Kyla Irwin

[DEFCONN1]

How about Kyla's performance today at Houston. Along with her career high 8 pts., I was impressed with the way she took charge in the huddles. This young lady "gets it". Geno also praised Kyla's performance during the post game presser.

 

[DefenseBB]

She is doing all the little things she should and has made a marked improvement in knowledge, spacing and in conditioning. However she has to stop fouling! She committed 3 fouls in a very short amount of time and that has to stop. It’s a bad pattern she has. Other than that, she is a coach in the making.

 

[bags27]

This isn't Kyla's year: NEXT year and esp. the following are her years. It's not inconceivable she's a starter her senior year. Geno is grooming her for a lot bigger role in the future.

 

[uconnfan68]

She is doing all the little things she should and has made a marked improvement in knowledge, spacing and in conditioning. However she has to stop fouling! She committed 3 fouls in a very short amount of time and that has to stop. It’s a bad pattern she has. Other than that, she is a coach in the making.

2 were bad calls.

 

[CMC'72]

How about Kyla's performance today at Houston.

 

[Bronxjeff]

She continues to play great in her minutes. She wasn’t timid last year, but she has definitely improved her sophomore season.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Our leading shooters this season:

1. Gabby .592

2. Azura .583

3. Kyla .577

4. Kia .568

 

[UcMiami]

Great footwork. She is a classic 'coach's kid' - she may not be the most physically gifted player, but she is smart and and clearly all in with the program.

 

[hoophuskee]

Our leading shooters this season:

1. Gabby .592

2. Azura .583

3. Kyla .577

4. Kia .568

Our leading shooters in terms of efficency are

1-- Nurse 70.14
2-- Lou 63.95
3- Kyla 63.46
4-- AZ 59.94
5-- Gabby 59.17

 

[BroadwayVa]

How about Kyla's performance today at Houston. Along with her career high 8 pts., I was impressed with the way she took charge in the huddles. This young lady "gets it". Geno also praised Kyla's performance during the post game presser.

I can't remember when Geno said things like this about a bench player---the last time I remember a Frosh of Soph getting these words -was Maya---OOOP;s he gave them to Stewie just before she faded as a Frosh. But he never said I like to watch her play--he said that of Kyla

 

[JustinesGuy]

As Kyla's biggest supporter I could not be happier! I really hope Geno starts to throw her more and more minutes. Kyla is a leader and confident on the floor. I would bet she's a very important player on next years squad and dare I say a force her SR year..

 

[BroadwayVa]

This isn't Kyla's year: NEXT year and esp. the following are her years. It's not inconceivable she's a starter her senior year. Geno is grooming her for a lot bigger role in the future.

Nice tribute to a hard working, hard nose kid. Thanks Bags.
I look at Irwin becoming Geno's steady eddie---she won't give him flash, but if he needs a 3-she'll deliver. If he needs a stop, she'll make it. You may think Faris, I think Irwin while equally steady is more talented. With her new improved conditioning, she is quicker, has more endurance than in the past.

 

[JavaMan]

She is doing all the little things she should and has made a marked improvement in knowledge, spacing and in conditioning. However she has to stop fouling! She committed 3 fouls in a very short amount of time and that has to stop. It’s a bad pattern she has. Other than that, she is a coach in the making.

Kinda like Steph and Gabby in their early days?

​

 

[EricLA]

Nice tribute to a hard working, hard nose kid. Thanks Bags.
I look at Irwin becoming Geno's steady eddie---she won't give him flash, but if he needs a 3-she'll deliver. If he needs a stop, she'll make it. You may think Faris, I think Irwin while equally steady is more talented. With her new improved conditioning, she is quicker, has more endurance than in the past.

While I enjoy your posts and usually agree with you - am I reading your post correctly? You think Irwin is more talented than Faris? If that's what you meant, I do have to disagree.

Faris was one of the most gifted defenders UCONN has ever had. She was athletic, tenacious, and literally gave 100% effort every second she was on the court. She was a consensus top 10-15 kid coming out of high school, and had USA basketball experience on 2 teams (U18 and U19). Kelly averaged 19 MPG as a freshman and started every game the rest of her career from sophomore season on.

