Lauren Betts to Stanford

[CocoHusky]

First, congrats to Lauren on choosing Stanford: great school, great coach, and great program! They are going to be a lot of fun to watch over the next few years! ☺️ ?

And every time I read a "player commitment" thread, I'm reminded of the lyrics in Soak Up the Sun by Sheryl Crow:

"It's not having what you want... It's wanting what you've got."

And while it would be fantastic to land all of these terrific student athletes, I couldn't be happier with OUR team: Past, present, and future ?

"In a world where you can be anything...be KIND"

That is actually a great song lyric, as a life & sports domination philosophy though it is a little bit lacking.
I like this one a little better:
"Don't bring a knife to a gun fight, you'll lose"

 

[NormanDale]

Wow! I didn't realize the entire future of UConn Women's basketball hinges on one high school post player. Do you know that 5 of the top 17 2022 Hoopgurlz identify as posts. In an era when most high school bigs identify a forwards. almost a third of the top 17 are posts. What about 2023 second ranked post Letycia Vasconcelos 6'7" as a sophomore. Maybe we can get her for our volleyball team.

Who said "the entire future of UConn Women's basketball hinges on one high school post player?"

 

[CocoHusky]

Hey @CocoHusky, I think someone has hacked your account. They are posting a bunch of stupid stuff under your name. Perhaps the mods can help you out.

Aaliyah Edwards is by any definition a post player. She plays the 4. The fact that in high school she was the best player on her team and played all 5 positions does not change her position in college.

Who is the #1 post in 2021;

Class Year	Overall Rank	Position Rank	Rating	Position	Player	Player Videos	State	Height	Committed School	High School
2021	1	1	50	G	Azzi Fudd		VA	5' 11"	Connecticut	St. John's College Prep (DC)
2021	2	2	50	G	Saniya Rivers		NC	5' 10"	South Carolina	Laney HS (NC)
2021	3	1	50	P	Amari Deberry		NY	6' 5"	Connecticut	Williamsville South

Charlie Collier would be playing at Connecticut if not for a hurricane that made her fearful of being with her parents. The fact that she chose UConn means UConn recruiting did not fail on her but an act of God intervened.

It's Charli Collier and I think my account is just fine. Before you start throwing out words like "stupid" please reread what I wrote:
"Who is the #1 post in 2021? Where did she sign?
A: ESPN says it's Maryam Dauda. Baylor.

2021 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings - espnW 100 - ESPN

Get the inside scoop on the top ranked high school girls' basketball players. In-depth player briefings, film and more on ESPNHS.com.

www.espn.com

When Aliyah Edwards is in the Game with ONO she is playing the 4. When she backing up ONO she is the 5. BOTH are POST positions.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

Isn’t there a 6’7” player in Arizona who’s highly ranked and in the same class? Is UConn recruiting her?

 

[Carnac]

Basketball is a 5 player game

When 10 people are available. Sometimes there are only 4-5 guys hanging out that want to play a pick up game. Most of us have played a 2 man game during our summer vacation daze in our youth.

 

[CocoHusky]

Isn’t there a 6’7” player in Arizona who’s highly ranked and in the same class? Is UConn recruiting her?

Yes her name is Kennedy Basham. UCONN is not likely recruiting her. She does have a connections to UCONN because she played AAU ball with Ice Brady and UCONN player of interest Jennah Isai. Basham is a very skilled player but awfully skinny.

​

 

[Zanzman]

When 10 people are available. Sometimes there are only 4-5 guys hanging out that want to play a pick up game. Most of us have played a 2 man game during our summer vacation daze in our youth.

What does have to do with my response please don’t treat me as if I’m stupid

 

[Carnac]

What does have to do with my response please don’t treat me as if I’m stupid

It had everything to do with your response.

HuskeyinSC wrote "Maybe we can set up a half court 2-on-2. You set the bet. I'll take Paige and Azzi and you can take any two Stanford players on their roster next year. You want some of that?"

You responded "Basketball is a 5 player game" In truth, your response had nothing to do with HuskeyinSC's comment. My response to your comment was not to suggest you are stupid, but to remind you that people still play 2 on 2 basketball games everyday. HuskieinSC's comment DID NOT mention anything about a 5 on 5 match. It clearly suggested a 2 on 2 match up.

In the 6 years I've been posting here in the yard, I've never called anyone a name, nor have I suggested or questioned the level of anyone's intelligence quotient. Sorry if I offended you.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

No Chicken Little here but Betts has generated more buzz than ONO, AE, Amari, Piath, and Ice as a post player because none were ranked #1 in the class. Betts might not be "generational" talent but we also can keep missing out on these really good post players and keep pretending UCONN be fine.

Nelson-Ododa was ranked #1 by all four major outlets as a junior. She ended her high school career #1 at ASGR. She exploded prior to her sophomore season whereas Betts has been benighted since she entered high school. I like ONO's skillset more though she is not yet the college force I think she should/will be.

