May recruiting thread

[Alydar]

First of all I don't care about what other schools are doing. That is a rather odd strawman for me to name a school that that signed top 5 post in consecutive years but SC signed Cardoso and Feagin in same year so there you go. Baylor signed Kalani Brown and Lauren Cox in consecutive years. South Carolina signed Aliana Coates and A'ja Wilson in consecutive years. UCONN signed Tina, Maya and EDD* in consecutive years. I repeat UCONN cannot afford to keep missing out on these quality post players and continue to hope things will be alright.

* Brady is not a post any more than I would consider Maya or EDD a post but since you opened that door... I took advantage.

Now if you want to talk specifically about who were the UCONN post misses, that's a more worthwhile than me having to jog your memory.

I would call EDD a miss. Tina was 6'3" and couldn't possibly be called a post. Hell, Edwards is 6'3". So is Patterson. Brady is 6'4". Juhasz & DeBerry are 6'5". And UConn is so short of posts they absolutely HAVE to sign a '23 post because Edwards, Brady, Patterson & DeBerry aren't enough for '24.

Feagin? Five min a game, 2 pts, 1.5 rbs. Top post? She is listed as a F. She and Ducharme are both 6'2/3" and were 5 star 98's ranked 4th and 5th. If Feagin is a top post so is Ducharme, who produced a lot while Feagin has produced zero. If you base her "top post" label on HS talent then you have to say the same thing about DeBerry. And I don't think you aren't saying that DeBerry and Ducharme were top post recruits.

What I feel when I read "must get" or "can't keep missing on top posts" is panic. Reminds me of a lot of baseball fans who want the manager fired in mid-April. It's as if UConn has to get the top players every year or else the sky is falling. Well, they have been missing on a lot of top posts for a very long time and UConn fans have had the same complaints, also for a very long time, yet they have done better than anyone else in wcbb. Is it different this time? I say no, it's just the same old fans who want it all and then want still more.

 

[Alydar]

I think I meant 2024.

Why would a top post go to SC when Boston is blocking them? Maybe when she is a senior. Like now.

Exactly. Now, apply that same logic to UConn. Why would a top post in '23 want to come and play behind Brady for 3 years? Not the same? It was the same when Boston was a freshman. SCar's entire recruiting class for 2020 was No. 48, Eniya Russell. And I'm sure that some SCar fans thought the sky was falling.

 

[CocoHusky]

I would call EDD a miss. Tina was 6'3" and couldn't possibly be called a post. Hell, Edwards is 6'3". So is Patterson. Brady is 6'4". Juhasz & DeBerry are 6'5". And UConn is so short of posts they absolutely HAVE to sign a '23 post because Edwards, Brady, Patterson & DeBerry aren't enough for '24.

Feagin? Five min a game, 2 pts, 1.5 rbs. Top post? She is listed as a F. She and Ducharme are both 6'2/3" and were 5 star 98's ranked 4th and 5th. If Feagin is a top post so is Ducharme, who produced a lot while Feagin has produced zero. If you base her "top post" label on HS talent then you have to say the same thing about DeBerry. And I don't think you aren't saying that DeBerry and Ducharme were top post recruits.

What I feel when I read "must get" or "can't keep missing on top posts" is panic. Reminds me of a lot of baseball fans who want the manager fired in mid-April. It's as if UConn has to get the top players every year or else the sky is falling. Well, they have been missing on a lot of top posts for a very long time and UConn fans have had the same complaints, also for a very long time, yet they have done better than anyone else in wcbb. Is it different this time? I say no, it's just the same old fans who want it all and then want still more.

Don't move the goal post now! You stated the criteria as top 5 post in consecutive classes. You said nothing about how they eventually performed. Feagin was the #3 player in the class- FACT. BTW Tina Charles has not been 6'3" since she was playing JV basketball as a freshman at CTK because she was not allowed to be on Varsity. In what twisted universe (sans USA basketball) is Tina Charles not considered a post.

 

[TeamFirst!]

