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I’ve already said that I think Karlen could be a good addition for all the reasons that folks have mentioned, and most of all for her maturity, which we’ll be short on at the beginning of the season. But I should say something in defense of Ayanna, whose position at the 4 Liza would naturally be competing for.Can Ayanna, fully healed, gain some shooting finesse? She was brutal around the basket when she last played. I'm all for Karlen joining the team. Let's face it, there are unknowns on the team and we don't know if/when all those injured will be tiptop once again.
Ayanna is not a great scorer and may never be. She is a good defender and rebounder who could become a great one. She is very strong, one of the strongest bigs in D1. She is also quick and runs the floor very well, which suggests a role in the transition game could be developed this season, both defending in high hedges and getting out on the break. I think of her as somewhat like Kiah who was a solid member of the team and utterly reliable on defense and rebounding.
Liza is a good shooter, a smart defender and a capable rebounder. She is not nearly as quick or strong as Ayanna. But she doesn’t make mistakes or often find herself out of position for rebounds or defense. I’m confident she’d pick up Geno’s system quickly. Defending at the top of the key in high hedges is not something she did much of in Megan Duffy’s defense, so this might be a stretch for her.
Ayanna defended Czinano well two seasons ago, largely because she is at least as strong as Monica and has quick feet. I doubt Liza would have done nearly as well in such a matchup. What this tells me is that Liza’s minutes would be important in the first half of the season and would shrink in February and March if Ayanna and Caroline resume their previous roles.
This also tells me that Liza is not an essential addition though she could be a good one. She will rarely be the indispensable player, but she’ll play a steady role in the offense Paige runs. This could be quite enjoyable for her and the rest of the Huskies could enjoy playing with her very much. And a team bound together by affection trust and respect is a good thing.