Jim Fuller: Moriah Jefferson off to a blistering start

[doggydaddy]

Given the breadth and depth of talent we will have next year and to stop in its tracks the debates, discussions, and arguments we will have over who should start I propose to Geno the following. Let us have alternating starting fives. After all, the #1 and #2 teams in the country should each have an opportunity to be starters since starting is so important to some.

It's a lot easier to debate who should start when there is only one player people are talking about that should crack the starting lineup.

It gets tougher when there are 3-5.

 

[winlots]

Given the breadth and depth of talent we will have next year and to stop in its tracks the debates, discussions, and arguments we will have over who should start I propose to Geno the following. Let us have alternating starting fives. After all, the #1 and #2 teams in the country should each have an opportunity to be starters since starting is so important to some.

ICE - oh man, I hope you are serious about that......how happy would I be with that arrangemen, especially if the "next" unit came in SOMEtimes as a whole unit just when the oppostion was starting to wilt a bit?!! But, there's a part of me that thinks you might be pulling my chain with that notion. ( In any event, I don't have any investment in who starts.....just a huge investment in both winning and in getting virtually everyone some meaningful minutes for reasons oft-stated.

If Bree is "Baby Husky," then Moriah is "Baby Shot Magnet."

MILFORD: gotta sign off here very soon for Thanksgiving stuff, but nice to have this chance to wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving. Keep us "posted" ( a little play on words there for a man like you) and stay well.

 

[alexrgct]

Happy Thanksgiving , ALEX . Always find your stuff on here to be very interesting. Like your point here as well. Do YOU see Banks in that mix? Others?

If so, given my preference for just blowing the other team off the floor with all-out hustle and freshness, ( and my belief that everybody has nights when they are at their best, nights when they are at their worst, and nights in between), I'd love to see a system where the obviously hot hands at the back two guard positions get maybe around 25 mins each and the next two get close to 15 or so of MEANINGFUL mins. Not meant to be a rigid formula at all.....just a concept for keeping kids involved, fresh, less like to become injury prone by fatigue, and prepared for stepping up.. Stay well.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, too. My guess is that Doty, Moriah, Bria will play PG and that Banks will see substantial PT, but in more of an off ball role. She's yet another player that is going to be difficult to contend with if she's coming off the bench because of her athleticism and intensity. Plus she's a lefty, which makes her somewhat tougher to defend.

 

[cferraro04]

Happy Thanksgiving winlots...keep in mind Kiah hasn't played for anybody like Geno and his staff. Her father will encourage her...she looks up to her dad and wants to emulate him...he was a hardnosed player...I think as she matures and grows into her body mentally she will be a beast.

 

[Olde Coach]

"Thanks to THESA Riders coach Alan Burt, here are her numbers through the first eight games. Jefferson is averaging 28.4 points per game while shooting 58 percent from the floor including an impressive 59 percent from 3-point range (19 of 32) and 82 percent from the foul line. Jefferson actually missed her first two free throws and had promptly hit 23 of her last 26. She is contributing 5.2 rebounds, 3 assists and 6.9 steals per game."

LINK

 

[Olde Coach]

"Thanks to THESA Riders coach Alan Burt, here are her numbers through the first eight games. Jefferson is averaging 28.4 points per game while shooting 58 percent from the floor including an impressive 59 percent from 3-point range (19 of 32) and 82 percent from the foul line. Jefferson actually missed her first two free throws and had promptly hit 23 of her last 26. She is contributing 5.2 rebounds, 3 assists and 6.9 steals per game."

LINK

Yikes. Next year is going to be a blast. If necessary. I'll walk to Storrs (from Vermont) to see these guys play.

 

[Olde Coach]

Happy Thanksgiving winlots...keep in mind Kiah hasn't played for anybody like Geno and his staff. Her father will encourage her...she looks up to her dad and wants to emulate him...he was a hardnosed player...I think as she matures and grows into her body mentally she will be a beast.

It took two years + to get Tina to be nice off the court and a monster on it. I'm sure CD (the elder) and Geno are working on Kia to more aggressive.

