Ines & Amari

[Rixxx]

I see tremendous improvement in Ines' game already. I'm not convinced she'll contribute on a regular basis or even next year (with two excellent guards coming in and Paige returning) but in the few months she's been at UConn she's steadily improved. Amari is a different story IMO. I really hoped by this time she'd found her rhythm and contributed meaningful minutes off the bench. That has not happened. Defensively, she is more often than not out of position and oftentimes seems confused with defensive rotations. She reacts instead of anticipating and that makes her late. Smaller players regularly rip rebounds from her hands. Offensively, she is timid and unsure of herself. She passes the ball well (which is her strength) but is otherwise ineffective. It's only one example but in the St. Johns' game she missed a wide-open layup. Yes, it's just one example but she's got to earn Geno's trust and missing easy opportunities such as that is not going to accomplish that. I know it takes post players a lot longer to develop I just hope she puts the work in and sticks around to find success. She has a tremendous personality and I really like her but it seems that she's running out of time.

I think a previous poster hit the nail on the head. The game has not slowed down yet for Amari. She has o learn what she is going to do with the ball before she receives it. I think eventually, she will get there.

 

[hjoerring]

So, in a moment of panicking about all of our records and keeping them alive we are hearing the voice of the Red Fairy saying that it was always a myth that we had two top level teams parading as one; that we can just plug in a player and go w/out missing a beat; and on and om. Imagine the statement (paraphrasing) that Amari, after two years, has not learned anything!!! And I will leave Ines un-commented because she was headed, as everybody know, to a Jr. College. But why stop here. The other freshman was not really blasing a trail. And (the young) CD have not (yet) learned how to avoid injuries so she can play. We should leave this alone because there are 2 others in that boat. But no one would dream of calling them out.
I keep hearing an old sang in my head-- 'Hey, teacher(fans) leave those kids alone' I really doubt that they are not trying and are not making progress and would not like to be where we want them. They, the staff and the school are really trying to hold things together-- it could easily fall apart; seriously. Our nick picking about individual players will not help. The glory days of recruitment have passed on to schools like So Carolina and others. It is my sense that the Uconn pool has always been small and schools like Stanford and others are grabbing in the same pool we are in. Be nice to the ones who are willing to come and be a part of the fellowship of women taking place in Storrs. (I remember my days in Storrs when people would pick me to play knowing I would not win the game. For me, being pick was everything. Learning to do with my hands what was natural for my feet .....)

 

[PacoSwede]

...

How about continue to give Nika and Aubrey minutes to keep working on their shot?
Keep giving Lou minutes to work on her passing and her team defense?
Keep giving Dorka minutes so she can be more ready vs the top flight frontlines of oppsoing teams? For example, she could use some work in the low post finishing strong around the basket. They can work on these things in a blowout, can't they?

wouldn't practice be an excellent place to accomplish all this? is it because practice is devoted to more immediate issues? if this is the case, geno is deciding that player development isn't the highest priority.

is winning his foremost priority, and where does his responsibility as an educator lie? i wonder if geno has thought about this.

 

[hoophuskee]

wouldn't practice be an excellent place to accomplish all this? is it because practice is devoted to more immediate issues? if this is the case, geno is deciding that player development isn't the highest priority.

is winning his foremost priority, and where does his responsibility as an educator lie? i wonder if geno has thought about this.

Wouldn't both be an excellent place to accomplish this? Why does it have to be either/or?

In terms of "educating;" you mean in basketball? To further that, you mean "play every player?"

And as far as an "educator" that's not his sole role at UCONN is what I believe. His program is creating revenue while many in wcbb aren't, and as a result, isn't the UCONN wcbb playing a good part in funding UCONN not only just in sports? Am I wrong?

 

[freshler40]

Wouldn't both be an excellent place to accomplish this? Why does it have to be either/or?

In terms of "educating;" you mean in basketball? To further that, you mean "play every player?"

And as far as an "educator" that's not his sole role at UCONN is what I believe. His program is creating revenue while many in wcbb aren't, and as a result, isn't the UCONN wcbb playing a good part in funding UCONN not only just in sports? Am I wrong?

Me thinks it's both. Winning brings better players, more TV exposure, money and smiles all around.

 

[hoophuskee]

Me thinks it's both. Winning brings better players, more TV exposure, money and smiles all around.

Seems spot on to me. However, I don't know about Revenues - it's why I aksed if I'm wrong. But definitely if the Program starts to lose - doesn't make FF's and drops out of being top 2/3 program etc gradually everything else will fall.

 

[Padutch5]

wouldn't practice be an excellent place to accomplish all this? is it because practice is devoted to more immediate issues? if this is the case, geno is deciding that player development isn't the highest priority.

is winning his foremost priority, and where does his responsibility as an educator lie? i wonder if geno has thought about this.

Have any of you ever played a team game. Geno is playing to develop team play. Team play does not mean playing every player like Little League baseball. It is about the team knowing where each other is supposed to be at all times and not having to think or figure out where everyone is. That is developed through game eXperience. That isn’t developed by running different players in an out. .

 

[NY Fan]

Have any of you ever played a team game. Geno is playing to develop team play. Team play does not mean playing every player like Little League baseball. It is about the team knowing where each other is supposed to be at all times and not having to think or figure out where everyone is. That is developed through game eXperience. That isn’t developed by running different players in an out. .

