Jana - In Madrid - FIBA Games | Page 6 | The Boneyard

Jana - In Madrid - FIBA Games

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HuskylnSC said:
Notice in this video posted by @UConnCat above in the lower left clip Jana rips the ball away from ESPN 10th ranked and Duke commit Toby Fournier. Like taking candy from a baby
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Babies should not be eating candy. :D I love it!!
 
oldhusky said:
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.
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Agree with your point. Jana seems to be an excellent FT shooter and Liyah did a good job from the line last year. I don't recall ICE's FT stats from her senior year in HS, but watching short videos of her, she seems to have an excellent stroke so I would guess that carries over to her FT shooting.
 
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cohenzone said:
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. .
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Isn't speculation what we do on The Boneyard during the off-season?

With regard to Jana speculation, I think there is a lot of information to support it. For 6'4" she moves smoothly, can handle the ball including on the dribble, is intense fighting off opponents, has a beautiful shooting stroke and makes excellent use of her off hand.

Given the above, is it really too much speculation? I for one don't think so. And then of course we have Geno's comment that she will surprise us. (Doesn't that Geno take sound like his comment while watching a preseason practice last year regarding Lou ?)
 
Bills Fan said:
Isn't speculation what we do on The Boneyard during the off-season?

With regard to Jana speculation, I think there is a lot of information to support it. For 6'4" she moves smoothly, can handle the ball including on the dribble, is intense fighting off opponents, has a beautiful shooting stroke and makes excellent use of her off hand.

Given the above, is it really too much speculation? I for one don't think so. And then of course we have Geno's comment that she will surprise us. (Doesn't that Geno take sound like his comment while watching a preseason practice last year regarding Lou ?)
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About her pace and intensity not being up to standard? All on a minuscule sample. that is whey I am talking about as to speculation.
 
Bills Fan said:
Isn't speculation what we do on The Boneyard during the off-season?

With regard to Jana speculation, I think there is a lot of information to support it. For 6'4" she moves smoothly, can handle the ball including on the dribble, is intense fighting off opponents, has a beautiful shooting stroke and makes excellent use of her off hand.

Given the above, is it really too much speculation? I for one don't think so. And then of course we have Geno's comment that she will surprise us. (Doesn't that Geno take sound like his comment while watching a preseason practice last year regarding Lou ?)
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They are talking about people coming and saying she has a low motor and is a low effort player and will never be great because of said low motor and low effort. Based on one game where she scored 29 points.
 
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RockyMTblue2 said:
Jana is the one I'm really looking forward to this fall. If she gives us half of what has been suggested it is going to be ripping good fun.

Maybe she could crochet a travel
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EricLA said:
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...)...
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We (UConn fans) have good cause to be extremely cautious and highly wary of our players when they’re playing games. Why? Because we lost Paige and Ice to injury that I understand was suffered without any contact (correct me if I’m wrong) with another player.
Childhood said:
She is impressive.
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When I see Jana, who was still in high school this time last year, I see “what can be”, not what is, or what should be. Some of the criticism of Jana (to me) is a bit too harsh at this stage in her UConn career. I do respect the takes and concerns of others. Compared to where she’ll be in 4 years, she’s basically raw right now.

I would suggest that we allow Jana the room and time to grow and make the transformation from a good player from another country that did not have the luxury of playing with elite-level teammates in HS or AAU, to make the adjustments mentally and physically she needs to make BEFORE we criticize her and rake her over the coals for the assorted deficiencies we see in her game.

She needs to be coached, and she needs time to grow. The expectations I will have for Jana next November will be a lot greater than those I have for her today. How about we give her a little time to grow, adjust and mature a bit first? I have no doubt she will make us all proud in the very near future.
 
cohenzone said:
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. .
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But..... seeing is believing.... and I believe that there are many future highlights for Jana in the next 9 months!
 
