John A.: Geno is NOT happy with Dolson

[pap49cba]

“I don’t think Stefanie Dolson has had a good year at all, from Day 1,” Auriemma said.

LINK

 

[vtcwbuff]

"when she got the ball in the post and we didn’t do a great job handling the ball."

I think Dolson has become a liability on the floor, especially on the defensive end.
I watch the way Stokes plays and I wonder if Dolson will have a starting job next year.

 

[connboy77]

"when she got the ball in the post and we didn’t do a great job handling the ball."

I think Dolson has become a liability on the floor, especially on the defensive end.
I watch the way Stokes plays and I wonder if Dolson will have a starting job next year.

I think unless Stef gets her act together you just may be right. I like what I saw last night with Kiah. She was one of the few bright spots for UCONN.

 

[Samanthabrown3]

LINK

I HATE TREND MICRO SECURITY SOFTWARE! It blocks the links to the blogs.

Thanks. Just had to grumble.

 

[Scotter]

I think Dolson has become a liability on the floor, especially on the defensive end.
I watch the way Stokes plays and I wonder if Dolson will have a starting job next year.

This appears more like backup quarterback fever than an accurate assessment to me. Dolson does more things that Stokes can't at this point than vice versa.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I'm not saying that Stokes should replace Dolson now. I am saying that Stokes is steadily growing and Dolson is not. Take an unbiased look at how differently the two play the game.

 

[semper]

I disagree on Dolson..I think she is improving, and will have a real leap forward in the post season.

 

[msf22b]

Steph Dolson had a pretty spectacular freshman year and came into this season the most upbeat, happy to be here person on the whole team and was even annointed with leadership (seems like a long time ago).
The change to the Steph of today is mystifying and saddening and is totally inexplicable to me.

 

[gandydancer]

Dolson has bad hands-mediocre footwork-brings the ball down and puts it on the floor when she doesn't have to. Stokes catches the ball securely- keeps it high when gathering herself for her shot- even at this stage she is better balanced and has better footwork than Dolson. I think her father has schooled her well. Even if Dolson starts next year I see her playing time reduced. By senior year she's in danger of becoming Buck.

 

[vtcwbuff]

I disagree on Dolson..I think she is improving, and will have a real leap forward in the post season.

The fact that Auriemma took Dolson out of the game for the last defensive play says it all.

 

[boontonbomber]

This appears more like backup quarterback fever than an accurate assessment to me. Dolson does more things that Stokes can't at this point than vice versa.

IMO , stokes is a better rebounder, shot blocker& defender, and turns the ball over less. dolson shoots better from 15 ft. and ..... well, i can't think of anything else. and i even think stokes may have a better sense of the game at this point, though that seemed to be a real strength of dolson's game last season. where do you think dolson is stronger?

 

[Sonny44]

I disagree on Dolson..I think she is improving, and will have a real leap forward in the post season.

Based on what? Help me, I'd like to believe that too.

 

[Jonathan Husky]

The fact that Auriemma took Dolson out of the game for the last defensive play says it all.

I would not be surprised if Kiah gets the most minutes in the post for the rest of the season. She plays tougher, has better hands and finishes better than Stef. Stef was more effective last year because Maya was the power forward and they couldn't double Stef. Stef has to get much more aggresive and tougher and be able to handle double teams . It is clear that Geno is disappointed in her play this year. She has gone from being the second best post in the country to the second best post at UConn.

 

[boontonbomber]

" I don't think that we had a really good flow of offense when i wasn't in the game". interesting dolson post-game quote. so i guess she thought that the offense did have a good flow when she was in. good that she still has confidence in herself; bad , though, that maybe she's avoiding reality.

 

[Icebear]

The fact that Auriemma took Dolson out of the game for the last defensive play says it all.

On the other hand it was a great defensive play by Stef that got us the ball to go ahead. And then she made a great basket on our end because she received the ball in position to do something with it. Without that sequence by Stef we lose by 3 instead of one.

 

[Pete]

I think Dolson may have a better short jumper than Stokes and she is a better passer, but Stokes does everything else better. But as long as teams can ignore Kelly on offence and double the post off her, it's going to be hard to get the ball inside or even drive to the rim

 

[RoyDodger]

From that same article:

“If you had asked me about this two months ago, I would have said you were crazy, but right now if we throw the ball to Kiah Stokes we are probably going to get a better result than if we throw it to Stefanie Dolson. We’re going to have to address this in practice because it’s [post play] not anywhere close to we’re I want it to be.”