While I love what Irwin is showing us this season, she's nowhere near the player Faris was... I personally will be thrilled if Irwin has a career that mirrors Gardler's - eventually earning lots of PT off the bench her senior season...

 

[RockyMTblue2]

As Kyla's biggest supporter I could not be happier!

I dunno ... wouldn't you be Kylasguy then?

 

[BroadwayVa]

While I enjoy your posts and usually agree with you - am I reading your post correctly? You think Irwin is more talented than Faris? If that's what you meant, I do have to disagree.

Faris was one of the most gifted defenders UCONN has ever had. She was athletic, tenacious, and literally gave 100% effort every second she was on the court. She was a consensus top 10-15 kid coming out of high school, and had USA basketball experience on 2 teams (U18 and U19). Kelly averaged 19 MPG as a freshman and started every game the rest of her career from sophomore season on.

While I love what Irwin is showing us this season, she's nowhere near the player Faris was... I personally will be thrilled if Irwin has a career that mirrors Gardler's - eventually earning lots of PT off the bench her senior season...

No problem. I knew when I posted that --that Faris is an Emotional favorite. Your opinions are yours
and the way you think you saw Kelly.
Frankly, heresy-, I never felt the same about Kelly and apparently the Pro's saw what I saw. She worked hard, tried hard, gave the team 80 percent all the time. But just not a talented player. She had ONE very good game and never repeated that, and Geno commented on giving her too much praise for that one game. She never could defend a smaller Diggins, who took Kelly to defense school in a couple of games.
Irwin hasn't had the luxury of PT because she is on a more all around talented team--and honestly is still learning
I guess on this one ---we'll have to agree to disagree---I know my opinion is in the minority.
Opinions are what make the By go around.

 

[DefenseBB]

No problem. I knew when I posted that --that Faris is an Emotional favorite. Your opinions are yours
and the way you think you saw Kelly.
Frankly, heresy-, I never felt the same about Kelly and apparently the Pro's saw what I saw. She worked hard, tried hard, gave the team 80 percent all the time. But just not a talented player. She had ONE very good game and never repeated that, and Geno commented on giving her too much praise for that one game. She never could defend a smaller Diggins, who took Kelly to defense school in a couple of games.
Irwin hasn't had the luxury of PT because she is on a more all around talented team--and honestly is still learning
I guess on this one ---we'll have to agree to disagree---I know my opinion is in the minority.
Opinions are what make the By go around.

Broadway, you also just lost me. I usually see the logic in your views but now you absolutely went off the rails here with me. Faris made the pros and while a “fringe” player, still showed wherewithal to be a pro. Now I don’t want to be dismissive of Kyla’s effort but she doesn’t have the skills to be even be a fringe pro. She can develop into a nice role player if she continues to improve but she still is not great at defense. While some noted two fouls were questionable on her, I also thought the charge she accepted was questionable, she hadn’t truly establish position. Kelly, meanwhile was a starter who played significant minutes in all games all 4 years. Kyla is getting mop up duty and doing fairly well in it, but still in garbage time. She needs to show she can handle pressure minutes and thrive. She may get there or she may not, I will enjoy watching it. But to say the BY faithful never understood the fascination with Faris shows some gaps in either your knowledge (which given the knowledge I have seen you exhibit as being astute seems unlikely) or a bias completely for Kyla has caused you to become a tad blind. Kyla embodies what we all love- a hardworking kid exceeding expectations by using all her tools, same as Kelly did when she was here. Keep up the good work Kyla and earn more playing time in pressure games. But I dare say Kelly was still way ahead where Kyla is now (and that’s ok). Humbly submitted-Defense

 

[JustinesGuy]

I dunno ... wouldn't you be Kylasguy then?

That is a good one!!! Ha

 

[Huskee11]

This isn't Kyla's year: NEXT year and esp. the following are her years. It's not inconceivable she's a starter her senior year.

Definitely agree.

