Moriah Jefferson (Long)

[dtbtbtb]

Saw in the paper that there is a basketball tournament called the Sandra Meadows Classic in Dallas and that Moriah Jefferson’s team will be playing so I figured it will be a good opportunity to see her in action and provide some first hand impressions to the Boneyard.
The game I saw was between Thesa Riders who Mo plays for and Temple Tem Cats, Thesa is a small team with the tallest player is only 5’10 while Temple had 2 players who are 6’3 and 6’1.
Temple led during the fist half by about 6-9 points or so but during the third quarter Moriah led her team to take the lead and despite her getting injured (more on that later) in the 4th quarter her team won by over 10 points.
Few impressions of Moriah’s game:

• Very skinny and fragile looking
• Clearly a natural PG: A great passer and sees the floor very well
• A very good dribble with both hands with a lot of speed changes and total control of the ball
• A nice pull up and accurate jump shot from mid range
• A good range with good looking 3 point shot
• Doesn’t force the action and rarely takes bad shots
• While she is very fast with the ball didn’t impress me on defense
• Got a very nice burst to the basket but didn’t finish in traffic (needs to get stronger physically)

During the 4th quarter there was a scramble for the ball on the floor and she injured her shoulder, She was taken out and when she came back in it was clear it bothers her as she was grimacing when dribbling. She was taped with ice on the shoulder and hopefully it was not serious.
In order to be successful at UConn IMO she’ll need to become stronger physically and increase her intensity level. She got some great tools and it’s easy to see that she is a great HS player. I had an opportunity to see another high-level guard in another game (Jordan Jones who committed to TX A&M – Gary Blair was in attendance to watch her play) and it was clear to my untrained eyes that Moriah is on a different level (at least as per this one day).

 

[alexrgct]

Thanks for the update. I think MJ will have the luxury of having a freshman year to develop; Caroline and Bria will play PG most of the time next year. Breanna will be thrown into the mix a bit earlier.

When all is said and done, I expect MJ to be a special talent, someone who can be the starting PG on a national championship team. I'd be surprised if, barring injury, the 2013-14 starting lineup wasn't MJ, Bria, KML, Breanna, and Stef. That's going to be nasty.

 

[sTu]

Few impressions of Moriah’s game:

• Very skinny and fragile looking
• Clearly a natural PG: A great passer and sees the floor very well
• A very good dribble with both hands with a lot of speed changes and total control of the ball
• A nice pull up and accurate jump shot from mid range
• A good range with good looking 3 point shot
• Doesn’t force the action and rarely takes bad shots
• While she is very fast with the ball didn’t impress me on defense
• Got a very nice burst to the basket but didn’t finish in traffic (needs to get stronger physically)

Not concerned about her defense, every other report I have read about her is that she is tenacious and disruptive. Hope you get to catch another game. Her phyical game will take some time.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Few impressions of Moriah’s game:

• Very skinny and fragile looking
• Clearly a natural PG: A great passer and sees the floor very well
• A very good dribble with both hands with a lot of speed changes and total control of the ball
• A nice pull up and accurate jump shot from mid range
• A good range with good looking 3 point shot
• Doesn’t force the action and rarely takes bad shots
• While she is very fast with the ball didn’t impress me on defense
• Got a very nice burst to the basket but didn’t finish in traffic (needs to get stronger physically)

Not concerned about her defense, every other report I have read about her is that she is tenacious and disruptive. Hope you get to catch another game. Her phyical game will take some time.

in HS when "you're the team" so you need to pace yourself so you can stay in the game for the full 32... getting ticky tack fouls would definately hurt her team.

even with her weak defense they won

thanks for the report

 

[pppggg]

Nice report but keep in mind it's only 1 game being reported on. Between game film and live games, Geno and the coaching staff must have seen 30 or 40 games she played. If she couldn't play defense, I doubt she gets an offer to play at UCONN.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Nice report but keep in mind it's only 1 game being reported on. Between game film and live games, Geno and the coaching staff must have seen 30 or 40 games she played. If she couldn't play defense, I doubt she gets an offer to play at UCONN.

or if they didnt THINK they COULD get her to play defense they wouldnt offer

 

[HuskyNan]

I don't know anything about THESA or about Moriah's AAU club so I will preface my statement by saying I don't know if this applies here but...some high school and AAU coaches don't spend all that much time teaching defense and when they do, it's some kind of lazy zone where the kids don't expend a lot of energy. I wouldn't read too much into Moriah's defensive potential based on one high school game because it may be that she hasn't been expected to play much D to this point.