If Paige, Azzi, Caroline & Ice were healthy to play, I'm guessing there would have been an 8 or 9 player rotation to back up players in foul trouble, give starting (core) players a breather, substitute for player having an off night etc. with little diminished performance and results. But they are not, and tonight against Seton Hall only 7 were available including Amari and Ines. Since this injury plagued season has seen occasions when only Amari and Ines were available by game's end, the case was made to give them as much game experience as luxury permitted. And luxury in this case means during blow out games.

The last 3 games have been physical to the point Lou got mugged a # of times, and against Seton Hall not even fouls were called on 2 flagrant occasions. Tonight there were no players in foul trouble nor players looking tired, but injury was a possibility. And then what?

It shouldn't be lost sight of that the original idea of giving Ines and Amari more playing time during blow out games this season - not next year, not years past, but this injury plagued season - was that the team will likely need to rely on them for the above mentioned reasons. It was not made to further the idea that every player should play!

 

[hoophuskee]

If Paige, Azzi, Caroline & Ice were healthy to play, I'm guessing there would have been an 8 or 9 player rotation to back up players in foul trouble, give starting (core) players a breather, substitute for player having an off night etc. with little diminished performance and results. But they are not, and tonight against Seton Hall only 7 were available including Amari and Ines. Since this injury plagued season has seen occasions when only Amari and Ines were available by game's end, the case was made to give them as much game experience as luxury permitted. And luxury in this case means during blow out games.

The last 3 games have been physical to the point Lou got mugged a # of times, and against Seton Hall not even fouls were called on 2 flagrant occasions. Tonight there were no players in foul trouble nor players looking tired, but injury was a possibility. And then what?

It shouldn't be lost sight of that the original idea of giving Ines and Amari more playing time during blow out games this season - not next year, not years past, but this injury plagued season - was that the team will likely need to rely on them for the above mentioned reasons. It was not made to further the idea that every player should play!

And yet we keep hearing "tired legs" yet we saw how "tired legs" didn't affect UCONN one bit this game. And we hear how players like Amari can't get better yet then we see she played one of the best games of her career despite not getting many minutes in the past few.

The mention of Lou being mugged is the same thing that;s been happening to UCONN for years. And Lou she still winds up with 17 points and she is averaging less minutes than she did at Fairfield.

The philosophy Auriemma has employed for 30 years and continues to employ remains the best alternative as we see year over year results/ not only in performance but in recruitiing.

 

[donalddoowop]

Have any of you ever played a team game. Geno is playing to develop team play. Team play does not mean playing every player like Little League baseball. It is about the team knowing where each other is supposed to be at all times and not having to think or figure out where everyone is. That is developed through game eXperience. That isn’t developed by running different players in an out. .

You say "it is about the team knowing where each other is supposed to be at all times and not having to think or figure out where everyone is. That is developed through game eXperience". How do players get game experience sitting on the bench? I am not saying Amari and Ines should be playing more. Maybe what they do in practice shows they deserve to be on the bench. Just pointing out your statement has a big hole in it.

 

[faithfulfan]

IMO when you speak of "decent," UCONN is not trying to achieve "decent." They go to Final Fours every year. That’s not "decent;" It's "excellent. In order to maintain "excellent" you need to give your “very good to excellent" players as many minutes as the supreme coach thinks if they are still not performing consistently at the highest level.

Point 2-- This game the coaches didn't say the team was tired any longer. Read UConnCat's post that Cat got from CTInsider and posted on the UCONN-ST John’s postgame thread that specifically is quoting Coach Dailey stating that the team is in good place now. The week before Dailey said they were mentally tired but she isn't saying that any more. Let's believe her. If the Head Coach is playing his players as much as he is and the Asst Coach is saying they are in a good place now; so why do we have to be such "downers" when the most successful coaching duo in wcbb history are telling us in a manner of speak otherwise?

Point 3- Why should Ines get more game experience vs giving more game experience to the better players that are better than "just decent?" If more minutes help the 9th or 10th player, then why wouldn't more minutes help the 6th or 7th player? What's the magic number that is defined for sure that will help UCONN in the NCAA's of the 9th or 10th player that we’re certain they will perform in the one-and-done pressure-cooker NCAA Tourney? Why not play the 6th or 7th player more?

Point 4- IF UCONN's philosophy is wrong then why do they continually go to Final Fours vs other teams that play more of their bench? How tired/ worn out have the 6th or 7th player been that you can point to vs the many, many teams UCONN has beaten that plays a deeper bench?

Point 5- If the philosophy is so wrong then why does UCONN continually recruit so well? Why do so many super recruits want to come to UCONN? Are they that “disgusted” that UCONN “only” gets to Final Fours and recently The Title game in the past few years?

Bottomline is UCONN gets to Finals Fours, Championship games because they don't over-coach. Force the other team to put their "9th or 10th player from their bench" into the game and let's have that type of player switch off on Azzi in a title game. Where would be the advantage be regardless how many minutes Azzi is playing?

i think your point 2 is important, we tend to forget these are college players who have studies, classes to attend, tests to study for and take, so there's a lot more going on for them then just playing, practicing, and taking care of bumps and bruises!
Young people come back physically faster because they're young, but we forget the mental part!