Jana - In Madrid - FIBA Games

[Bone Dog]

I'll be thrilled if Jana gives the team ~10 good minutes/game by February. What a front court rotation we could have if Jana and Ayanna and Amari could give us some quality minutes each game, and Aaliyah and Ice could play ~25 mins each.

It's a crazy dream, I know. But it's my dream.

And don't get me started about Caroline Aubrey and Q at the 3!

 

[oldude]

There are two primary components to "effort" when it comes to UConn WBB players. For the most part, Geno's mantra that, "WE DON'T TEACH EFFORT HERE." is accurate for the vast majority of players who come to UConn, when it pertains to working hard in practice, running the court and giving 100% physically.

But there is a second type of effort required to play basketball at the highest level that requires intense mental focus on execution at all times. So basically, when a player is on the court, they are not running around furiously like a chicken with their head cut off. On offense, movement has to have a purpose, i.e. setting good screens or making sharp cuts to the basket. On defense, getting into a good defensive stance, calling out screens, switching and so on. Geno wants to see this type of focused effort 100% of the time. Mental mistakes drive him crazy, which is why Geno is demanding when it comes to his players.

One good example comes to mind. From the moment she arrived at Storrs, Aubrey gave 100% effort, physically. But for several years her movement, particularly on offense, lacked a clear purpose. In the last few years, Aubrey has become extremely effective in screening, cutting to the basket and crashing the boards. While she is not a great shooter, the UConn offense is no longer limited to playing 4 on 5 when Aubrey is on the court.

Geno's greatest strength as a coach is to get all of his players who remain in Storrs for 4 years to buy into the 100% mental focus required to win championships. For Jana, KK, Ashlynn, Quadence and other Huskies, that ability to focus is a work in progress that requires their relentless pursuit.

 

[rubymae4]

I don’t think of players who take a play or two off in a game, so much as players who dont typically seem to be expending a lot of energy and still get a lot done. Oscar Robertson comes to mind. But among big guys, Kareem is another. Kevin McHale. Giannis. Embiid. In the W, Kara Wolter. Stef Dolson. All of them worked really hard on the court. But they were moving big bodies up and down the floor, grappling with other big bodies in the paint, little guards slapping at their faces to get the ball. They need to conserve energy where they can. They’re not hummingbirds

Stewie is a prime example of someone who doesn’t look like she’s doing much. Her body language and movement are quite casual…like I’ll get it done when I get it done.

That’s why it’s so hard to judge effort. For Stewie, I think the game moves pretty slow. Plus she knows her body and her game—she is efficient in effort.

 

[Cuango]

I too am impressed with Jana and think she’s likely to be a star but I think you are greatly underestimating Ice if you think she is only going to get five minutes per game or, for that matter, that she is comparable in any way basketball-wise to Amari DeBerry! I wish Amari all the very best and hope she can finally begin to live up to her potential as a basketball player but Imo she and Ice Brady are worlds apart in terms of the likelihood of playing time this season.

 

[Cuango]

Bills Fan,
I think I may have misinterpreted part of your post. I thought you were predicting only five minutes for Ice! I humbly apologize if that’s the case.
Sometimes I get ahead of myself. Sorry!

 

[Carnac]

The European games next month will give us a "peek" as to how Jana (and the rest o the freshmen) have progressed to this point. I want to see how Jana plays and performs with UConn players. I doubt those games will be shown live, but hopefully they will be made available later that day on YouTube. Thank goodness, we won't have to wait until November to see our 2023-2024 team in action. The Huskies will visit Croatia; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Bologna and Venice, Italy, from Aug. 15-25. The team will play one game in each city. That's less than 4 weeks from now.

Will the starters next month be the starters in November? How many minutes will Geno play the starters, since these are only "exhibition" games? Perhaps the first quarter, then let the reserves play the remaining 30 minutes?