I think Walker sees a lot of time at the 2 next season, 2018-2019, which (with Gabby gone as well) should open up more minutes for Irwin who is a 3/4. Then for her senior year, 2019-2020, when Stevens, Samuelson and Collier have moved on, Walker probably moves to the 3 and the only other frontcourt players currently in the program besides Irwin are ONO and Camara.

I realize their skill sets are somewhat different, but how Camara develops will impact Kyla. Magbegor from Australia is another wild card here, although I don`t know how realistic she is for UConn at this point.

The current high school junior class may also have an impact, as they will be freshmen when Kyla is a senior. No accident that the recruiting focus is on frontcourt players like Brunelle and Boston, since our projected backcourt at that point looks deep and really good, but not much depth up front. Of course they will be freshmen at that point, for whatever that entails under our favorite demanding leader.

She may not project as a future WNBA player, but there is a lot to like about her game. She has improved significantly over her freshman year, and I think she will push herself to continue to get even better.

 

[vtcwbuff]

". . . . . but if he needs a 3-she'll deliver."

Irwin's 3pt % is .273. I don't think Auriemma is going to be looking to her for a clutch outside shot.

 

[Shorty Dee]

I love to watch Kyla. She is a hard worker. Kyla is going to be special, and a leader.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I love to watch Kyla. She is a hard worker. Kyla is going to be special, and a leader.

I can not agree more.

 

[cbraarj]

No problem. I knew when I posted that --that Faris is an Emotional favorite. Your opinions are yours
and the way you think you saw Kelly.
Frankly, heresy-, I never felt the same about Kelly and apparently the Pro's saw what I saw. She worked hard, tried hard, gave the team 80 percent all the time. But just not a talented player. She had ONE very good game and never repeated that, and Geno commented on giving her too much praise for that one game. She never could defend a smaller Diggins, who took Kelly to defense school in a couple of games.
Irwin hasn't had the luxury of PT because she is on a more all around talented team--and honestly is still learning
I guess on this one ---we'll have to agree to disagree---I know my opinion is in the minority.
Opinions are what make the By go around.

Kyla Irwin is only a 20/20/20 player at best! Sorry BV but no comparison.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Kyla Irwin is only a 20/20/20 player at best! Sorry BV but no comparison.

I agree---I didn't say I'd compare her to Kelly Faris--far from that --some may, not me. I like Irwin. Faris couldn't hit a 3 regularly until her senior year. Geno complained the opponent defense with Kelly in the line up played 5 on 4. And that proved true in many games--the defense laid off of her --she wouldn't /couldn/t shoot the 3. Irwin hits the 3 as a soph on a near regular basis and getting better, defense lays off of her at their regret.

 

[Jeff H]

No problem. I knew when I posted that --that Faris is an Emotional favorite. Your opinions are yours
and the way you think you saw Kelly.
Frankly, heresy-, I never felt the same about Kelly and apparently the Pro's saw what I saw. She worked hard, tried hard, gave the team 80 percent all the time. But just not a talented player. She had ONE very good game and never repeated that, and Geno commented on giving her too much praise for that one game. She never could defend a smaller Diggins, who took Kelly to defense school in a couple of games.
Irwin hasn't had the luxury of PT because she is on a more all around talented team--and honestly is still learning
I guess on this one ---we'll have to agree to disagree---I know my opinion is in the minority.
Opinions are what make the By go around.

Kelly Faris
2013 All-NCAA Tournament Team
• 2013 NCAA Tournament All-Bridgeport Regional Team
• 2012-13 USBWA All-America Team
• 2012-13 Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American
• 2012-13 All-BIG EAST Second Team
• 2012-13 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year
• 2012-13 BIG EAST Most Improved Player
• 2012-13 Wooden Award Midseason Watch List
• 2012-13 Naismith Trophy Preseason Watch List
• 2010-11 BIG EAST Honorable Mention
• 2009-10 BIG EAST All-Rookie Team

Sophomore season; 7.8 pts/game 6.7 rebounds 3.7 assists

Hard to make an argument so far that Irwin is the better player. Not impossible, but hard.