A top post is, in itself, an anomaly. The rare talent that often is the difference maker for a top team. Look at the past top teams. A top post player was often the key player. Another factor is you kind of want to be selective about it because if you sign a post that's around top 7-8 then you may be less able to sign a post that's top 3 as they still might not be sure of PT. Geno has had to revert to secondary posts as he's lost out on some of the top post talents for a while now. I think it might be the key reason why we have been F4 material but not NC. What if we signed Boston, or Brinks for example. Would that have been enough to make the difference? I think very possibly.

 

[TeamFirst!]

To me, Blanca and Del Rosario are the only posts remaining that I would describe as top post recruits ( I imagine I'm missing some ). We play AE a lot as our "post" so it's not like Ice can't play the position at all. I do agree that except for Dorka and Amari every other player is ideally a non post player.

 

[Alydar]

If Cardoso doesn't then Sania Feagin definitely will.

Based on her freshman year? Where will she play this year with Saxton and Cardoso ahead of her?

 

[Charliebball]

The main negative (PROBABLY) being thrown around is his age. Opposing coaches on the recruiting trail are probably mentioning his age and wondering aloud to recruits whether he will be around for more than a year or two during their potential UConn careers.

Every coach would like to retire a winner - at the top of his/her game. If Geno can pull off a championship in '23 or '24 with Paige, is it illogical to assert that he would consider retirement then? If so, the '24 prospects { rivals might assert} would never play for him.

I know of no instance where recruits have disclosed that such "negative recruiting" tactics are being used, but I would be completely unsurprised if it is happening. It certainly happens in football to older, successful coaches.

BTW, I hope he and Paige get one more NV (in '24).

I could have sworn that I read that some opposing coaches have told recruits that Dawn might consider jumping to the WNBA as a head coach with the ultimate goal of being an NBA coach......have you heard any of that?

 

[Charliebball]

A top post is, in itself, an anomaly. The rare talent that often is the difference maker for a top team. Look at the past top teams. A top post player was often the key player. Another factor is you kind of want to be selective about it because if you sign a post that's around top 7-8 then you may be less able to sign a post that's top 3 as they still might not be sure of PT. Geno has had to revert to secondary posts as he's lost out on some of the top post talents for a while now. I think it might be the key reason why we have been F4 material but not NC. What if we signed Boston, or Brinks for example. Would that have been enough to make the difference? I think very possibly.

I would say UConn wins multiple championships with Boston.......

 

[Alydar]

I could have sworn that I read that some opposing coaches have told recruits that Dawn might consider jumping to the WNBA as a head coach with the ultimate goal of being an NBA coach......have you heard any of that?

Media babble.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

To me, Blanca and Del Rosario are the only posts remaining that I would describe as top post recruits ( I imagine I'm missing some ). We play AE a lot as our "post" so it's not like Ice can't play the position at all. I do agree that except for Dorka and Amari every other player is ideally a non post player.

If someone can't play with their back to the basket, that's the first sign that they aren't a post. Dorka is a forward.

 

[BobbyJ]

If someone can't play with their back to the basket, that's the first sign that they aren't a post. Dorka is a forward.

That describes DeBerry also. She can't handle the ball as a forward either but like ONO she's ineffective down low so he had to play her out on top.

 

[visitingcock]

I could have sworn that I read that some opposing coaches have told recruits that Dawn might consider jumping to the WNBA as a head coach with the ultimate goal of being an NBA coach......have you heard any of that?

I’ve heard it but never from a reputable source.

 

[CocoHusky]

Based on her freshman year? Where will she play this year with Saxton and Cardoso ahead of her?

She will play at South Carolina home games are at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia. Stop trying to move the goal post and this has nothing to do with UCONN recruiting .

 

[nomdoux]

Catching up on BY after Derby trip…

Sarah Strong seems to be a natural— game comes so easily to her. Understands positioning, leverage, spacing. Passing vision, soft touch, range, handle. Immovable body. Appears to be a great kid. Loved that her AAU team took trip to UConn already last fall.