 

[Tonyc]

You know what. We have a great roster with 11 players who could start and we wouldnt lose much. With next years class and those leaning to UConn the next two seasons everybody will get playtime. The competition for playtime in practice will be silly. This season we are beatable. Next season and beyond for at least 3 years we wont be. . WE could lose but were not beatable.

As far as a starting lineup it really dosnt matter. You can always bring kids off the bench if someone is having an off day. Through graduation the top kids will start. Maybe next season no freshman start but they will a year or too later. The most important thing is team chemistry and having the freshman each season come in without pressure and fit in. If you think chemistry isnt important, look at some of the talented teams out there right now struggleing because they have no leadership on the court, no discipline and no team chemistry.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Not to put a damper on all the excitement of Moriah, but you have to remember Moriah is home schooled and is not facing top flight talent. Also take into consideration that Caroline and Bria are returning next year and Moriah will be coming off the bench for her freshmen year unless there are injuries. I can see Geno bringing Moriah & Brianna off the bench at the same time to speed up the temp and/or applying a full court press. Moriah by her sophomore year should be ready to be the starting PG and start towards becoming an All American.

 

[Icebear]

Not to put a damper on all the excitement of Moriah, but you have to remember Moriah is home schooled and is not facing top flight talent. Also take into consideration that Caroline and Bria are returning next year and Moriah will be coming off the bench for her freshmen year unless there are injuries. I can see Geno bringing Moriah & Brianna off the bench at the same time to speed up the temp and/or applying a full court press. Moriah by her sophomore year should be ready to be the starting PG and start towards becoming an All American.

She does in AAU. THESA is likely the strongest Home Schooled Assoc. in the country.

 

[Wbbfan1]

I'm not saying Moriah won't have a great career at UConn. I'm saying Moriah may not have the impact and be the dynamic player some seem to be saying in her freshmen year.

THESA may be the strongest Home School Assoc in the country, but Moriah is not facing the same level of competition that she would be facing in the larger school districts of Houston or Dallas. Both hotbeds for WBB. Yes, Moriah thrived in AAU games, but so have many others and that doesn't guarantee the player will have the same impact at the collegiate level.

Some on this board downgrade other team recruits or players because they don't make a USA Team and Moriah also didn't make a USA Team.

In addition to the center position, PG is the hardest position to learn and make significant contribution for freshmen. I for one am glad that Moriah will have both Caroline and Bria to learn from in her freshmen year before she takes over in her sophomore year.

Will she be a valuable addition to the team, no doubt and I can't wait to see her in a UConn uniform. I'm not ready to anoint Moriah as the next Sue Bird or Renee Montgomery.

She does in AAU. THESA is likely the strongest Home Schooled Assoc. in the country.

 

[Icebear]

Wbb, I amn simply suggesting that we have no way of knowing either way. Her rankings were based on evaluations of her play in AAU are should presumably be the basis for any potential assessment.

 

[doggydaddy]

Not to put a damper on all the excitement of Moriah, but you have to remember Moriah is home schooled and is not facing top flight talent. Also take into consideration that Caroline and Bria are returning next year and Moriah will be coming off the bench for her freshmen year unless there are injuries. I can see Geno bringing Moriah & Brianna off the bench at the same time to speed up the temp and/or applying a full court press. Moriah by her sophomore year should be ready to be the starting PG and start towards becoming an All American.

I read your post and went back and reviewed the entire thread, and for the life of me, I don't get wt hy you had to pull the "voice of reason" card.

No one is saying that she will start, be an all-american her freshman year or any over the top stuff that we sometimes see here.

And unless they have somehow moved the 3 point line in significantly where she plays, 58% on 3's is pretty impressive and something that no one should put a damper on.

 

[Kevin G]

Despite the fact that she is home schooled and in a league with"lesser" talented competition, there are some professional scouts that seem to think this girl has some real good talent to be ranked #2 by Hoopgurlz & BlueStar. Especially, ranked behine Breanna Stewart and still receiving a score of 98!

