Jordan Brand Classic HS All Star Game ESPN3 3:30 Friday

[MilfordHusky]

Napheesa should look at Maya's arms and then hit the weight room.

 

[MilfordHusky]

thanks
geesh Kiah G (Capital Prep)

Both teams shot 33%, but Napheesa shot 78%. The ND recruits shot under 15% (3-22). Taja Cole shot the ball really well. She and Durr will really help Louisville.

 

[DaddyChoc]

geesh Kiah tell us why you really took those 18 shots:

"Playing in a game like this just gives me a chance to try to establish myself as one of the top players in the country," Gillespie said. "I mean, we are all top players in an event like this. But there are others who stand out even in a crowd like this. And that is what I aspire to do — get better and move forward as a player."

 

[HuskyNan]

That is the one fault I've ever found with Collier's game. She has a tendency to force dribble up the floor and it often ends up in turnovers. She's not a guard, can't stress that enough.

She's 17.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

She's 17.

Doesn't matter how old or young she is. I've seen this one issue with her in high school, AAU games, and now prospect showcases. You don't want her over dribbling up the floor through defenders anymore than you would Swin Cash. Fortunately, UConn has the guards and head coach who will make sure she doesn't do it anymore.

 

[connboy77]

I watched the complete game and there is very little doubt that Collier is going to be a very special player for UCONN. This young lady can do it all. Score, rebound, and play defense. Yesterday she was the best player on the floor.

 

[rvwsleep]

FWIW. Napheesa Collier, Born on Sept. 23, 1996, in Jefferson City, Missouri.
She's 18 now and will be 19 later this year. She is a year older than most of the other HS seniors.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Napheesa should look at Maya's arms and then hit the weight room.

Girl got guns!

 

[Gus Mahler]

FWIW. Napheesa Collier, Born on Sept. 23, 1996, in Jefferson City, Missouri.
She's 18 now and will be 19 later this year. She is a year older than most of the other HS seniors.

Uh-oh . . .

 

[Gus Mahler]

I think Napheesa is a marvel. What length! I cannot wait to see her next year. I think she will benefit greatly from playing with players who are as good or better than she is.

 

[EricLA]

Fantastic for Nahpeesa. It looks like several others had nice lines as well - Taja Cole, Kiah Gillespie, Anigwe, etc.

But really only players like Collier, Cole, Higgs and Walker shot good %'s. Kids that know when to take a shot and take the right one. A LOT of the kids missed a boatload of shots.

1. Anigwe 5-13 - for a forward that's not so good
2. Mabrey - 0-8
3. Watts 3-12
4. Gillespie 5-18 (i saw her quote - She's already got a scholly to a college. Who is she trying to impress when she wants to "establish herself as one of the best players in the country"?
5. Mompremier 3-11
6. Ogunbowale 1-8
7. Cooper 2-11

I get that it's an all star game and you can't read a lot into it. The list is filled with 24 kids who will make huge impacts on their respective teams and for all of WCBB over the next 4 years. Still, so glad we got the kids we did. How about Boykin - 2 points in 1-2 shooting, 4 boards, 1 assist and 1 steal. I know she did not light up the box score but she was one of the few kids not out there just jacking up shots...

 

[NewCorn]

That's CD's job. Relative to Gabby and Kaleena's shoe incidents this year, a loose shoelace is small potatoes.

When you're holding the MOP trophy, you get to tie your shoes anyway you like.

 

[rvwsleep]

Fantastic for Nahpeesa. It looks like several others had nice lines as well - Taja Cole, Kiah Gillespie, Anigwe, etc.

But really only players like Collier, Cole, Higgs and Walker shot good %'s. Kids that know when to take a shot and take the right one. A LOT of the kids missed a boatload of shots.

1. Anigwe 5-13 - for a forward that's not so good
2. Mabrey - 0-8
3. Watts 3-12
4. Gillespie 5-18 (i saw her quote - She's already got a scholly to a college. Who is she trying to impress when she wants to "establish herself as one of the best players in the country"?
5. Mompremier 3-11
6. Ogunbowale 1-8
7. Cooper 2-11

I get that it's an all star game and you can't read a lot into it. The list is filled with 24 kids who will make huge impacts on their respective teams and for all of WCBB over the next 4 years. Still, so glad we got the kids we did. How about Boykin - 2 points in 1-2 shooting, 4 boards, 1 assist and 1 steal. I know she did not light up the box score but she was one of the few kids not out there just jacking up shots...

Good analysis about "jacking up shots". Collier was one of the few players that actually looked to get the ball into the post. Most were just intent on getting their shot off.
A few other observations. Some of the players who did very well in the McDonald's game did poorly in this game. Mabrey, who played well in the McD game,seemed out of her league, athletic wise, this game. Cooper, who went wild in the McD game, barely registered at all yesterday. Ogunbowale was the unfortunate recipient of being defended by one Napheesa Collier for a large bulk of the minutes that Arike played. You can see how that turned out.