Love KK’s vision, quickness, body control, finishing in lane. Always plays in control, like game slows down for her. Seems to stay relaxed on floor, plays with easiness & doesn’t get sped up. Excited for her Storrs arrival.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[Alydar]

She will play at South Carolina home games are at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia. Stop trying to move the goal post and this has nothing to do with UCONN recruiting .

There's a lot of truth in your POV. But now you are just avoiding. You mentioned Feagin as an example of a SCar "hit" and yet her season stats are about like DeBerry's, who you would call a miss as far as last season. I would agree about DeBerry and say the same about Feagin.

This was all about whether UConn needed a post out of the '23 class.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Sahara Williams seems to play with a lot of poise and control. She has some Olivia Miles in her. That maturity should play well in the NCAA. A lot of highlights for KK Arnold's passing in that clip also.

 

[TeamFirst!]

Dorka is a post. On this team she's a post. That makes her a post. I hope she gets more upper arm strength to be able to finish at the rim better and rebound a bit better but overall she's a solid post.

 

[FormerCTrez]

The main negative (PROBABLY) being thrown around is his age. Opposing coaches on the recruiting trail are probably mentioning his age and wondering aloud to recruits whether he will be around for more than a year or two during their potential UConn careers.

Every coach would like to retire a winner - at the top of his/her game. If Geno can pull off a championship in '23 or '24 with Paige, is it illogical to assert that he would consider retirement then? If so, the '24 prospects { rivals might assert} would never play for him.

I know of no instance where recruits have disclosed that such "negative recruiting" tactics are being used, but I would be completely unsurprised if it is happening. It certainly happens in football to older, successful coaches.

BTW, I hope he and Paige get one more NV (in '24).

Nice post, but I’d like one more NC in ‘23.

 

[CocoHusky]

There's a lot of truth in your POV. But now you are just avoiding. You mentioned Feagin as an example of a SCar "hit" and yet her season stats are about like DeBerry's, who you would call a miss as far as last season. I would agree about DeBerry and say the same about Feagin.

This was all about whether UConn needed a post out of the '23 class.

I never said anything about Feagin being a South Carolina "hit"!
I never said anything about DeBerry!
Stop back pedaling.

 

[Alydar]

Player of the Year Lauren Betts headlines 2022 WBCA High School Coaches’ All-America team

wbca.org

 

[Sluconn Husky]

 

[CocoHusky]

For those that were advocating for Blanca Thomas in 24 she appears to be NC St lean and has already unofficially visited per this article. Note: Consider the source carefully. Although Thomas was higher ranked I still think that Kate ( The Great) Koval would be a better fit for all the things UCONN likes to do.

TheWolfpackCentral - Sophomore Blanca Thomas strongly considering NC State

CHARLOTTE — There is easily one player that Charlotte (N.C.) Catholic sophomore center Blanca Thomas gets compared to.

ncstate.rivals.com

 

[Ozimoto]

It would seem that Kate Koval has received an offer from the green people in South Bend.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

Dorka is a post. On this team she's a post. That makes her a post. I hope she gets more upper arm strength to be able to finish at the rim better and rebound a bit better but overall she's a solid post.

Other than saying she's a post...functionally, what makes her a post in this offense? On defense? Her height? Jersey Wolfenbarger from Arkansas is a 6' 4" guard. Based on skills...not height. It's not even an essential element in this type of offense. When Liv came...she wasn't a post either. She BECAME one. She improved her footwork, balance and offensive moves with her back to the basket.

Dorka has no offensive moves with her back to the basket. Her rebounding is best when coming in from the outside versus outjumping and muscling a traditional post. She hits the floor a lot because her balance is not the best. Even a traditional post in this offense has to be a good passer, aka Steph Dolson. And in cases where a team doesn't have a BIG passer, it isn't uncommon to use a smaller player to read the constant cuts and backdoors, aka Gabby Williams at 5' 11". And I doubt, most teams would guard Dorka with a post player unless they absolutely had to do it. She would have a field day with them on the perimeter. And I doubt UCONN would have her guard the opposing post...unless they had to. UCONN lists her as a forward.