Monday Night POY Shoot Out

[RockyMTblue2]

Jim Fuller article. The Durr Samuelson Shoot Out.

"Durr would be named the most valuable player as the United States rolled to the FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women title in Cancun as she led the U.S. in points scored, field goals and free throws made and attempted and steals. Samuelson was one of three players to start every game, was the No. 2 scorer on the team and drained a team-best 18 3-pointers."

Player of year candidates Durr, Samuelson at center of UConn-Louisville showdown

 

[jsloanjr]

Lets see what happens on Monday night and save comments until after the game.........AD is a fun player to watch.......

 

[Bronx23]

Excellent article about Durr and KLS, who have played together a # of times representing their country on junior national teams.
I haven't seen much of Durr but what I have and hear about her, is she's an amazing player. Yet I'm sure Kia and Gabby with lots of help will do all they can to slow her down. It means her teammates likely will have to pick it up for Louisville to have a chance.
I'm looking forward to KLS having a big game!
Bronx23

 

[HuskylnSC]

I don't think it will be a fair comparison. One has to play against Kia and the other gets to play with Crystal Dangerfield

 

[DefenseBB]

Husky above is right, KLS has evolved her game in significantly more ways from 2015 and has stronger support staff, which promotes the conundrum- does her evolution as a passer, rebounder, defender help her teammates or did her teammates help her become all of that? Either way, I think the deck is heavily tilted towards KLS in this match-up and think KLS wants to make a statement about it.

For all the "slights" this board has a tendency to do towards other top players by saying their games are "limited" in some way, Durr is marvelous and has carried Louisville and not only with her scoring-she provides leadership and swagger in a confident way that is not irritating to the other team. She is the straw that stirs the drink...She makes her teammates better and is a quality kid. I say that not to disparage other top players, only to denote that so many people we hold in high regard, also hold Asia in high regard. That has to mean something.

 

[j66kicker]

IMO tonight is the biggest opportunity left for our awards candidates to make their statement and show their stuff in a big national TV game (I’m discounting the upcoming televised USF game as not a “big game,” plus it’s very late in the season).

NPOY: Lou (and Durr)
DPOY: Gabby
AA: Kia, Napheesa

I'm looking for a blowout with a couple huge individual performances as well.

 

[bags27]

Hope I'm wrong of course, but just don't see Lou is NPOY. Take her away from UConn and it's easily still a top 10 team. Take A'ja away from South Carolina and it's somewhere south of Antartica. Wilson has to play with the entire defense collapsing around her.

 

[JordyG]

Hope I'm wrong of course, but just don't see Lou is NPOY. Take her away from UConn and it's easily still a top 10 team. Take A'ja away from South Carolina and it's somewhere south of Antartica. Wilson has to play with the entire defense collapsing around her.

I love Lou. She's just a great and versatile player. I want her to be NPOY. But I can't disagree with your logic. I also love A'ja.

 

[Los24]

Hope I'm wrong of course, but just don't see Lou is NPOY. Take her away from UConn and it's easily still a top 10 team. Take A'ja away from South Carolina and it's somewhere south of Antartica. Wilson has to play with the entire defense collapsing around her.

Logically I agree but then have to ask if NPOY is meant to be best player or most valuable? Sometimes it comes out to be the same and sometimes not. I fully support Aja but the onething, and I do not want to be hung up on this, is she seems to get so many calls both ways. Watching her in other non-UConn games it also seems to be the case. Normally it can often go the other way for bigs (not getting calls.)

I wrote in another post that having as many other very good to great players actually can hurt Lou's stats and value. Some others posted how in the second half of most games she does little in those areas that will show in stat sheet (along with most halfs of halfs she is sitting (a full quarter that is to say.) I would say that 3/4 of her stats come in a little over a half of games which is pretty amazing. If games were closer and she had to carry more of the load, how many 30+ games would she have? Even a few 40+

Lastly, I think next year it is her team and will be interesting to see. I think Pheesa will be a legit NPOY candidate as well, but Lou seems to be more vocal and a natural leader. Pheesa is more reserved but I'll take her just the way she is : - )

 

[Rsna]

Bags I see ur still clinging in. To ur Lou is only the 4th best UConn player hahaha

 

[Rsna]

Pt delux..does Stewie have to give Back her NPY cus she played with Tuck & Jefferson

 

[CBear01]

Hope I'm wrong of course, but just don't see Lou is NPOY. Take her away from UConn and it's easily still a top 10 team. Take A'ja away from South Carolina and it's somewhere south of Antartica. Wilson has to play with the entire defense collapsing around her.

