Kelly Faris and All American consideration

[VAMike23]

Graham Hays and I were discussing this last night...we were kind of leaning toward an off the cuff idea of second team All-American.

The season is still young.....

 

[Gurleyman]

Maybe. What has she done against top 10 teams or AA opponents? (That's a request for info, not a shot. I really don't know who Delaware has played this season and how/if DellaDonne has played against top caliber opponents.)

She's missed six games with her illness, and is averaging 24 pts and nine rebounds on the year. She had 19 points on 7-19 shooting and six boards in a loss to Maryland which was right after she came back. She had 17 and 12 on 6-19 shooting in a low-scoring win over Villanova (59-44 or so). He had 29 and 16 including the buzzer-beater in a one-point OT win over St. John's (which is down a bit), but shot 7-23. She did not play against Georgetown, when they lost a pretty close one (59-52 or so) without her.

She just had 38 on 14-20 shooting in her last game (albeit against their last place team in their league), so she seems to be back in form. Delaware is 13-3 with nothing but league games left on their schedule.

She's missed a lot of games and hasn't had great shooting nights against her top opponents. My take is she'll still be an A-A on reputation and a lifetime achievement sort of thing - voters will use the illness as a way to cut her some slack for the holes in her resume.

 

[Jonathan Husky]

In Duke game ESPN coverage, as Kelly was on her way to an impressive double-double, while simultaneously playing shut-down defense against the vaunted Chelsea Gray, Rebecca Lobo asked "should Kelly Faris receive AA consideration?"

Answer: "No"

Rebecca followed up with "consieration at least?"

Still no positive response.

That is not right. If Kelly continues her present path of stellar all around play, and shut-down defense of opponents' best player, game in and game out, AA honors should follow. There was no basis for a "No" answer on a national telecast, no less, when Kelly had just posted a double/double and when Chelsea Gray was sitting on the bench looking like a deer in the path of oncoming headlights.

I protest!

:-/

This is a late response. But why would anybody give credence to Pam Ward's observation. She is a second tier announcer with no real basketball insight.

I was disappointed that Rebecca , a hall of famer and respected analyst should even ask Ward the question. She should have stated her opinion which I am sure was that Kelly clearly played like an AA.

IMO the Duke game is Kelly's AA coming out game. Everyone who saw her on national TV saw one of the all time great performances in WCBB.

If Kelly continues to play at this level she will be an AA as will KML.

 

[meyers7]

This is a late response. But why would anybody give credence to Pam Ward's observation.

Well let's hope some people do, because her opinion of Faris is pretty good.

 

[Kibitzer]

Early in this thread, discussing skilled defensive bb players, it was inevitable that Bill Russell's name popped up. He was, of course, incomparable but he had some help. Satch Saunders, for one.

Russ also learned a bit about mind games from the master, Red Auerbach. In his book, Russ tells how he once gave Satch some unorthodox help. In a game with the Knicks when Bill Bradley was lighting Satch up for three quarters. Someone was about to shoot a free throw, but just before they did, Russ walked across the lane and got in Satch's face (Bradley beside him, within earshot).

Russ, loudly and nastily to Satch: "Can't you guard this m----r f----r?"

Bradley (Princeton/Rhodes Scholar/Oxford/later US Senate) was shocked! He also went scoreless in the fourth quarter.

 

[jplotinus]

Early in this thread, discussing skilled defensive bb players, it was inevitable that Bill Russell's name popped up. He was, of course, incomparable but he had some help. Satch Saunders, for one.

Russ also learned a bit about mind games from the master, Red Auerbach. In his book, Russ tells how he once gave Satch some unorthodox help. In a game with the Knicks when Bill Bradley was lighting Satch up for three quarters. Someone was about to shoot a free throw, but just before they did, Russ walked across the lane and got in Satch's face (Bradley beside him, within earshot).

Russ, loudly and nastily to Satch: "Can't you guard this m----r f----r?"

Bradley (Princeton/Rhodes Scholar/Oxford/later US Senate) was shocked! He also went scoreless in the fourth quarter.