 

[EricLA]

Despite the fact that she is home schooled and in a league with"lesser" talented competition, there are some professional scouts that seem to think this girl has some real good talent to be ranked #2 by Hoopgurlz & BlueStar. Especially, ranked behine Breanna Stewart and still receiving a score of 98!

last time i checked, Moriah was rated #2 per BlueStar, 2 by HG, 2 by ASGR, 1 by Peach State (who has since merged with HG), and 2 by PBR. on an interesting note, PBR is based in Texas and they have Alexis Jones #1, Moriah #2, and Bree #3.

i don't have a problem with a cautious approach. but i will say Moriah was in the final 15 for the USA team and was cut along with Simmons and one other. and she was competing for the spot with kids up to 2 years older than her. AND IIRC, her birthday is in December which makes her the yongest kid in her class. Alexis Jones did make the team, and hardly played during the tourney. Morgan Tuck has made ever USA team she's tried out for, save the one where she tore her ACL, and has performed head and shoulders better than kids rated much higher than her by HG, yet they continue to rate her at #15.

Back to Moriah, i do recall that some who have seen her and Alexis play recently feel Alexis is the better player. i'd not be surprised to see MJ drop to 3'ish if rankings get updated (to make room for Alexis Jones). then again, i'd not be surprised to see h er stay at #2... i think she's going to be absolutely special - she is, after all, the highest rated PG UCONN has ever recruited bar none.

BTW HG had this to say about her... "There may be an adjustment process for her at the college level if she is asked to be more of a traditional point guard and run a team as that is one of the few things she has struggled with from time to time at the prep level"

i don't disagree. this may be one reason she's not made any of the USA national teams she's tried out for. an amazing scoring PG who will need to adjust her game to distribute more and shoot less.

Sue Bird far exceeded expectations during college based on her rankings coming out of HS. i'd also say Renee exceeded them as well. it will be hard for Moriah to exceed any expectations as she's #2 on pretty much everyone's list. she IS the highest rated PG EVER to come to UCONN. and i've seen a good number of videos and she is unbelievable as a junior in HS. as i said above, i fully expect an adjustment when she gets to UCONN. she won't be starting her freshman year, but neither IMHO will Bree or Morgan.

 

[Tonyc]

If she can shoot like Ive seen on the videos and score like I saw on the videos assists wont be a problem because everybody on the team when she arrives will be shooting lights out. Why? because they wont be able to be double teamed because there is so much talent at UConn and because they are all such terrific shooters. Moriah may be more of a shooter and scorer and perhaps BB will start at the point and Moriah at the 2 guard. In any event having Moriah, KML Breanna Morgan and anybody else on the floor at the same time is going to lead to one pass and one assist. They will be unstoppable. Uconn for the next few years just may be the highest scoreing team in WCBB history.

 

[alexrgct]

Eric, good post, but two counter-points:

A) HoopGurlz said they strongly considered ranking MJ ahead of Breanna Stewart. I don't think they're going to drop her.

B) HG is right that she may need to time to playa traditional PG role, but she won't be asked to do so at UConn next year. She'll play some PG, but UConn's offense is so team oriented that there isn't the expectation of someone coming in at the one and totally running the show.

 

[connboy77]

I'm not saying Moriah won't have a great career at UConn. I'm saying Moriah may not have the impact and be the dynamic player some seem to be saying in her freshmen year.

THESA may be the strongest Home School Assoc in the country, but Moriah is not facing the same level of competition that she would be facing in the larger school districts of Houston or Dallas. Both hotbeds for WBB. Yes, Moriah thrived in AAU games, but so have many others and that doesn't guarantee the player will have the same impact at the collegiate level.

Some on this board downgrade other team recruits or players because they don't make a USA Team and Moriah also didn't make a USA Team.

In addition to the center position, PG is the hardest position to learn and make significant contribution for freshmen. I for one am glad that Moriah will have both Caroline and Bria to learn from in her freshmen year before she takes over in her sophomore year.

Will she be a valuable addition to the team, no doubt and I can't wait to see her in a UConn uniform. I'm not ready to anoint Moriah as the next Sue Bird or Renee Montgomery.

Moriah, might not have made the USA Team, but she made it alot further then some other elite players such as M. Simmons. She made it to the last cut. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Moriah is going to be a star at UCONN.