 

[pap49cba]

I don't know anything about THESA or about Moriah's AAU club so I will preface my statement by saying I don't know if this applies here but...some high school and AAU coaches don't spend all that much time teaching defense and when they do, it's some kind of lazy zone where the kids don't expend a lot of energy. I wouldn't read too much into Moriah's defensive potential based on one high school game because it may be that she hasn't been expected to play much D to this point.

I agree but would go even farther... Seems very few kids coming out of high school are capable of playing defense at the level expected by Geno and other top coaches. It is a skill they have to learn.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Some of us have been concened that MoJeff looks a little fragile. I had dropped my concern until reading this. I think she needs more muscle, as is true for a lot of HS players.

I am not concerned about her defense. She is known for very tenacious on-ball defense and is very quick and disruptive.

I liked reading that she does not force the action. Playing under control is required for UConn. I also like that she is a good shooter and has a mid-range game. She is freaky althletic, but she also has lots of skills already. There is a reason that HoopGurlz gave her the highest point guard rating ever.

Some folks in Colorado Springs last summer thought that Alexis Jones was a little better. It's good to hear the reverse of that. I'm sure they are both very, very good.

 

[sTu]

A quote from Hoopgurlz relating to defense. She has the will and talent to be an excellent defensive player.

"Quickness, speed, skills and an attacking mentality. Lethal with the ball in her hands and makes the players around her better. The range and touch force defenders out on her which in turn leads to her embarrassing them with how quickly she breaks them down. Jefferson's skills speak for themselves but what stands out even more is the consistency of her performance. Game in and game out she plays at a level few others can maintain. That level of play extends to the defensive end as well with a relentless on ball attack. (Lewis)"

 

[Icebear]

I don't know anything about THESA or about Moriah's AAU club so I will preface my statement by saying I don't know if this applies here but...some high school and AAU coaches don't spend all that much time teaching defense and when they do, it's some kind of lazy zone where the kids don't expend a lot of energy. I wouldn't read too much into Moriah's defensive potential based on one high school game because it may be that she hasn't been expected to play much D to this point.

I agree but would go even farther... Seems very few kids coming out of high school are capable of playing defense at the level expected by Geno and other top coaches. It is a skill they have to learn.

In my experience watching AAU and high schools play these two posts are exactly correct. Most programs simply do not put a lot of emphasis on defense and are very busy trying to install offensive principles in the litte time they have. I am not always sure that it is the right approach.

 

[Sonny44]

I'd be more concerned about her shoulder. Let's keep an eye open for updates.

 

[EricLA]

hey thanks for the report. great stuff. i haven't seen nearly as much press on her as i have on Bree and Morgan so it's really good to read something about her, even from your "untrained" eye. hope you have the chance to see h er again!!

 

[Kibitzer]

Don't forget, she is home-schooled, so presumably she and her teammates do not have the frequent interaction enjoyed by youngsters in traditional public or private school environs.

 

[Husky WBB Fan]

I love it when our team has a quick and relentless offense and defense, and I'm feeling like Mo is going to bring both of those with a load of excitement considering the hands she will have to place the ball in, as well as her own ability to put the ball in the hoop. She will get stronger and she will get better defensively. She has the gift of quickness that can't be taught. And if she didn't want to stretch herself to improve as a player, she would not have selected UCONN. I'm just as excited about Mo as I am about MT and BS - - it's going to be unbelievable!!

 

[John Fryer]

I love it when our team has a quick and relentless offense and defense, and I'm feeling like Mo is going to bring both of those with a load of excitement considering the hands she will have to place the ball in, as well as her own ability to put the ball in the hoop. She will get stronger and she will get better defensively. She has the gift of quickness that can't be taught. And if she didn't want to stretch herself to improve as a player, she would not have selected UCONN. I'm just as excited about Mo as I am about MT and BS - - it's going to be unbelievable!!

And Morgan Tuck!

Peace,

John Fryer

 

[DaddyChoc]

And Morgan Tuck!

Peace,

John Fryer

I'm just as excited about Mo as I am about MT and BS - - it's going to be unbelievable!!

thats your Morgan Tuck!