Megan Walker

[JellyBean]

So glad to see her play one of her best games when it mattered most. A lot of other players might have packed their bags after playing such a limited role and number of minutes during her Freshman season. Its great to see that things worked out for her. Its not always the case even when some kids stick it out.

Kudos to Megan.

100% agree!! Great post.

 

[pvdoggy]

Was it 4 or 3? I know she won her last 3 years.

As I told a friend during the game, March is Megatron time.

I have always wonder why someone with a nickname Megatron seems so quiet and reserve and even seems a bit shy. Curious if she has always been that way in high school?

 

[uconnfan68]

Geno gave her a hard time after her last high school game, which Geno attended. Meg scored something like Monacan's final 15 points to get a close come-from-behind win. Coach told her, if she had played that hard all game long, it wouldn't have been close.

Think Megan with Napheesa's motor!

Or Liv with Pheesa’s motor!

 

[SVCBeercats]

Megan won four straight championships in HS. She was always her best in the biggest games. Some habits are hard to break.

Was it 4 or 3? I know she won her last 3 years. As I told a friend during the game, March is Megatron time.

Per Meg's bio "four-year player at Monacan High School, helping to lead her team to three Virginia Class 4A state championships "

 

[SVCBeercats]

We cannot re write history. She did have a poor freshman season. I think posters main gripe was she was the no 1 over all HS player coming out and we thought she was going to make a major impact very quickly. Those expectations were probably unfair and should only be reserved for the elite generation player. That now is old news and your right she had a wonderful season and is only getting better.

Exactly! I thought she would have had an impact like Christyn Williams. But now it is ancient history, not rewritten history. She was great this season. Of course now I'll have high expectations for next season.

 

[mbr33ct]

Love it! Walz had to pick his poison so they contained Pheesa and made us beat them with the 3. We did. Megan set the tone for this game!

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That photo oozes confidence...and "smiling" in the act of shooting? How dare she!

 

[HopJim]

As Geno has said many times, its a really big change to come from the primary player on your high school team to one of many talented players on a elite D1 team. Meg has made the adjustment. Now we see the results of Meg's hard work. And she will get better.

MW thinking less and playing at higher speed this year and will get even better when she can play her true position, small forward. She holds up well against most 4's and 5's, even though they are typically 2-4 inches taller. She will overpower most 3's next year.

 

[CocoHusky]

Exactly! I thought she would have had an impact like Christyn Williams. But now it is ancient history, not rewritten history. She was great this season. Of course now I'll have high expectations for next season.

That was a ridiculous expectation. Megan Walker is a forward. As a freshmen Megan had three established All-Americans ( Napheesa, KLS & Gabby Williams) playing that position. UCONN also had an AA candidate & college Senior, Azura Stevens on the roster.

 

[SVCBeercats]

That was a ridiculous expectation. Megan Walker is a forward. As a freshmen Megan had three established All-Americans ( Napheesa, KLS & Gabby Williams) playing that position. UCONN also had an AA candidate & college Senior, Azura Stevens on the roster.

You must be a participation trophy person. Any player who is voted the high school player of the year comes with high expectations. It is ridiculous to to think any other way. Gene expressed displeasure with her freshman performance. I'll go with his opinion, not yours.

 

[Argonaut]

I don't care who you are, when you come into UConn as the best player in the country and suddenly there is someone criticizing every move you make, you're going to go into shock. Hell, even Stewie had rocky points in her freshman year. I'm not saying Megan is Stewie, but there is an adjustment period for everyone.

So Megan is sitting on the bench, and looks out on the floor and sees Gabby, Kia, Phee and thinks that's how you have to perform in order to get playing time. Then, when she gets in the game, there is that pressure to play at that level or sit back down. When you have limited minutes off the bench, the pressure on you is to do everything because there are fewer minutes to prove yourself. Every second gets put under a microscope because there are fewer to watch in film. Your mistakes are magnified. Now, again, you're coming in as the #1 recruit in the nation who has heard very little, up to this point, other than how great of a basketball player you are.

Tell me that's not going to mess with your head and your game.

Different kids will respond in different ways, naturally, but I'd imagine the leap we saw from Megan from this year to last year will pale in comparison to what we see from this year to next. She's getting over her own hurdles, but I'm guessing she put up more than we'll ever truly realize.