 

[DEpup]

Thanks to @Sluconn Husky and another poster who briefly joined the BY I've watched many Edwards high school games and highlights. Edwards has good/great post skill but her best skills are facing the basket, using the bounce, running the floor and as a perimeter defender. The failings of Lattimore does not fundamentally change Aaliyah skill set no more than her current role (backing up ONO) in the post. For her size Edwards is a world class perimeter defender- unfortunately UCONN will not get to see that until next year.

I think you are proving my point why front court players like Edwards and Ice fit in with the motion positionless bball that UConn plays. I loved watching Stewie and Tuck work together and could switch on everything because they had skill to work away from the basket. I have not seen film on Betts where I think that style would work for her.

 

[bluedevil]

Nelson-Ododa was ranked #1 by all four major outlets as a junior. She ended her high school career #1 at ASGR. She exploded prior to her sophomore season whereas Betts has been benighted since she entered high school. I like ONO's skillset more though she is not yet the college force I think she should/will be.

And time is running out.

 

[southie]

It's interesting that Stanford never went away, its been here all along. But for some reason, it has become attractive and fashionable again. Tara is recruiting (getting commitments) top elite athletes again. As other posters have mentioned, Tara can't get some of the players she would like to have, because they can't qualify to get in to Stanford. Tara recruits with one hand tied behind her back.

Stanford has ALWAYS put a very high premium on academics. ALL of their athletic programs operate under the same "rules of engagement". No one slips in the back door. If you're an athlete, you MUST qualify academically first. If not, they move on the the next player of interest.

Unfortunately not all of the top 100 athletes in the various rating services are top academic scholars. Some of them are "C" students at best.

Could be that Tara brought in new assistant coaches who are better recruiters than those she had on staff previously; not sure as I haven't followed things closely. Or, could be that one recruit was a bell-cow for others who followed.

Their women's volleyball program went with only one Final Four appearance between 2009 and 2015 (unheard of for a program with such rich history of championships). But, when they landed the elite of the elite players in 2016, they made four consecutive Final Fours and won titles in 2016, 2018, and 2019.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

And time is running out.

This season may yet be cancelled. Either way, the NCAA will have interesting decisions to make. Do those who are at schools that opted to stop playing get this year of eligibility back? What if the season as a whole gets stopped soon? Much as I want basketball, it's really looking like a bad idea to try and squeeze this in.

 

[CocoHusky]

Gee Coco if I didn't know any better you are starting to sound like me!! As long as UConn keeps getting skilled and mobile 6'3"-6'4" forwards I can live without a less mobile battle ship in the middle..........it's having to match a 5'11" guard/wing on a 6'5" post that was driving me crazy.......

When you are going into battle it's better having a battleship than not. UCONN is also blessed with a battle captain that is skilled enough to know how to properly utilize a battle ship so as not to be slowed down. I've kind of move on from Betts, however part of my "pretending" comment was sparked by a different post when Maya Nnaji did not even include UCONN in her top 13 schools and many of the same comments such as :we really don't need her" were first said. We need better post players to complement the terrific guard play we are getting from Paige now and I just don't want to be saying this same thing a year from now or the year after that. Yea that's it Maya Nnaji come on down!

 

[hoophuskee]

No Chicken Little here but Betts has generated more buzz than ONO, AE, Amari, Piath, and Ice as a post player because none were ranked #1 in the class. Betts might not be "generational" talent but we also can keep missing out on these really good post players and keep pretending UCONN be fine.

IMO a lot of the argument comes back to the point in bold. It's almost as if you think UCONN and other fans are delusional for thinking UCONN is a major threat to win a title because UCONN doesn't have the number 1 post game.

Making a comment like "keep pretending UCONN be fine" implies those fans that think UCONN is doing fine are pretending/not understanding reality and are under some sort of delusion.

 

[CocoHusky]

IMO a lot of the argument comes back to the point in bold. It's almost as if you think UCONN and other fans are delusional for thinking UCONN is a major threat to win a title because UCONN doesn't have the number 1 post game.

Making a comment like "keep pretending UCONN be fine" implies those fans that think UCONN is doing fine are pretending/not understanding reality and are under some sort of delusion.

You are putting way too much effort into unpacking that statement. I would never call UCONN fans delusional- well... OK technically maybe I have when dealing with @Charliebball. For me it comes down to what your aspirations are for this program. Geno want's to make UCONN bad for WCBB again.
I want a return to the throne for these Queens + an extended reign. Too many UCONN fans have become content with getting to or contending for a Final 4.
Given those aspirations every time UCONN miss out on a kid that could help you achieve that you should feel disappointed. Disappointed in the same way if you were to ask that girl everyone thinks is going to be the prom queen out & she says no. You should be even more disappointed when you find out that girl said yes, to that kid that has been steadily plotting to steal your lunch money.