There is basketball analysis, and then there is basketball insight.

The above is both the former and the latter.

 

[wallman]

Hands down an All Amercan, epitomizes an all around basketball player who does anything for her team, the type of player every coach wants on the floor.

 

[Sonny44]

It was that idiot Pam Ward. Terrible PBP announcer and now she exposes herself as someone who knows nothing about basketball.

Why blame Pam? She was right.
The vast majority of voters don't understand or recognize what Kelly does. The intangibles just aren't rewarded.
Look at the Heisman winners; only ball handlers are eligible.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Why blame Pam? She was right.
The vast majority of voters don't understand or recognize what Kelly does. The intangibles just aren't rewarded.
Look at the Heisman winners; only ball handlers are eligible.

Statistics, in general, do not measure defense. Box scores generally do not and cannot provide information as to which player guarded which opposing player.

Until this year, I liked Faris as a player, but I did not see the "special qualities" that Geno and the Boneyard faithful saw. Against Stanford, I started to see it. Against Duke, it was (painfully) obvious. She shut down one of the best point guards in the country (and the best pure passer in the country). She did not just hold her to bad shooting; she literally took her out of the game so much that Gray had to be moved off the ball to shooting guard.

Faris made Gray look like a high school freshman playing in her first state tournament. That cannot be measured in a box score. The fact that she went for a double-double, racked up several assists, and survived a chest bump from Geno (incidentally, how hysterical and adorable was that moment) gets my vote.

Reminded me of Duke in 2006-2007 and the undefeated regular season. Abby Waner was the team's leading scorer and also led in steals; she was the heart of the offense. But the glue of the team, the All-American on defense, and the juggernaut that allowed Waner to be Waner was Lindsey Harding, much in the same way Faris is doing that for KML.

 

[speedoo]

Statistics, in general, do not measure defense. Box scores generally do not and cannot provide information as to which player guarded which opposing player.

Until this year, I liked Faris as a player, but I did not see the "special qualities" that Geno and the Boneyard faithful saw. Against Stanford, I started to see it. Against Duke, it was (painfully) obvious. She shut down one of the best point guards in the country (and the best pure passer in the country). She did not just hold her to bad shooting; she literally took her out of the game so much that Gray had to be moved off the ball to shooting guard.

Faris made Gray look like a high school freshman playing in her first state tournament. That cannot be measured in a box score. The fact that she went for a double-double, racked up several assists, and survived a chest bump from Geno (incidentally, how hysterical and adorable was that moment) gets my vote.

Reminded me of Duke in 2006-2007 and the undefeated regular season. Abby Waner was the team's leading scorer and also led in steals; she was the heart of the offense. But the glue of the team, the All-American on defense, and the juggernaut that allowed Waner to be Waner was Lindsey Harding, much in the same way Faris is doing that for KML.

Thanks Cam.. Almost as impressive as what she did with Gray was the shutdown of Maryland's Alyssa Thomas, which was significant in that Kelly gave up about 4" in height.

 

[EricLA]

Statistics, in general, do not measure defense. Box scores generally do not and cannot provide information as to which player guarded which opposing player.

Until this year, I liked Faris as a player, but I did not see the "special qualities" that Geno and the Boneyard faithful saw. Against Stanford, I started to see it. Against Duke, it was (painfully) obvious. She shut down one of the best point guards in the country (and the best pure passer in the country). She did not just hold her to bad shooting; she literally took her out of the game so much that Gray had to be moved off the ball to shooting guard.

Faris made Gray look like a high school freshman playing in her first state tournament. That cannot be measured in a box score. The fact that she went for a double-double, racked up several assists, and survived a chest bump from Geno (incidentally, how hysterical and adorable was that moment) gets my vote.

Reminded me of Duke in 2006-2007 and the undefeated regular season. Abby Waner was the team's leading scorer and also led in steals; she was the heart of the offense. But the glue of the team, the All-American on defense, and the juggernaut that allowed Waner to be Waner was Lindsey Harding, much in the same way Faris is doing that for KML.

