Jana's Lay Up

[HuskyNan]

I will never understand the folks who consistently say that college players (adult women in this case), who have layed basketball for years - will get better at making layups if we just wait. These are the easiest shots in basketball (layups), and in this thread we are talking about a 6’5” player. We can like a player and still be honest about assessing things like missing layups, can we not?

As is discussed in a thread on the recruiting board, the girls that come out of high school with gaudy scoring records have not been playing against the same type of talent as college players. Watch a typical high school games - opponents are smaller, slower, and less talented than Div I players.

College players have also worked with trainers that have increased their strength and endurance. Freshmen post players like Jana have rarely played against girls their size that are also quicker and stronger. Jana can no longer just reach for a rebound or merely reach her hand up over a smaller player for a lay-in, now she’s got to fight for everything and get pushed, pulled, and hacked in the paint while doing so. It’s fatiguing, too. Every time a player moves up a level - high school to college, college to pro - an adjustment needs to take place.

Earlier in the season Jana was visibly frustrated and I assume that’s because her height alone wasn’t enough any more. The frustration is fading, finally, and she’s getting more done on the court and winning more small battles but she still has a ways to go. Hence the calls for patience

 

[oldude]

This discussion should be a cautionary tale for next season when Gandy shows up at Storrs. I fear that it will not be and once again some BY’ers will be asking some version of, “What’s wrong with our Big?”

Some of us will once again argue that it takes time for Bigs to adjust to the college game, she has been playing against smaller, less athletic girls in HS and the game is moving too fast for them right now, etc.

Patience Grasshopper……..

 

[OldSchooler]

As is discussed in a thread on the recruiting board, the girls that come out of high school with gaudy scoring records have not been playing against the same type of talent as college players. Watch a typical high school games - opponents are smaller, slower, and less talented than Div I players.

College players have also worked with trainers that have increased their strength and endurance. Freshmen post players like Jana have rarely played against girls their size that are also quicker and stronger. Jana can no longer just reach for a rebound or merely reach her hand up over a smaller player for a lay-in, now she’s got to fight for everything and get pushed, pulled, and hacked in the paint while doing so. It’s fatiguing, too. Every time a player moves up a level - high school to college, college to pro - an adjustment needs to take place.

Earlier in the season Jana was visibly frustrated and I assume that’s because her height alone wasn’t enough any more. The frustration is fading, finally, and she’s getting more done on the court and winning more small battles but she still has a ways to go. Hence the calls for patience

And although this is relatively insignificant, we're finally beginning to win the opening tip.