In Search of a 3rd Guard

[Tonyc]

Coombs is a good defensive player, quick and a good ballhandler. She appears to be the 3rd guard but we will have to wait and see. Looking ahead to next season I dont see Geno starting a freshman and if he plays a wing at the guard position then I would expect good teams to apply alot of pressure on UConn bringing up the ball. We have good ballhandlers at most positions but we need a guard to assist CD next season with the ball. One guard handling the ball is a lot of pressure on the entire team.

 

[HopJim]

Coombs is a good defensive player, quick and a good ballhandler. She appears to be the 3rd guard but we will have to wait and see. Looking ahead to next season I dont see Geno starting a freshman and if he plays a wing at the guard position then I would expect good teams to apply alot of pressure on UConn bringing up the ball. We have good ballhandlers at most positions but we need a guard to assist CD next season with the ball. One guard handling the ball is a lot of pressure on the entire team.

In addition to ball handling, would add defense against the other team's point guard. Jefferson showed how disruptive it is to have a defensive player who can steal the ball at any time. Crystal has improved but could use some help keeping opposition from driving to basket.

 

[eebmg]

"Coombs seems to have an edge to try and earn Auriemma's trust to give him competent minutes behind Crystal Dangerfield and Kia Nurse. Following three good days of practice after the Christmas break, the Buford, Georgia, native did get a second-quarter call against Memphis last Sunday to play alongside the starters and saw 11 minutes of action total but had a tough outing. In workouts, though, she had been aggressive with the ball and playing the kind of defense the Huskies need.

"At first what was holding me back was the confidence thing because I wouldn't take the initiative to drive to the basket, and that's what he wants me to do," Coombs said. "Now in practice I'm being more confident in myself and I'm getting stops on defense, which he talked to me about doing. Hopefully that will put me in position to contribute.

"I've always been the player to say 'Whatever the team needs I'm going to do.' But coming in here, you don't necessarily know what the team needs you to do because we have so many elite players. Do they really need anything? So I have gone to talk to him, and he has basically told me that I have to drive to the basket and get stops on defense. At first that was what I wasn't doing, but now I have started to come into that. Once you understand your role, it's much easier to contribute in practice and in the games. That is where I am right now."

Huskies on the road again, visit USF

I very much appreciated how mature Mikayla is in handling her situation and how she seems to being getting her head around definitive steps she needs to accomplish to break into the rotation.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Sure. They'll get most of their minutes in the AAC this year. Other than Walker, the others won't do much in big games. Thus as I stated there won't be any minutes in big games for these players other than Walker. He might put one of them in when they are up by 15 or something. The frosh class will come back stronger next year - and then next year we'll see many posts that Ono is struggling and "what are we going to do for post play after AZ and Pheesa leave?"

Per the youtube clip below - Chaos amongst fellow boneyarders will ensue thus adding to the great chain of chaotic posting of "what are we going to next year - the worrying as part of the Boneyard-life." If you agreed with my last sentence- then as Zorg (Gary Oldman) states at the end. "You and i are in the same business . . ." We won't worry about Coombs or AEH or Molly this year in big games nor will we fuel the chaos "that we NEED them THIS year" other than spot very, very few big game minutes. Some minutes (not a lot) in the AAC will suffice.

Whether Coombs, AEH, Gordon get any important game exposure depends on how much Geno needs them, their status of certain games, how much they progressed at that time. I won't rule out any of them getting PT in a big game. I'll give you; as of today the probability of other than Walker getting PT in big game is tiny. But I'm willing to allow the year to playout with expectations.

There may be some who WORRY about playing time for Molly, AEH, Coombs, Gordon, Touly---as for me; that isn't in my range of authority so I don't worry about the things I can't control. That does not mean I won't discuss it.

If the PT afforded those players mentioned is insufficient for them, they have choices. I suspect as long as they are learning and play a few minutes in many games their desires will be properly covered.

AS a minimum Uconn this year NEEDS Walker --another player stepping up to Walkers level would be great. I'm of the camp the more the merrier contributing players is a good thing.

 

[hoophuskee]

Whether Coombs, AEH, Gordon get any important game exposure depends on how much Geno needs them, their status of certain games, how much they progressed at that time. I won't rule out any of them getting PT in a big game. I'll give you; as of today the probability of other than Walker getting PT in big game is tiny. But I'm willing to allow the year to playout with expectations.

I agree. The only point I was bringing up was that UCONN doesn't NEED them. And as you you say-- I too am willing to let the season play out. But I think we all have expectations, don't we? You even have suggested chances are tiny. That's your expectation. And I agree with that!!

 

[Longtime fan]

Who is Alexi?

Lexi Gordon ( Alexis )

 

[Gus Mahler]

--
She needs to just play as she knows how.

You nailed it.

 

[BroadwayVa]

You nailed it.

You have proved your kindness---but thanks for this.

 

[BroadwayVa]

I agree. The only point I was bringing up was that UCONN doesn't NEED them. And as you you say-- I too am willing to let the season play out. But I think we all have expectations, don't we? You even have suggested chances are tiny. That's your expectation. And I agree with that!!

I had no disagreement with your posting--just giving my slant on the kids---I think--like you I'd like to see them all succeed --but am a realist.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Uh, @BroadwayVa Andy is AEH, our freshman currently home on a personal matter.

I was just looking thru this thread and found multiple names for the new guys: AEH (Andy), Coombs (Olivea), Gordon (Lexi, Alexi, )---I'm easily confused, can you image what that's doing to my loosely connected brain cells? Enough to give me "rattled brain syndrome".
A connected/disconnected comment---what does this time, if much longer, do to her(Andy/AEH) PT in good competition games??

 

[JoePgh]

The problem will become less academic if (possibly as soon as the USF game tonight) it turns out that Crystal cannot play or can play only limited minutes, and AEH is out of action for a while. I presume that the first adjustment (as suggested above) would be to put Azura in the starting lineup and use Kia and Lou as the backcourt tandem. (That would be on offense; on defense, I think Kia and Gabby would function as the guards and Lou would guard the opponent's 3.) I don't agree that UConn would then be unduly vulnerable to pressing defenses -- Lou's ball handling is outstanding and has been since she arrived in Storrs. And Gabby can certainly function as a guard when necessary on both offense and defense.

If this situation arose during the NCAA tournament, that would probably be the one and only solution to the problem. But during the AAC schedule, Geno has the option to try to train a backup point guard through a baptism of fire. Even if means that a game is lost, it will be a worthwhile investment to get a backup PG truly ready for the tournament.

The question is whether that person would be Mikayla, Molly, or (assuming she returns to the team) AEH. He would have to choose one (I think) and focus his efforts on her unless and until she clearly demonstrates that she is not ready for the assignment. For reasons already noted in this thread, I think Mikayla will be the choice.