McDonalds AA game

[Golden Husky]

He does but also looks like Frankie, at Jacobs thinks so.

Jeff Jacobs: Geno, lifelong Eagles fan, appreciates Patriots greatness

Hmm, come to think of it, maybe Geno would prefer to have his looks compared to the third member of Philly triumvirate, Fabian.

 

[CocoHusky]

I wonder why EE was not to the best of my knowledge seriously considered by UConn...perhaps she was always a Syracuse lock but she really has a lot of goo qualities.....

I don't know for sure that she was not considered but there a couple of factors here. She's a classic tweener by size and skill set-not big enough (listed as 6'2" on Hoopgurlz but closer to 6') to be PF not quick enough to be SF. She was also a late bloomer pretty unremarkable on the national stage until summer going into Junior year. Not to sound snobbish but UCONN recruiting wise is at the point where unless you are making noise for your age US basketball age group then you are probably not on their radar.

 

[huskyrob1]

And Geno would be the first to tell you that without great players he can't be a great coach. Chicken or the egg?

So how did he build a great program? I don't recall him signing five All-Americans in 1991 when he came close to winning it all at the final four. How many great players did he have 91???

 

[huskyrob1]

And Geno would be the first to tell you that without great players he can't be a great coach. Chicken or the egg?

He also will tell you he had great players who were not highly ranked or McDonald's All-Americans. He's in the HOF for a reason, remember that. I mean was Meghan Pattyson a top ten recruit?!?! Lol

 

[donalddoowop]

You are totally correct indeed, but I'd like to point out a few things...

We do tend to say that every single season when we lose great players. How will we "replace" Stef and Bria? KML and Stokes? Tuck, Jefferson, and Stewart? The answer is that we don't ever really "replace" them, but rather add new dimensions to the team for the following season.

What Gabby and Kia do for the team cannot be overstated. But it's clear that in big games, while Geno has finally come to trust Megan a bit more, we really still only go 6.5 deep. But next year our genetics will be different. Maybe worse, maybe better. Z WILL improve over the summer and will be a starter. Meg WILL improve over the summer and either she will start or Christyn will. We will have a healthy ONO, Mikayla and Batouly on the bench so that means that Geno will have the ability to go a legit 9 deep.

When we had Stokes, we had a huge goalie/shot blocker on defense. When she left, the team had to learn to excel at help defense. Right now they are VERY good at it. IF Z can learn to keep her arms straight up and not "jump" into offensive players taking shots, SHE Can be that defensive stopper as well. That means not only will our help defense be great, but also we will have a skilled shot blocker to mop up any mistakes. We don't have that now.

My overall point is that we can't replace any great players who leave, but the best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores. Lou, Gabby, Crystal, Z, Megan and Batouly will ALL improve next season. I hope Mikayla gets healthy soon because I think she has the ability to be part of the core group as well.

The future's so bright, we gotta wear shades!!

Gabby won't be playing for UCONN next season or anytime after.

 

[CocoHusky]

He also will tell you he had great players who were not highly ranked or McDonald's All-Americans. He's in the HOF for a reason, remember that. I mean was Meghan Pattyson a top ten recruit?!?! Lol

I understand your point but allow me to quibble- McDonalds AA designation for women began in 2002. That was a little bit after Meghan's time. Meghan Pattyson is from my neck of the woods (Doylestown PA) and they weren't tracking top ten or even making a list back then so I can't tell you what number she was. What I do know is that she was a darn good player and Geno found her. Since the inclusion of women in the McDonalds AA game UCONN has not had an AA who did not play in the McDonalds AA game with the exception of Gabby who was on the team but injured.

 

[huskyrob1]

I understand your point but allow me to quibble- McDonalds AA designation for women began in 2002. That was a little bit after Meghan's time. Meghan Pattyson is from my neck of the woods (Doylestown PA) and they weren't tracking top ten or even making a list back then so I can't tell you what number she was. What I do know is that she was a darn good player and Geno found her. Since the inclusion of women in the McDonalds AA game UCONN has not had an AA who did not play in the McDonalds AA game with the exception of Gabby who was on the team but injured.