 

[Alydar]

The European games next month will give us a "peek" as to how Jana (and the rest o the freshmen) have progressed to this point. I want to see how Jana plays and performs with UConn players. I doubt those games will be shown live, but hopefully they will be made available later that day on YouTube. Thank goodness, we won't have to wait until November to see our 2023-2024 team in action. The Huskies will visit Croatia; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Bologna and Venice, Italy, from Aug. 15-25. The team will play one game in each city. That's less than 4 weeks from now.

Will the starters next month be the starters in November? How many minutes will Geno play the starters, since these are only "exhibition" games? Perhaps the first quarter, then let the reserves play the remaining 30 minutes?

The program is allowed to have 10 practices before leaving on a foreign trip. Those ten sessions will be more valuable than the exhibition games.

 

[EricLA]

The European games next month will give us a "peek" as to how Jana (and the rest o the freshmen) have progressed to this point. I want to see how Jana plays and performs with UConn players. I doubt those games will be shown live, but hopefully they will be made available later that day on YouTube. Thank goodness, we won't have to wait until November to see our 2023-2024 team in action. The Huskies will visit Croatia; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Bologna and Venice, Italy, from Aug. 15-25. The team will play one game in each city. That's less than 4 weeks from now.

Will the starters next month be the starters in November? How many minutes will Geno play the starters, since these are only "exhibition" games? Perhaps the first quarter, then let the reserves play the remaining 30 minutes?

One thing that I think will be a blessing in disguise is the limited (or will it be none) minutes for Paige. When she was at her peak freshman year, in crunch time, the rest of the team seemed to treat the ball like a hot potato (get it out of my hands) and only Paige seemed willing to take a big shot (see the end of the SC game when NO ONE wanted the ball, and Paige had to create something out of nothing with a "10 out of 10 on the scale of difficulty" shot)...

We know Paige can and will be spectacular, but I'm hoping the rest of the team never develops a "stand around and watch Paige go" mentality. With her limited, or out, it just gives the team more chance to rely on each other, not Paige, to do it all, including bail them out in a big moment (yeah I know exhibition games, but the demeanor and genetics of the team are being developed as we speak so...)...

 

[Bone Dog]

I just watched the end of the Egypt-China game. Jana comes in for the last minute or so, uses a pic play to get the ball on the right elbow, then drives into the lane and does a very sophisticated up-and-under step through to get a shot onto the rim. It misses but she grans the rebound and is fouled putting it back up. Ideally she'd have made the first shot. But I just loved her confidence driving into the lane, like she had no doubt she'd be able to create a shot opportunity even through a double team. This is what really strikes me about Jana -- she's super confident. We need that in a big. Caroline plays with a similar confidence.

 

[rvwsleep]

I'm watching the Egypt- Canada game.
Egypt is not very good, to say the least. Jana is their only player. She's has text book form on her free throws. Jana also swished her only 3 point attempt in the first half. It's amazing that her teammates don't look for Jana more often. She has only 4 fga's at halftime, making 3 of them.
Facing the basket, Jana has a polished offensive game. She needs to get a little stronger for the back to the basket game.
Her defense has further to go than her offense but she seems to have the physical ability to get there.
I'm optimistic about where her game will be by her sophomore year.

 

[UConnCat]

Jana finished with 20/9 in just under 21 minutes. Canada won 100-44 and made 15 three-pointers though very few were contested. Fournier is a terror on the boards but not much of a shot-maker.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[UConnCat]

 

[UConnCat]

 

[Bone Dog]

One more thing I noticed in the game against China: Egypt’s guard play looked a bit better. There was better passing, especially on driving to pass the ball out. China didn’t press as effectively as Czechoslovakia which may have knocked Egypt’s guards off their game. This also allowed the other big, Sallman, to find more of her game, and I suspect it is also what allowed them to make a comeback without Jana on the floor.

So it’s not like Jana always has to carry the team. But she’s clearly capable of it when needed. And when she was able to work within an overall better passing game, her own game looked even better. For example, not quite as much having to fight through triple teams in the lane.