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darrell said:
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This is a reminder that you go wherever you have to go and do (ride a camel) whatever you have to do to recruit that “Jewel” of the Nile. :D Great get CD!! I wonder if Geno would have climbed up on that camel if he have been on that recruiting trip? :eek: That would have been a true Kodak moment.
 
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hoopsnloops32 said:
They are talking about people coming and saying she has a low motor and is a low effort player and will never be great because of said low motor and low effort. Based on one game where she scored 29 pointsr
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Jeez, 29 points with a motor in low. What is she going to score with her motor in high?

I remember from the practice video that was posted that Geno said after a Paige to Jana layup that, paraphrasing here, they are going to score a lot of points together-- which implies that they are going t.o spend a lot of time on the court together.
 
RockyMTblue2 said:
I saw an article maybe 10 days ago, can't find it now, in which Jana's dad said Jana came home and he didn't recognize her on the court. She's been a hard working sponge apparently.
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THAT is exactly what I'm talking about. I remember reading that too. HE knows her better than anyone. If he could see the vast growth and development in her game since he last saw her 7 months ago (she arrived in Storrs for the spring semester in January after graduating from HS early), what is she going to be like after a little "seasoning" over the next 13 months (including Fiba play next summer)?

If you don't read or hear anything else about Jana, HIS observation of Jana should be all you need to know for right now. :eek:
Again....that is why my expectations for her will be much greater a year from now than they are today. Most freshmen are not Paige Bueckers or Maya Moore (the only UConn WBB player to score 3000+ career points) who made the transition from HS to "elite" WCBB without missing a beat. :rolleyes:
 
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darrell said:
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If I was CD, that picture would be on a will (in a nice frame) in my office. :) It's a good bet that no one that enters her office and sees that picture has ever been on a camel. :rolleyes: Notice how much taller her father is than she is at 6-4/5.
 
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Yes, it's all speculation. And criticizing a young'un before she's had a chance to fit herself into the system is a fool's game. But looking for clues and hints of future greatness is what many of us are pretty well equipped to do. Only Geno and CD & Co do it better. And what I see in Jana is a fierce heart. That's the one thing that can't be taught. Either you have some ferocity inside or you don't. She also has some skills and she'll develop more as she goes along. But that heart will serve her and all the Huskies well.

When she drives the length of the floor and the guards are afraid to challenge her, you're seeing good handles, but you're mainly seeing that fierce heart. That's what has opposing guards afraid, not her handles.

Also worth noting on the skills front: I suspect she won't suffer from lay-up-itis, as so many Huskies have over the last couple seasons. She doesn't miss the bunnies... rather like Caroline in this respect.
 
Even Geno gives freshmen a pass.

My job as a "Fan" is to cheer and hope that these young ladies develop as close to their potential as possible. Leave UConn a lot more prepared for their future whatever they want it to be.

I don't think it's my place to criticize any of these kid's nor do I think anyone on the BY should either.

At the end of the day. I'm never disappointed. I celebrate their accomplishments.

We don't "really" know these kids. I'm actually thankful that the staff and university doing a good job of keeping the kids personal stuff unavailable.
 
JoePgh said:
The first person on that list would be Tina Charles. She did not start to use her full talent until her junior year. Geno was making jokes about how (20 years later when she was married and had children) she would finally understand what he was saying about effort. He also made jokes about Carl Sagan (light from distant galaxies needing centuries to arrive on earth).

Kara Wolters would be another UConn person to add to the list. Stef Dolson might be another.

Actually I recall Geno commenting in an interview that the number of players who arrive at UConn already understanding the level of effort that will be required for them to excel at the D1 college level is quite small. The great majority of UConn players need to be taught that when they come to UConn.
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I recall quite vividly Geno's frustration with Tina, who got schooled by opponents' bigs, and his assertion that UConn would be a serious contender for the national championship ONLY if she reached her potential. Basically, he put the fate of the entire team on her shoulders. I think that might have been sometime in her junior year, after what he considered were failure to perform during her prior years
 
oldude said:
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.
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Second paragraph: excellent focus and content!!
 
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