Let’s play 5 on 5. Who do you have?

[Amashutcha]

But if you watched the U17's Berube had Azzi bringing the ball up with the offense working through her instead of Paige. One reason was Azzi rarely turns the ball over, especially under full court pressure. Nice to have these options ain't it?

Ah I remember watching those U17 games back to back with Paige's U19 games and the improvement was huge.

 

[Boreifs]

But if you watched the U17's Berube had Azzi bringing the ball up with the offense working through her instead of Paige. One reason was Azzi rarely turns the ball over, especially under full court pressure. Nice to have these options ain't it?

Fact-based commentary. Love it

 

[Childhood]

But if you watched the U17's Berube had Azzi bringing the ball up with the offense working through her instead of Paige. One reason was Azzi rarely turns the ball over, especially under full court pressure. Nice to have these options ain't it?

It's true that Azzi was bringing the ball up but she was not the pg. She gave the ball to team mate beyond the arc immediately after the half court. She did not run the offense but rather more like a sg.
I reviewed the stat. Azzi had 11ast, 4TO in U17. Paige had 30ast, 8TO. And all the baseline inbound was made by Paige. She was the pg imo.

 

[JordyG]

It's true that Azzi was bringing the ball up but she was not the pg. She gave the ball to team mate beyond the arc immediately after the half court. She did not run the offense but rather more like a sg.
I reviewed the stat. Azzi had 11ast, 4TO in U17. Paige had 30ast, 8TO. And all the baseline inbound was made by Paige. She was the pg imo.

Yeah, well I've watched those games a lot. I see Azzi bringing the ball up, making the pass at the arc. When the first option fails they find Azzi again. That happened time after time, every game. Looking at stats doesn't always tell you who a team runs the offense through.

 

[Childhood]

Yeah, well I've watched those games a lot. I see Azzi bringing the ball up, making the pass at the arc. When the first option fails they find Azzi again. That happened time after time, every game. Looking at stats doesn't always tell you who a team runs the offense through.

I don't agree. If they had similar ast number, you can argue with that, but obviously Azzi was a shooting first guard in U17.

 

[darkstar1]

I’ll take whatever team Paige is on. But for me, only Paige on Paige’s team should start on the real team Any 4 of the 5 Starters on team Chris would be my starting 5 with Paige.

 

[jdote33]

These are pretty evenly matched teams. I think Team Chris is a bit better/more versatile. They have more people who can create their own shot, and then they have a pure point guard in Nika. No doubt fun to watch.

 

[JordyG]

I don't agree. If they had similar ast number, you can argue with that, but obviously Azzi was a shooting first guard in U17.

Well Horston averaged about the same number of assists as Paige for that team. Would you say she was their PG? She actually played more off guard and wing. Jones averaged more assists. Was she their PG? But that was not my argument at all. I said, and I stand by that statement, that when both Azzi and Paige were on the floor together that Berube ran the offense through Azzi, not Paige. That once the ball got over to the quarter court with both of them on the floor, it was Azzi that moved the ball and reset the offense, not Paige. Watch the games. That Paige got her assists without having the offense run through her is to her credit.

 

[Childhood]

Well Horston averaged about the same number of assists as Paige for that team. Would you say she was their PG? She actually played more off guard and wing. Jones averaged more assists. Was she their PG? But that was not my argument at all. I said, and I stand by that statement, that when both Azzi and Paige were on the floor together that Berube ran the offense through Azzi, not Paige. That once the ball got over to the quarter court with both of them on the floor, it was Azzi that moved the ball and reset the offense, not Paige. Watch the games. That Paige got her assists without having the offense run through her is to her credit.

The bigs had good inside passes. But they surely were not the pg. The pg role is to run the team's offense. Each time Azzi gave up the ball beyond the arc and rarely set up the play. How can you call she was the pg. And as I said, ALL the baseline inbound possession were initiated by Paige. If Azzi was the pg and ran the offense, she would have involved in these possession.

 

[#12in21]

To think that this scenario can play out in virtually every intra-squad scrimmage up to the season opener is crazy! In a series I definitely give team Chris the nod. In a single game I still lean that way. IMO team Chris dominates inside on both ends of the floor. For team Geno to win, Paige has to play harder than anyone else the entire 40 minutes and have an almost perfect game (which no doubt she could). Team Chris, as a whole just need to play a really solid game. Paige would no doubt try her best to win the head game but I don't think team Chris will get flustered.