 

[Zorro]

Uhh..No matter what the level of competition, even if you were being guarded by a chair, 59% is 59%. As for our inside game next year, we can throw Dolson, Tuck, Stokes and Stewart (and maybe Buck) at Griner in waves, with Caroline, Bria, Brianna, Moriah, and KML harassing the ball-handlers, also in waves. Geno can sub them in lines, like hockey, and not miss a lick. Gonna be REAL interesting.

 

[blaqtech]

I'm not saying Moriah won't have a great career at UConn. I'm saying Moriah may not have the impact and be the dynamic player some seem to be saying in her freshmen year.

THESA may be the strongest Home School Assoc in the country, but Moriah is not facing the same level of competition that she would be facing in the larger school districts of Houston or Dallas. Both hotbeds for WBB. Yes, Moriah thrived in AAU games, but so have many others and that doesn't guarantee the player will have the same impact at the collegiate level.

Some on this board downgrade other team recruits or players because they don't make a USA Team and Moriah also didn't make a USA Team.

In addition to the center position, PG is the hardest position to learn and make significant contribution for freshmen. I for one am glad that Moriah will have both Caroline and Bria to learn from in her freshmen year before she takes over in her sophomore year.

Will she be a valuable addition to the team, no doubt and I can't wait to see her in a UConn uniform. I'm not ready to anoint Moriah as the next Sue Bird or Renee Montgomery.

I find that interesting since I know for a fact THESA plays quite a few of the Dallas and Fort Worth schools. I know for a fact that Desoto is on the schedule that features Jordan Jones and Wylie's Peyton Little out of Abilene which are top 5A schools. Also , Skyline(5A), Pflugerville(5A), Stephenville(4A), Midway(4A) and Roosevelt(3A). Not to mention they are in the Sandra Meadows tourney again this year. THESA plays top competition.

 

[jsloanjr]

My question is how are teams going to score on UCONN next season?.......This years team will make a very serious run at the NCC in April and might just pull it off.......

 

[sarals24]

Thesa plays a pretty good schedule, actually....Irving MacArthur (#1 in the state, ranked nationally), Southlake Carroll, #3, Pflugerville, #8, Lubbock Coronado, #12, Desoto, #13, two teams from Australia, the Duncanville Sandra Meadows tournament, which always attracts the top teams in the state, Brock, which won the 2A state championship last year, Abilene Wylie, #2 in Class 3A plus a few more tournaments. Their schedule is pretty frontloaded, because after Christmas the public schools play district and Thesa has their own, weaker "district". But they play a pretty good schedule, I would say.

 

[Icebear]

THESA may be the strongest Home School Assoc in the country, but Moriah is not facing the same level of competition that she would be facing in the larger school districts of Houston or Dallas. Both hotbeds for WBB. Yes, Moriah thrived in AAU games, but so have many others and that doesn't guarantee the player will have the same impact at the collegiate level.

So basically you have no idea of the type of competition that THESA plays any more than I do. However, blaq and Sara say that THESA play schools from Dallas-Ft Worth area among others, not just other home schoolers. Here is their schedule to help you. LINK

Plus you ignore that she like Breanna was two years younger than almost everyone on the U19 team from which at 5'7" she was the last one cut.

Let the kid arrive here before we start second guessing her. The national scouts are all consistently high on her across the recruiting services.

 

[magical2]

Geno is building a powerhouse, that is for sure. Pick your poison, UCONN will have one of the best inside/outside games women's college basketball has ever seen. UCONN's second team next year will be just as good as their first team. Opponents be wear!

Offensively the inside/outside game is going to be incredible.Defensively look at what we will have. The one concern this year is height at the 4. That will be gone in 2012 with adding the #1 player and whatever # Tuck is aside from 15 on HG.

 

[sarals24]

Last year in the Duncanville tourney THESA went 4-1 and won the consolation bracket. They lost their first game to Westbury Christian, with Orrange and Brianna Turner, who ended up winning second place. The competition in that is really stiff, and Moriah more than held her own. I wouldn't worry about her not being able to compete at the next level.