 

[Husky fanatic]

Jana with nearly half the team’s scoring output and 1 rebound short of a double double in 21 minutes of play. A lot of potential.

 

[cancontent]

Impressive stats. Close to a double double versus a Canadian team that has players like Fournier, Prosper to combat with. Really looking forward to seeing her play this season.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[cohenzone]

Stewie is a prime example of someone who doesn’t look like she’s doing much. Her body language and movement are quite casual…like I’ll get it done when I get it done.

That’s why it’s so hard to judge effort. For Stewie, I think the game moves pretty slow. Plus she knows her body and her game—she is efficient in effort.

Exactly. Stewie always seems relaxed as if if you asked her what she did today she would say “went to the supermarket, walked the dog, scored 25 points, watched a little TV, you know, nothing special”.

I think there is way too much speculation in this thread about Jana based on insufficient evidence. The off season iis way too long. .

 

[oldhusky]

I just watched the end of the Egypt-China game. Jana comes in for the last minute or so, uses a pic play to get the ball on the right elbow, then drives into the lane and does a very sophisticated up-and-under step through to get a shot onto the rim. It misses but she grans the rebound and is fouled putting it back up. Ideally she'd have made the first shot. But I just loved her confidence driving into the lane, like she had no doubt she'd be able to create a shot opportunity even through a double team. This is what really strikes me about Jana -- she's super confident. We need that in a big. Caroline plays with a similar confidence.

I think because of that driving and taking contested shots I see Jana spending a ton of time on the free throw line. By the way that is a statistical category where Uconn has not been too good recently. We generally commit fewer fouls than most, but haven't been very good at drawing them.

More minutes from Paige and Azzi will mean fewer fouls committed by us, and a great ability to make free throws when we get them, so if our bigs can draw more fouls, make a decent percentage and get to the bonus sooner, that will help our other shooters as well. Jana may be a big contributor there.

 

[hoophuskee]

One thing that I think will be a blessing in disguise is the limited (or will it be none) minutes for Paige. When she was at her peak freshman year, in crunch time, the rest of the team seemed to treat the ball like a hot potato (get it out of my hands) and only Paige seemed willing to take a big shot (see the end of the SC game when NO ONE wanted the ball, and Paige had to create something out of nothing with a "10 out of 10 on the scale of difficulty" shot)...

We know Paige can and will be spectacular, but I'm hoping the rest of the team never develops a "stand around and watch Paige go" mentality. With her limited, or out, it just gives the team more chance to rely on each other, not Paige, to do it all, including bail them out in a big moment (yeah I know exhibition games, but the demeanor and genetics of the team are being developed as we speak so...)...

I disagree with the entire context of this post relative to this year. Secondly, related to Jana, her playing with Paige is a benefit. Not a hindrance. Think about this - on this very thread it seems during these games comments are being made about Jana's overall team. Now we're concerned that a teammate from UCONN will hog the ball when last year we were prety amazing when Azzi was healthy and overall pretty amazing considering all the injuries?

Jana will beneift playing with Paige. These games show she has some offensive talent. There is no blessing if Paige isn't playing to assist all her teammtes and all her teammates assist her. Jana is coming to a potential juggernaut team if healthy. Not a 1-player team.

 

[Scud49]

In the "moving off the ball" video, note that Jana goes up with ease with her left hand for the layup - no hesitation whatsoever.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Jana's line today Her 24 Efficiency score was teh highest of the game

Egypt # Players Min Pts FG 2Pts 3Pts FT OREB DREB REB AST PF TO STL BLK +/- 00 Jana Sallman 18:42 4 2/633.3% 2/450% 0/20% 0/0- 1 3 4 0 0 2 0 1 -25 3 1 JANA ELSHAMY 15:21 0 0/40% 0/20% 0/20% 0/0- 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 -12 -4 8 Jana Elalfy 20:56 20 7/1258.3% 5/1050% 2/2100% 4/4100% 2 7 9 0 1 2 2 0 -25 24