 

[Engineer90]

She is doing a lot of things right. She needs to work on her ball handling in traffic.

 

[JoePgh]

One of the things that she is doing "rightest" is rebounding -- she was in double figures in rebounds for both weekend games against strong opposition in both cases. She leaps high and she has the strength to bring down a contested ball.

That is why she will probably have a lot of 40-minute games next year, because (unless you count Chrystyn) we don't have a proven rebounder other than her returning. ONO still needs to develop, and hopefully she will. Ms. Griffin may look promising in that role, but she will have to prove herself (which includes not making other kinds of mistakes so often that she can't stay on the floor, something that often happens to UConn freshmen).

 

[ABCDFE]

Megan was great in the first half. I think the second half she did well but definitely missed some open shots and had some turnovers. Things that I think she can get better at as long as she is confident and high energy

 

[JDForever]

One of the things that she is doing "rightest" is rebounding -- she was in double figures in rebounds for both weekend games against strong opposition in both cases. She leaps high and she has the strength to bring down a contested ball.

That is why she will probably have a lot of 40-minute games next year, because (unless you count Chrystyn) we don't have a proven rebounder other than her returning. ONO still needs to develop, and hopefully she will. Ms. Griffin may look promising in that role, but she will have to prove herself (which includes not making other kinds of mistakes so often that she can't stay on the floor, something that often happens to UConn freshmen).

I have seen AG multiple times. She will not play the four unless she gains 20 or 30 pounds over the summer. Meg is destined to stay at the four or 5 unless Geno brings in a big.

 

[CocoHusky]

I have seen AG multiple times. She will not play the four unless she gains 20 or 30 pounds over the summer. Meg is destined to stay at the four or 5 unless Geno brings in a big.

If Megan is playing the 4 or 5 next year then UCONN is really in trouble. If no more additions to the roster then Batouly, ONO and Kyla have to man the front court.

 

[JDForever]

If Megan is playing the 4 or 5 next year then UCONN is really in trouble. If no more additions to the roster then Batouly, ONO and Kyla have to man the front court.

Without any additions my guess would be a lot of zone with Ono in the middle flanked by Meg & AG.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Megan won four straight championships in HS. She was always her best in the biggest games. Some habits are hard to break.

Well stated! Megan, a Virginia woman, along with that a great WBB player. I'm her and CW, ONO, and Coombs fan these kids are good and fun to watch them grow.

Megan isn't flashy. She goes about rebounding and post play without much fan fair. She has scored as well and rebounded as well in many previous games. She had one game near 30 points --isn't that right???
What made this one shine--it was in a game where every point, every rebound, every foul was significant and the bottom of the 5 (Meg and CW) came through big time. This is who they are: the number 1 recruits as recruited.

 

[ProSkeptic]

Love it! Walz had to pick his poison so they contained Pheesa and made us beat them with the 3. We did. Megan set the tone for this game!

My sentiments exactly! They did a great job of containing Pheesa, but Whaddya gonna do about CW? Or Megan? Or Lou? Or Crystal? The perimeter was wide open, at least in the first half.
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[BroadwayVa]

Megan won four straight championships in HS. She was always her best in the biggest games. Some habits are hard to break.

I just watched the post game presser. Walz was generous and gracious: Said Walker was the difference in the game. I agree. Geno was gushing over KLS and gave CW a super pat on the back--he watched her in HS , a lot, and she was as he expected in the Louisville game. I would have liked to have seen the TEAM in the presser, but??
Collier was named MVP or what the current MVP is called. She earned it. Danger should have got recognition for running this team successfully. Good win-bad loss.

 

[StlRon]

I thought her Defensive rebounding and attention to detail on defense were just as important as her scoring. She really went and got rebounds today.

She had 11 rebounds against UCLA and Napheesa gave her a shout out during the post-game conference.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Collier has been the scoring punch for most of the past month. Team focused on Napheesa and had luck while Uconn was suffering a scoring hiatus. It was not surprising Walz choose that method (shut down Precious) to beat Uconn; teams with less fire power has some level of success doing that. What was surprising was: the Firepower of UConn had as a total team. That shocked Louieville and frankly; me too.

 

[Waquoit]

Players get better. Remember Gabby Williams wasn't ready for prime time as a frosh.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Jeff Walz said Meghan was the difference.