There were rating services and darn ones during Meghan's playing days such as Blue Star which began in 1981, and one other whose name escapes me but Meg was not highly rated by either of them, and by highly rated I mean top 10. I'm just guessing but think Meg was between top 30 and top 50 on Blue Star. All the really highly rated players back then went to Tennessee, Stanford, and a few other schools. Meg really blossomed her junior year. Hey she reads the board so maybe she'll chime in. Lol

 

[MilfordHusky]

I don't disagree with the optimistic outlook that you, Milford and some others have outlined. But I do worry that UConn will lose an irreplaceable element of this team's success:

Geno: "Hey Kia, guard Ogunbowale and make sure she shoots 8-25. Then guard Durr and make sure she shoots 7-19. After that, take on Laska for three games and limit her to 14-53 shooting. That St. Francis kid, Kovatch, leads the nation in 3-pointers. Don't let her make any against you. Oh, and while you're at it, take the pressure off Lou and shoot 45% from beyond the arc, have a better than 2-1 assist to turnover ratio and be the toughest, most determined and unforgiving competitor on the floor this season."

And we haven't even gotten to Gabby.

As you write, I'm sure Geno will adapt to his personnel. But I'm still really going to miss Kia and Gabby...and I think UConn will, too.

I agree that Kia and Gabby are irreplaceable. Perhaps our most irreplaceable player ever was Maya. We lost in the Final Four the year after she left, just as we did in her final year. Then we won four straight championships. Was it because we got another Maya? No, we had other pieces with different strengths and weaknesses. Among Stef, Bria, Kaleena, Stewie, Moriah, and Morgan, we got 12 player/years of AA selections. Geno recruits talented kids, coaches them up, and gets them to play harder than anyone else. For next year, I expect Pheesa to be even a little better, Lou to be truly elite, Azura to be stronger and better, Crystal to be healthy, Megan to take a leap as Crystal, Pheesa, and Lou did, and at least Christyn to be the real deal. Will the talent gap be smaller? Maybe. Could we lose a game or two? Maybe. I still like our chances.

 

[CocoHusky]

There were rating services and darn ones during Meghan's playing days such as Blue Star which began in 1981, and one other whose name escapes me but Meg was not highly rated by either of them, and by highly rated I mean top 10. I'm just guessing but think Meg was between top 30 and top 50 on Blue Star. All the really highly rated players back then went to Tennessee, Stanford, and a few other schools. Meg really blossomed her junior year. Hey she reads the board so maybe she'll chime in. Lol

I hope to God Meghan got better ways to spend her time than reading this. BTW you don't have to go back that far (1991) to find a non top ten player that Geno has developed.

 

[Plebe]

To me, ND, Baylor, Oregon and UConn are far ahead of everyone next year in both experience and talent. Next tier is Oregon St, Louisville, Texas and Stanford to name 8 schools. Tennessee probably will vie with Baylor for the most McD's AA's but they will be young-only freshman and sophs and will still be coached/not-coached by Holly so their ups and downs will continue.

Who did I miss?

I would still put Louisville on the top tier. They only lose Hines-Allen, and several of their other players have been improving rapidly and still have upside.

 

[TARZAN22]

I'm impressed with Prince

I love the way she move without the basketball. And she rebound well.

 

[NewCorn]

it's the 2019 and 2020 classes that will tell the story regarding UConn's future dominance.....Boston and Jones or Brunelle are must gets and then the great guards Beuckers or Van Lith and either Watson, Brink or Marshall

Don't forget Amihere.

 

[HuskylnSC]

UCONN "ideal" roster size has been 12-13 historically. The "rotation" depending on the year and talent level is 6-9. These two assumptions says that at a minimum UCONN will need to add 3 "rotation" players in 2019.


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looking at all your hard work, I think this summer would be a great time for an experienced post to transfer in. Someone with a bit of bulk.

 

[Bronx23]

I think Geno will have no choice next year. He returns 5 of his 7 player rotation (being generous to Walker) who generally played the lion's share of minutes in the "tough" games. Next season who shall play positions 6 and 7? 8? Irwin? Bent? McCombs? Gordon? Or Williams if she learns defense? Or a fast tracked big, ONO, who is needed to back up Azura? I'm betting on Williams and ONO. Geno will have no choice because the others have not shown much progress. Well, Irwin has shown some progress and may take a few more positive steps forward. Geno needs another starter. Walker has the inside track but Williams will push her. Walker had better not assume the fifth starter slot is hers by default.