Great post.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Statistics, in general, do not measure defense. Box scores generally do not and cannot provide information as to which player guarded which opposing player.

Until this year, I liked Faris as a player, but I did not see the "special qualities" that Geno and the Boneyard faithful saw. Against Stanford, I started to see it. Against Duke, it was (painfully) obvious. She shut down one of the best point guards in the country (and the best pure passer in the country). She did not just hold her to bad shooting; she literally took her out of the game so much that Gray had to be moved off the ball to shooting guard.

Faris made Gray look like a high school freshman playing in her first state tournament. That cannot be measured in a box score. The fact that she went for a double-double, racked up several assists, and survived a chest bump from Geno (incidentally, how hysterical and adorable was that moment) gets my vote.

Reminded me of Duke in 2006-2007 and the undefeated regular season. Abby Waner was the team's leading scorer and also led in steals; she was the heart of the offense. But the glue of the team, the All-American on defense, and the juggernaut that allowed Waner to be Waner was Lindsey Harding, much in the same way Faris is doing that for KML.

You are an extraordinary individual, Cam...

 

[MilfordHusky]

You are an extraordinary individual, Cam...

I'm gagging!

 

[OneTrickPony]

I'm gagging!

Take smaller bites...

 

[EricLA]

You are an extraordinary individual, Cam...

Please let's not feed his ego. He's a good guy, who doesn't have quite the insane sense of entitlement or self importance that most of the Duke men's fans have. Plus he's a laywer (ugh!). Don't ever get into an argument with him!

 

[OneTrickPony]

Please let's not feed his ego. He's a good guy, who doesn't have quite the insane sense of entitlement or self importance that most of the Duke men's fans have. Plus he's a laywer (ugh!). Don't ever get into an argument with him!

I rarely get to see grace in defeat...give the man his due...

 

[Icebear]

Thanks Cam.. Almost as impressive as what she did with Gray was the shutdown of Maryland's Alyssa Thomas, which was significant in that Kelly gave up about 4" in height.

Or Shoni Schimmel.

 

[VAMike23]

Great post, Cam -

Aside from noting how Kelly successfully shut down Thomas, Gray, and others, your post may also be paying a silent compliment to ND's McBride.....

 

[magical2]

Or Shoni Schimmel.

I kept waiting for someone to add MAGGIE LUCAS she scored 15 points,but we were up by as much as 21
with less than 3;30 to play she hit a 2 pter and a 3 pter in garbage time plus Steph fouled her and she hit 2 fts soooooooooooo
IRA

 

[Icebear]

I kept waiting for someone to add MAGGIE LUCAS she scored 15 points,but we were up by as much as 21
with less than 3;30 to play she hit a 2 pter and a 3 pter in garbage time plus Steph fouled her and she hit 2 fts soooooooooooo
IRA

True. I couldn't remember if Kelly drew the assignment on Maggie.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Great post, Cam -

Aside from noting how Kelly successfully shut down Thomas, Gray, and others, your post may also be paying a silent compliment to ND's McBride.....

As it should...

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Great post, Cam -

Aside from noting how Kelly successfully shut down Thomas, Gray, and others, your post may also be paying a silent compliment to ND's McBride.....

To be honest, I only saw the last two minutes (if that) of the UConn-Notre Dame game, so I did not see the individual matchups or McBride's scoring. I saw Notre Dame hit free throws and I saw UConn's last shots before the horn.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

I rarely get to see grace in defeat...give the man his due...

Awe, shucks! Thank you.

Truth be told, ericsandiego is the board poster with whom I communicate the most off-board (phone, text, email, and, on occasion, in person). HuskyNan is second, and UCBart is third (in terms of off-board communication).

While HuskyNan and I have gone to a bowl game together (yes, I was cheering for UConn against Oklahoma in the 2011 Fiesta Bowl), we mainly communicate off board as it relates to a VERY important topic - Star Trek!