 

[oldhusky]

A forgotten factor regarding who brings the ball up and who is the PG in the half court set relates to fatigue and minutes played. Paige has probably played major minutes on every team she has played for in contested games. So if she is a do everything type of player for you and someone else can safely advance it to the half-court, why not give her a few seconds to catch her breath on a regular basis.

Azzi could probably be a good point guard, and although usually your point guard brings it up, it doesn't have to be the same person that runs the offense the most from the half-court set, and when your point guard is playing 35+ minutes per game it is a way of extending her effectiveness a few minutes.

Last year we played at a little faster pace than most teams, but not by a lot. I wonder if some of that was to "save Paige" and Christyn too for that matter since they both played big minutes. Nika in particular would be more effective running all the time. With more depth and shooters, I hope we press and fast break more even if it means reducing the minutes of our very best players. It will reduce the effective minutes of other teams stars as well, and I believe our second unit would beat most teams second unit by more than our starters would beat their starters.

 

[Boreifs]

Well Horston averaged about the same number of assists as Paige for that team. Would you say she was their PG? She actually played more off guard and wing. Jones averaged more assists. Was she their PG? But that was not my argument at all. I said, and I stand by that statement, that when both Azzi and Paige were on the floor together that Berube ran the offense through Azzi, not Paige. That once the ball got over to the quarter court with both of them on the floor, it was Azzi that moved the ball and reset the offense, not Paige. Watch the games. That Paige got her assists without having the offense run through her is to her credit.

This totally confirms my point that Paige is a more effective player from the wing, not to mention that she moves like Bill Bradley without the ball. (That’s a great compliment)

 

[hoophuskee]

This totally confirms my point that Paige is a more effective player from the wing, not to mention that she moves like Bill Bradley without the ball. (That’s a great compliment)

Not sure it does- though I'm surprised Azzi was the pg. But what is your example supposed to prove? If you are going to use this example as the main barometer then can't we also say that Azzi is actually the better pg and should be for this team going forward?

I did see the following year Paige was mostly the pg in U18 vs Belgium in the 4th quarter when game was tight. Though she was not it Vs Australia in the next game.

There was though a podcast posted on here recently in which Geno was talking with 2 other guys on their own show about basketball strategies. Geno said he could've practiced during the season a lot by putting Paige in pick-n-rolls and felt no one could've eventually stopped her. But he said that would require other players to do nothing but sit at the 3pt line and he said no way was he going to do that. Not fair to the others. And he said in the NBA when they do that the guys who hang outside are getting paid $10million.

I don't have the link - but I know what I heard. And if a coach such as Geno is talking about that to the degree he did-- that is not a description of a wing. A wing can do some pick and rolls but - but featuring it-- this is more of a description of a pg - and much less as a wing.

Its just her team needed her to be more of a wing. But in this case- if CD is as good as so many are predicting on here than you add up Azzi - and with Dorka having such a supposedly good outside shot and add in that CWill, Evina and Nika aren't slouches- why wouldn't we consider Paige being an "off-the-charts" pg if you can utilize the pick-n-roll?

 

[Boreifs]

Not sure it does- though I'm surprised Azzi was the pg. But what is your example supposed to prove? If you are going to use this example as the main barometer then can't we also say that Azzi is actually the better pg and should be for this team going forward?

I did see the following year Paige was mostly the pg in U18 vs Belgium in the 4th quarter when game was tight. Though she was not it Vs Australia in the next game.

There was though a podcast posted on here recently in which Geno was talking with 2 other guys on their own show about basketball strategies. Geno said he could've practiced during the season a lot by putting Paige in pick-n-rolls and felt no one could've eventually stopped her. But he said that would require other players to do nothing but sit at the 3pt line and he said no way was he going to do that. Not fair to the others. And he said in the NBA when they do that the guys who hang outside are getting paid $10million.

I don't have the link - but I know what I heard. And if a coach such as Geno is talking about that to the degree he did-- that is not a description of a wing. A wing can do some pick and rolls but - but featuring it-- this is more of a description of a pg - and much less as a wing.

Its just her team needed her to be more of a wing. But in this case- if CD is as good as so many are predicting on here than you add up Azzi - and with Dorka having such a supposedly good outside shot and add in that CWill, Evina and Nika aren't slouches- why wouldn't we consider Paige being an "off-the-charts" pg if you can utilize the pick-n-roll?

I have no doubt Paige can be a great point guard. My argument is that I would rather see Nika bringing up the ball and positioned at the top of the key, with Paige and Azzi at the wings. If we have to wait until 22-23 to see that for the majority of the minutes, so be it.