 

[hoophuskee]

You are putting way too much effort into unpacking that statement. I would never call UCONN fans delusional- well... OK technically maybe I have when dealing with @Charliebball. For me it comes down to what your aspirations are for this program. Geno want's to make UCONN bad for WCBB again.
I want a return to the throne for these Queens + and extended reign. Too many UCONN fans have become content with getting to or contending for a Final 4.
Given those aspirations every time UCONN miss out on a kid that could help you achieve that you should feel disappointed. Disappointed in the same way if you were to ask that girl everyone thinks is going to be the prom queen out & she says no. You should be even more disappointed when you find out that girl said yes, to that kid that has been steadily plotting to steal your lunch money.

You used the word "pretending." Some Synonyms for "pretend" are

"Sham" "Bluff" "Fudge" "Hoodwink." "DELUDE."

None of those words including "pretend" are appropriate- are they? If so - where are fans "pretending" over the next few years with UCONN?

I don't feel too many UCONN fans have been content with just going to Final Four and losing. It has nothing to do with being "content." It's that those fans aren't delusional and have a grip of reality that you can't win every year roll through everyone. YOU didn't suggest that from what I read also. Or are you? Other teams have scholarship players too. Other super coaches recruit too. Other colleges are extremely beautiful too and offer great education too. Two straight years of losing on a buzzer beater after the previous 3 years you lose one game is pretty amazing.

 

[CocoHusky]

You used the word "pretending." Some Synonyms for "pretend" are

"Sham" "Bluff" "Fudge" "Hoodwink." "DELUDE."

None of those words including "pretend" are appropriate- are they? If so - where are fans "pretending" over the next few years with UCONN?

I don't feel too many UCONN fans have been content with just going to Final Four and losing. It has nothing to do with being "content." It's that those fans aren't delusional and have a grip of reality that you can't win every year roll through everyone. YOU didn;t suggest that from what I read. Or are you? Other teams have scholarship players too. Other super coaches recruit too. Other colleges are extremely beautiful too and offer great education too. Two straight years of losing on a buzzer beater after the previous 3 years you lose one game is pretty amazing.

Well I'll use you as an example of pretending. In a few prior threads you penciled in ONO as possible future AA or honorable AA along with CW and was severely offended by an opinion that AM was no where near AA. That kind of pretending was synonymous with a "fudge".
BTW where is it written that UCONN "can't win every year roll through everyone". Talk about being hoodwinked

 

[hoophuskee]

Well I'll use you as an example of pretending. In a few prior threads you penciled in ONO as possible future AA or honorable AA along with CW and was severely offended by an opinion that AM was no where near AA. That kind of pretending was synonymous with a "fudge".
BTW where is it written that UCONN "can't win every year roll through everyone". Talk about being hoodwinked

Well I think you are taking my posts way out of context. IMO, as I've mentioned before, when you get dug in you throw everything out there. Please provide the link where I was "offended."

When it came to AM how many times did I say IF IF IF IF she would become the number 1 option from 3pt range because if I said IF CWiIll didn't perform she could become it top option IF she hit her shots. I referred to Anna that she had to hit her shots didn't I? I said it "was possible" she could, right? Go back on all my posts on that thread and see how often I used the word IF when it came to Anna. And you are saying I was "offended?"

And I predicted ONO as 3rd team A/a before season started - but doesn't it stand to reason that she had to play other stars? I had said she was going to outplay the Miss State center. Never had a chance for that have we? Never had a chance to go against Louisville. To go against Baylor.

And to get back on track with your post you said "keep pretending UCONN be fine"

" Some Synonyms for "pretend" are

"Sham" "Bluff" "Fudge" "Hoodwink." "DELUDE."

None of those words including "pretend" are appropriate for UCONN- are they? If so - where are fans "pretending" over the next few years with UCONN? You said UCONN here. Not a player. I'm not arguing yet. But where is the "pretend" for this team when it comes to championships? Are you suggesting UCONN has no shot this year and next several because they haven't landed the number 1 post? If you think they are title worthy then where is the "pretend" with UCONN? You said UCONN - not a player.

 

[Waquoit]

I can't hate Stanford. One of my favorite memories was sitting at the bar in the Stardust racebook watching the 1996 semis. Along walks by a jock looking guy in sweats with two young daughters. "Hold it a sec girls, let me get the score of the Stanford game." I belched, "They're losing by 25." "Let's go girls!"

 

[enigmatic]

I really wanted Betts but it's Stanford so you can't blame her. With that all said and done I hope we can at least land Barker, Patterson, or Rice. Gardiner was on my wish list too but don't think she considered or was considered by UCONN

 

[bluedevil]

IMO a lot of the argument comes back to the point in bold. It's almost as if you think UCONN and other fans are delusional for thinking UCONN is a major threat to win a title because UCONN doesn't have the number 1 post game.

Making a comment like "keep pretending UCONN be fine" implies those fans that think UCONN is doing fine are pretending/not understanding reality and are under some sort of delusion.

Even the Yankees take a decade off from winning the WS ...

 

[MilfordHusky]

And time is running out.

7 games into her junior season, Tina Charles was not yet playing at a 1st team All-American level. By March, she was. And the following year, she was in NPOY Beast Mode. I’m not saying Liv is going to be Tina Charles, but she still has some time to improve.