I agree with your comments with just a slight alteration. I surely hope MW makes the usual jump for a top rated recruit, but even if she does, she's not a guard. Making her the three, and sliding over KLS puts their best player, in not her optimal spot. I expect that CW will begin her drive towards "legendary" status by starting. That would put MW in the sixth spot, and while very different than AZ would bring a lot there. This will be interesting to see how Bataly does if she's healthy. Then there's Ono. I think Kayla will play a bit more than this year and will be a good complementary player. Then there's backup point guard where Combs and Molly will fight it out, and I expect Combs speed and athleticism would win out.
They will surely be a likely FF team after losing two greats in Gabby and Kia.
Bronx23

 

[huskyrob1]

I agree with your comments with just a slight alteration. I surely hope MW makes the usual jump for a top rated recruit, but even if she does, she's not a guard. Making her the three, and sliding over KLS puts their best player, in not her optimal spot. I expect that CW will begin her drive towards "legendary" status by starting. That would put MW in the sixth spot, and while very different than AZ would bring a lot there. This will be interesting to see how Bataly does if she's healthy. Then there's Ono. I think Kayla will play a bit more than this year and will be a good complementary player. Then there's backup point guard where Combs and Molly will fight it out, and I expect Combs speed and athleticism would win out.
They will surely be a likely FF team after losing two greats in Gabby and Kia.
Bronx23

If Williams plays like she did in the All Star game, she will be the next Maya. She was doing it all, scoring, rebounding, making up court spot on passes for an assist, just incredible I thought.

 

[CocoHusky]

looking at all your hard work, I think this summer would be a great time for an experienced post to transfer in. Someone with a bit of bulk.

I have been saying that for two years now. I did not see Natalie Butler leaving. And there haven been a couple of bigs that could have helped. Kate Cain now at Nebraska was originally a Delaware commit and got out of her commitment when Delaware changed coaches she ended up at Nebraska. Big time shot blocker. Jenna Stati was a transfer from Maryland to Georgia fairly big and skilled. On the JUCO circuit there is Natasha Mack who was originally a Huston committment coming out of high school and she is probably going to be the JUCO POY this year.

 

[HopJim]

I don't disagree with the optimistic outlook that you, Milford and some others have outlined. But I do worry that UConn will lose an irreplaceable element of this team's success:

Geno: "Hey Kia, guard Ogunbowale and make sure she shoots 8-25. Then guard Durr and make sure she shoots 7-19. After that, take on Laska for three games and limit her to 14-53 shooting. That St. Francis kid, Kovatch, leads the nation in 3-pointers. Don't let her make any against you. Oh, and while you're at it, take the pressure off Lou and shoot 45% from beyond the arc, have a better than 2-1 assist to turnover ratio and be the toughest, most determined and unforgiving competitor on the floor this season."

And we haven't even gotten to Gabby.

As you write, I'm sure Geno will adapt to his personnel. But I'm still really going to miss Kia and Gabby...and I think UConn will, too.

Have to agree. Its been years since UConn didn't have a shut down guard/small forward.

 

[JustinesGuy]

I agree with your comments with just a slight alteration. I surely hope MW makes the usual jump for a top rated recruit, but even if she does, she's not a guard. Making her the three, and sliding over KLS puts their best player, in not her optimal spot. I expect that CW will begin her drive towards "legendary" status by starting. That would put MW in the sixth spot, and while very different than AZ would bring a lot there. This will be interesting to see how Bataly does if she's healthy. Then there's Ono. I think Kayla will play a bit more than this year and will be a good complementary player. Then there's backup point guard where Combs and Molly will fight it out, and I expect Combs speed and athleticism would win out.
They will surely be a likely FF team after losing two greats in Gabby and Kia.
Bronx23

Im interested in hearing why some people think Molly will be the back up point guard?
I think you'll see danger, CW, Walker, Lou rotation. Then z, pheese, Kyla, BC, Ono for bigs.
Not sure how much run Molly, Coombs, or Lexi will get even though they could be used since ur guard depth will be deficient.

 

[DEpup]

looking at all your hard work, I think this summer would be a great time for an experienced post to transfer in. Someone with a bit of bulk.

I think Batouly will come back healthy and take on that role. She plays like a mack truck when she is at her best.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Have to agree. Its been years since UConn didn't have a shut down guard/small forward.

I think it was last year in October when someone asked Geno who is best on ball defender was. His response, "Shea Ralph". I believe there will be a lock down defender at the right time