Kiah Stokes: Rebound Nazi

[Minicoop69]

my favorite part. And every time something went right for ND and the crowd got fired up, UConn has an answer...and yes, shut them up.

Loved it.

The student section had some good signs about Stevie though. Made me laugh as I read them. I sat behind the band and you are correct that they would cheer on everything. Even down by 18 and they made a shot they cheered. Stupid.

 

[HoopsFan21]

The student section had some good signs about Stevie though. Made me laugh as I read them. I sat behind the band and you are correct that they would cheer on everything. Even down by 18 and they made a shot they cheered. Stupid.

No way. I loved it. Such an awesome environment. One thing I dislike is when the crowd goes quiet. Today's did too, but with a glimmer of hope came a loud and raucous crowd. At XL or Gampel it's more like golf claps.

 

[rugbymate]

I know that Tuck will get most of the kudos for this game (deserved) but for me the real story was Stokes. She turned the game around.

I will never criticize her lack of offense again.

 

[rugbymate]

Kiah's game reminds me of Bill Russel's. Blocked shots, rebounding and winning. We have so many offensive minded players which allows her to focus on her strengths. We don't need double digit points from her.

 

[uconnfan68]

I'm also starting to suspect that her reputation as a shot-blocker is helping her out with the refs. Although she was called for one foul on a play that could have just as easily been not called, there were a couple of close no-calls where Lloyd was none to pleased.

And as the announcers explained the rules, Kiah was in the right every time (going straight up). Just because the refs at the game can't see every angle, or don't understand the rule, doesn't make the no-calls anything more than whining.

 

[uconnfan68]

" . . . .No boards for you !! "

View attachment 7795

When you want to change the game, when you want to limit opponents to a single shot (if you don't block it first), then you simply put Kiah in. She is the MOST DOMINANT rebounder and shotblocker in wcbb.

 

[huskiemaniac]

So true, ND fans have no class with other team players.

Geez...it's part of being a fan and creating a home court advantage...I'll take it over some of our morgue-like crowds!

 

[alexrgct]

I'm also trying to track Kiah's +/- in this game. Not sure about the second half, but she was +18 in the first half alone. Yes, that swing happened because of the poise and composure a bunch of kids showed today, but Kiah's rebounding absolutely reduced the number of second-chance opportunities ND had been getting.

Bottom line, Kiah is great at what she does, and the kind of stuff she does was just what the doctor ordered today.

Just to follow up on this:

In the first half, she came in when the score was 28-18 ND. By the half's conclusion (when she was still in), the score was 40-32 UConn.

In the second half, she came in with the score 50-36 UConn and left when it was 73-54.

By my calculations, that's a +/- of +23. No too shabby, Kiah.

 

[Hongster]

Geez...it's part of being a fan and creating a home court advantage...I'll take it over some of our morgue-like crowds!

True. But, to what extend? ND fans are lowest in this category, they yell and scream without a good cause.

 

[alexrgct]

Geez...it's part of being a fan and creating a home court advantage...I'll take it over some of our morgue-like crowds!

You're definitely right that when the game isn't competitive, our crowds are very quiet, but we also have some great crowds. For instance, I was at Baylor 2013, and even though it was ultimately a loss, the crowd was fantastic.

 

[ursusminor]

And as the announcers explained the rules, Kiah was in the right every time (going straight up). Just because the refs at the game can't see every angle, or don't understand the rule, doesn't make the no-calls anything more than whining.

Yeah, but I feel like on a lot of those 50-50 calls (there was contact, sure, but is it a no-call, or defensive foul? Maybe even an offensive foul?), Kiah gets a fair number of no-calls. Compared to, say, Stef Dolson, who definitely committed some fouls, but also seemed to get whistled up on a lot of those 50-50s.

 

[Zorro]

You must be thnking about a defferent Stef Solson. OUR Stef Dolson NEVER committed a foul!! She got called for a few, but never actually committed one. You could tell by the hurt expression on her face each time she was called that the call had been unjust.

 

[Geno-ista]

Typical ND reaction... They expect the call... Remember their flops in the past few years???

Mabrey got another academy award one of those dramatic contortions as Morgan posted up high. I guess you can call it smart. She is such a phony with that stuff. That call was a joke.