 

[EricLA]

Good analysis about "jacking up shots". Collier was one of the few players that actually looked to get the ball into the post. Most were just intent on getting their shot off.
A few other observations. Some of the players who did very well in the McDonald's game did poorly in this game. Mabrey, who played well in the McD game,seemed out of league, athletic wise, this game. Cooper, who went wild in the McD game, barely registered at all yesterday. Ogunbowale was the unfortunate recipient of being defended by one Napheesa Collier for a large bulk of the minutes that Arike played. You can see how that turned out.

Loved your last line. I think this kid will remind many of Maya Moore, a lot of the time. I think she may be quicker than Maya too. No one could deny Maya's athleticism, but her first step is not terribly quick.

 

[HuskyNan]

Doesn't matter how old or young she is. I've seen this one issue with her in high school, AAU games, and now prospect showcases. You don't want her over dribbling up the floor through defenders anymore than you would Swin Cash. Fortunately, UConn has the guards and head coach who will make sure she doesn't do it anymore.

I've seen a ton of high school and AAU basketball through the years. One thing I've noticed is that when a team has a superstar, they tend to expect her to do everything. You might be dinging her for something that her coach told her to do.

One of the reasons Geno is reluctant to take JUCOs is that he says it takes a full year to break players of their bad habits. I'm sure that he will let Napheesa know when it's OK for a post player to be handling the ball and when it's not. I'm also sure that it's not going to happen overnight - they're called habits for a reason - but she'll learn. I just don't think it's fair to criticize her for something that 1. she may have been expected to do in high school and 2. something that will be corrected at UConn. Hence my comment - she's young, she'll learn.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I just don't think it's fair to criticize her for something that 1. she may have been expected to do in high school and 2. something that will be corrected at UConn. Hence my comment - she's young, she'll learn.

You are mistaking an observation for criticism. And #2 on your list is exactly what I said in my last post. It's a correctable thing, and she won't feel obligated to do it at UConn.

 

[TFintheMix]

geesh Kiah tell us why you really took those 18 shots:

"Playing in a game like this just gives me a chance to try to establish myself as one of the top players in the country," Gillespie said. "I mean, we are all top players in an event like this. But there are others who stand out even in a crowd like this. And that is what I aspire to do — get better and move forward as a player."

Apparently, establishing herself was more important than winning. She took a lot of ill advised long shots when the West needed good possessions. I would have liked her to take better/high percentage shots.

 

[CocoHusky]

Watts- heading to UNC is starting to grow on me. Second allstar game where she trew a behind the back pass which was both the right pass to make and spectacular. She also hit the last two 3 pointers in last 30 Sec of th game that brought them from 5 back to win by 1. Prior to those last too shot she must have been 1 for 10 so MVP was out of the qustion. She also show good ball handeling, she over pernetrated a few times but nice tool set and size.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Apparently, establishing herself was more important than winning. She took a lot of ill advised long shots when the West needed good possessions. I would have liked her to take better/high percentage shots.

Apparently, establishing herself was more important than winning. She took a lot of ill advised long shots when the West needed good possessions. I would have liked her to take better/high percentage shots.

Wonder if this is why Geno shied away from her?

 

[CocoHusky]

Wonder if this is why Geno shied away from her?

I hope not. Drawing a conclusion (good or bad) from an all-star game is dangerous. Sadie Edwards was awful last year, and a complete team player like Boykin is almost always invisible in those type of events.

 

[triaddukefan]

Watts- heading to UNC is starting to grow on me. Second allstar game where she trew a behind the back pass which was both the right pass to make and spectacular. She also hit the last two 3 pointers in last 30 Sec of th game that brought them from 5 back to win by 1. Prior to those last too shot she must have been 1 for 10 so MVP was out of the qustion. She also show good ball handeling, she over pernetrated a few times but nice tool set and size.

You think she can play the point at times ?

 

[CocoHusky]

You think she can play the point at times ?

Definitely. She has PG skills, sees the floor really well.

 

[Gus Mahler]

I hope not. Drawing a conclusion (good or bad) from an all-star game is dangerous. Sadie Edwards was awful last year, and a complete team player like Boykin is almost always invisible in those type of events.

What I mean is, did Geno see selfishness a long time ago and that turned him off to her. For sure, one can't infer much from an all-star game.

Though I will in Collier's case! (But I saw her a lot last summer in the international competition.)

 

[DaddyChoc]

What I mean is, did Geno see selfishness a long time ago and that turned him off to her.

yeah I'm sure that's what happened

 

[Sluconn Husky]

KLS Q&A:

http://blog.finishline.com/2015/04/25/jordan-brand-classic-katie-lou-samuelson/