So, at last, the UConn coaches are showing some recognition of Kiah Stokes' recent accomplishments.

From everything I've seen and heard, Stefanie Dolson is a great young woman and it's been painful watching her at times. For a second, at the end of yesterday's game, it looked like she might be a hero, having rebounded the ball and scored the shot that led to the two point lead with only about 10 seconds to go. Alas, it wasn't to be, but I, and I suspect most of my Boneyard friends, will be rooting to see her return to form either the rest of the season or next year. If so, we may have two top post players.

 

[Scotter]

IMO , stokes is a better rebounder, shot blocker& defender, and turns the ball over less. dolson shoots better from 15 ft. and ..... well, i can't think of anything else. and i even think stokes may have a better sense of the game at this point, though that seemed to be a real strength of dolson's game last season. where do you think dolson is stronger?

Yes Stef hits the 15 footer much better than Kiah, she also makes shorter jumpers better. And I'm surprised Stef's passing ability didn't occur to you both in terms of delivering the back door pass as Stef did in the final minutes of the game last night to Kaleena and in passing out of the post. She's also better at finishing rolling to the basket.

Kiah is a better rebounder, shot blocker, and defender and she should be given the difference in their physical gifts. Kiah should also turn the ball over less because there is much less she is capable of at this point skill wise. Because of those limitations Kiah also is guarded differently than Stefanie. They are not to this point facing the same defense. There are times where Kiah provides a greater advantage in the post, but more times than not UConn will benefit from Stefanie's broader range of skills. Kiah at this point is an offensive finisher, Dolson has the ability to be an offensive creator. And they are defended that way.

 

[jsloanjr]

Stef has not been put in situations to succeed this year. She has very slow feet and in the low post on defense, you become a liability with lazy fouls because you are out of position and to arrive late and foul. Kiah is much quicker and has a better baseline game. I would run the Hi low offense the UCONN ran with Rebecca and Kara......Stef has a very good 15+foot jumper and she can pass to the low post or kick out to the guards for 3's.....UCONN has been exposed and unless CD and Geno fix their post play, UCONN might be an early exit come March.

 

[rtm5]

Stef is limited athletically in what she can do. I think she gets the most out of who she is. I find Geno's comments to be baffling.

 

[Wonkster]

I disagree on Dolson..I think she is improving, and will have a real leap forward in the post season.

.
That's what they said last year.
.

 

[NCorBust]

I disagree on Dolson..I think she is improving, and will have a real leap forward in the post season.

Ah! A Perry Como fan! You obviously like his "Dream Along With Me." Did you remember the flip side? "Somebody Up There Likes Me" (Thank you! Upink)

 

[vtcwbuff]

On the other hand it was a great defensive play by Stef that got us the ball to go ahead. And then she made a great basket on our end because she received the ball in position to do something with it. Without that sequence by Stef we lose by 3 instead of one.

Ice - I disagree. Not that the play she made wasn't good but it followed a bad play on her part. If you decide to count the impact of the good you also have to count the impact of the bad. I just rewatched the game and she was bad more than she was good.

 

[NCorBust]

Dolson has bad hands-mediocre footwork-brings the ball down and puts it on the floor when she doesn't have to. Stokes catches the ball securely- keeps it high when gathering herself for her shot- even at this stage she is better balanced and has better footwork than Dolson. I think her father has schooled her well. Even if Dolson starts next year I see her playing time reduced. By senior year she's in danger of becoming Buck.

Do you think she will be better next year if she has a real defensive and offensive big in the lineup next to her? Yeah, I'm thinking Stewart. So far no matter where or at what level, Stewart eventually becomes a starter or sees major playing time. Perhaps there is a better chance of Kiah and Bree teaming up and developing a real good playing chemistry. I don't see Stef doing a 180 and vastly improving for the post season. If anything she will encounter stiffer competition in the post. If she cannot dominate the smalls of Saint Johns, she has not hope against the Elite Eight and above centers.

 

[NCorBust]

I would not be surprised if Kiah gets the most minutes in the post for the rest of the season. She plays tougher, has better hands and finishes better than Stef. Stef was more effective last year because Maya was the power forward and they couldn't double Stef. Stef has to get much more aggresive and tougher and be able to handle double teams . It is clear that Geno is disappointed in her play this year. She has gone from being the second best post in the country to the second best post at UConn.

I never bought the 2nd best post in the USA. That was Geno hype for Stef's sake. She was6th thru 8th best at best. Now ... well ... not so good ...