 

[bschwartz]

Example of Kiah's defense versus Jewell Loyd
LINK

 

[VAMike23]

Example of Kiah's defense versus Jewell Loyd LINK

That was an awesome sequence !!

How about a little later, when she bodied up Taya Reimer on defense and then proceeded to basically just wrestle the ball away from her ?? That was funny !

 

[katiecrum1992]

You must be thnking about a defferent Stef Solson. OUR Stef Dolson NEVER committed a foul!! She got called for a few, but never actually committed one. You could tell by the hurt expression on her face each time she was called that the call had been unjust.

I just realize now how much I miss that

 

[Bayareahusky]

Kiah - fantastic game!!!! save some of that for the tournament!!!!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Example of Kiah's defense versus Jewell Loyd
LINK

A great sequence. ND was simply not going to score underneath. She was Grineresque.

 

[HuskyNan]

True. But, to what extend? ND fans are lowest in this category, they yell and scream without a good cause.

I don't think fans cheering for their teams makes them obnoxious. Check this out:

GQ: Maryland basketball fans among America’s worst, Washington Post

 

[OldAlum]

Hey, WCBB needs enthusiastic fans. Yes, even ND fans. I don't think anybody from the visiting team side should criticize how they cheer. As long as they avoid personal attacks, racial comments, etc. let'em scream.

 

[Rudy2014]

Bottom Line: So happy for Kiah. She's such a nice kid. I've been a fan since her high school announcement taking up UConn's offer. She is perhaps the best rebounder and shot blocker UConn has ever had on a per minute basis. I hope she finally recognizes how valuable she can be to the Huskies cause with her defense. Any and all offense is just gravy. Great game, Kiah. Congrats.

 

[bschwartz]

Tough to actually track, but she altered a lot of shots too. I saw a bunch of cases where ND shooters had to shoot with a higher arc when Kiah was around. Don't know by how much, but I think it clearly impacted their shooting percentage.

 

[psconn]

Bottom Line: So happy for Kiah. She's such a nice kid. I've been a fan since her high school announcement taking up UConn's offer. She is perhaps the best rebounder and shot blocker UConn has ever had on a per minute basis. I hope she finally recognizes how valuable she can be to the Huskies cause with her defense. Any and all offense is just gravy. Great game, Kiah. Congrats.

Kiah DO NOT believe the post above. Close your eyes and repeat after me: "I am a red-eyed, shot-blocking, intimidating BEAST; a board-erasing, put-back draining, dream-crushing, fang bearing MONSTER who absolutely BRINGS IT every day!" The "nice kid" stuff can wait until after tourney time.

 

[Ouremblem]

And as the announcers explained the rules, Kiah was in the right every time (going straight up). Just because the refs at the game can't see every angle, or don't understand the rule, doesn't make the no-calls anything more than whining.

Lloyd whined quite a bit. The thing that pleased me the most is Mo had rough game, they missed a lot of layups as a team and Courtney still isn't playing yet and we still romped. When Courtney starts playing the 2 woman game with Breanna, Breanna may actually get some shooting room. I feel for Breanna. Her presence on defense is awesome. She alters SO many shots. On offense she makes life much easier for everyone else getting double teamed. I hope she can stay calm about her point totals going down this season, but teams aren't going to let her beat them. As for Kiah, what an awesome presence! She has the gift shot blocking! She does remind me of Bill Russell. In my youth I was at MSG and Bill Bradley & Walt Frazier came down on a 2 on 1, the one being Russell. All the way down they passed the ball back and forth, and you just KNEW neither one wanted to challenge Russell. Well, Frazier got the ball last, tried a layup and Russell blocked the shot, the ball hit Frazier's leg and went out of bounds. The look on Frazier's face! He was done, and the Knicks were done too and collapsed after that. Kudos, Kiah!!!!

 

[Waquoit]

Kiah's game reminds me of Bill Russel's. Blocked shots, rebounding and winning. We have so many offensive minded players which allows her to focus on her strengths. We don't need double digit points from her.

That's a fair comment based on yesterday. She was incredible against a top team. I thinks it's fair to pronounce that she's made "the leap."