Couldn't you say that KLS brings to her team something similar as Aja? I mean the 3 pt barrage and the assist alone...minus all that and UCONN is still a top 10 team? Idk...she's a big puzzle piece. I generally don't disagree with u Bags...

And SCar sanz Aja wouldnt go as far as Antarctica....maybe Patagonia but not Antarctica lol.

I like your argument tho. I think as of late you can say it's a split vote. Some think Aja bc of everything she has to do on the court without tremendous help (but she has really good help they are not hopeless without her!) Some say Lou for everything she does to make her teammates better and for her ways in which she can score. She is farrrr from the 3 pt shooter she needed to only be as a freshman.

Thank goodness I'm not a voter. Would be nice to see Aja get it now and KLS next year. I still remember walking up to Aja when she was a freshman and they had come to a snowy Gampel to get crushed...told her I needed to get the autograph of a "STAR" she was humbled (esp a UCONN fan approaching her) but I said "it's gonna be worth a lot in 4 years when u become POY"

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

Lou won this "showdown"... more points, more diverse game, and some solid defense as well.

No doubt both Lou and Durr will be at the presentation ceremony.

 

[oldude]

Geno has always stated that the POY should go to the best player on the best team.

That sounds like Lou to me.

 

[DefenseBB]

Typically KLS game, start early, put a statement in, make the game an uphill battle for the opponent. She was on fire in that 1st Quarter. After a slow or tough start Asia Durr comported herself well in the second half and proved she is in the discussion.

Bags, I hold you in highest regard but we must part on your KLS vs. A’ja view. The best player aka POY makes other players better. A’ja could certainly learn to pass more out of the double or triple teams WHEN that occurs, which by the way is not happening that regularly. They leave Wilson unguarded at >12’ from the Hoop and if she can/could improve that shot, ok I would be in agreement with you. So while others have postulated that the SC team would be very bad, they’re maybe 10-12 now and trending down.

 

[Farney]

Asia Durr comported herself well

Doris, is that you?

 

[Lynx23]

The problem with a thread like this is, as good as KLS is, you really can't ignore the fact that one team's defense did a better job defending the other team's star player. It's not a 1:1 battle. Sure, Durr had 19 or 20 points but she was 7/19 (37%). That didn't happen by accident. Kia and gang (you can certainly include KLS) had a lot to do with it.

 

[donalddoowop]

In my opinion, if KLS got the protection from officials that A. Wilson gets, she would be the POY. There have been a number of times this season when KLS drove to the basket and was bumped and no foul was called. Get close to Wilson and the whistle will blow. Wilson is really good but her game is not as complete as KLS's game.

 

[eebmg]

The problem with a thread like this is, as good as KLS is, you really can't ignore the fact that one team's defense did a better job defending the other team's star player. It's not a 1:1 battle. Sure, Durr had 19 or 20 points but she was 7/19 (37%). That didn't happen by accident. Kia and gang (you can certainly include KLS) had a lot to do with it.

Keep in mind that Durr was 0-5 in the first Q so her stat line was alot better afterwards. She loses points for being part of the problem that led to the
big deficit but she should get props for reversing herself and really leading the effort to fight out of the hole.

 

[JordyG]

The problem with a thread like this is, as good as KLS is, you really can't ignore the fact that one team's defense did a better job defending the other team's star player. It's not a 1:1 battle. Sure, Durr had 19 or 20 points but she was 7/19 (37%). That didn't happen by accident. Kia and gang (you can certainly include KLS) had a lot to do with it.

And also Durr's points came in the 2nd half when Kia had to take over the PG duties. It just became too much for Kia and both her offense and defense suffered. That said, Durr is a terrific player and worthy of POY consideration. The award is A'ja's to lose at this point however.

 

[Mlb0814]

The problem with a thread like this is, as good as KLS is, you really can't ignore the fact that one team's defense did a better job defending the other team's star player. It's not a 1:1 battle. Sure, Durr had 19 or 20 points but she was 7/19 (37%). That didn't happen by accident. Kia and gang (you can certainly include KLS) had a lot to do with it.

I agree that we played better defense against Durr but Lou was defended very physically and was fouled numerous times with no calls.

 

[MilfordHusky]

In my opinion, if KLS got the protection from officials that A. Wilson gets, she would be the POY. There have been a number of times this season when KLS drove to the basket and was bumped and no foul was called. Get close to Wilson and the whistle will blow. Wilson is really good but her game is not as complete as KLS's game.

I agree about Wilson getting lots of calls and Lou not getting enough. Lou has perfected some acting, so maybe officials are aware of it, but she got hit on at least 1-2 layups last night and didn’t get any calls. She would be averaging 20 ppg if she got the calls she deserves.