seems to me a decent amount. And yeah, with 6 assists, I think she's pretty broken out.

Nah, She's just getting started. Awesome potential in this lady. In another year you may not believe the difference.

 

[hoophuskee]

Overall, yeah, but with a Baylor it was likely more the situation with trying to handle Sims, who is very good at getting fouls. It's probably that part of it that Geno didn't trust, that Saniya plays strong defense but was not experienced enough to handle a wily Sims. Saniya saw 27 minutes against MD and 17 minutes against Stanford, so there are likely some high-level match-ups that she is very trusted for.

I think it was a big part of it. I took the title of your thread and the subejct matter to indicate "significant critcism unfair" not a random post or two. Therefore, I don't think there was any significnat criticism early in the year, was there? . And the recent criticsm was highlighted b Geno. We just have to "listen." He only gave her 3 minutes -- and she didn't have to guard Sims. The other guards could have guarde Sims while she was in.

Therefore - we have heard Geno speak of a Freshman Wall. We did hear "Geno speak" in the game we were most challenged. He "spoke to all of us" most importantly Chong that he wants more from her.

For me, I'm happy with what he is getting. It just comes down to if she is needed -can she be produce at near optimal level? No one can "know." But I hope she can. You'd never believe she coul with a certain rating she had during the summer.

Heck "HOOPGULRZ" had her rated at 75 I believe. They didn't rate Faris very well did they? ANd they aren't rating Eckmark that well I believe. And they underrated Dolson, didn't they? Anyway - I'm happy.

 

[Icebear]

I loved when Geno said that what they need from her is for her to just relax and be herself because they know what she is and can do.