New Comments from Geno Re Short Bench

[housekeys]

Geno is keenly aware of all things related to this team and is being proactive. Proactive does not mean he MUST do what you are suggesting. For example a valid approach is to condition the starters to play over forty minutes and also teach them to avoid the ticky tac fouls-KLS comes to mind as a good example who is being taught and has learned. Geno comments were specific to FRESHMEN and has been severely overstated. Overstated because one of those Freshmen Crystal is averaging 23.2 minutes per game. If you add up all the backup guard minutes from last year by Courtney & Saniya it does not add up to 23.2 minutes. Natalie butler is averaging 16.8 Mins/game. Among the non-starters on last year's team Gabby led in Mins/game at 18.6- pretty close to what Natalie is averaging. So although you don't want a "fruitless" comparison the heart of the anxiety is exactly that: We/Some want this bench to be as productive as benches from the past, and I guess I'm fruitlessly telling you they don't have to be.

We may end up going nowhere because we are speculating about hypothetical events of the future. Of course he does not have to do anything I, or you, or anyone else, suggests. He is the head coach. While there is more than one way to address the problem of foul trouble, and you have suggested one, ideal, way, it is by no means the only way. Given the AAC schedule, it would be prudent to give the bench players game time experience. This should be a goal, but I agree not a MUST. If it is in his hands to mitigate a risk, he should try and do so. Note, I am not saying he has to do this to somehow placate his players.

As for "fruitless", you may have misunderstood what I was trying to say, because I have no anxiety whatsoever and your player comparisons are too deep for my simple mind. It is fruitless for boneyard experts to try and impose their opinion on other boneyard experts (by definition), IMO. We all have opinions and even I have made comparisons, however, there is a difference when someone says "Player A is playing better", versus saying, "Player A is playing better than Player B". Most understand the meaning of the first and cringe at the meaning of the second. I know I do.

 

[housekeys]

The entire tone of your post is all so WRONG!!

Perhaps you are tone deaf?

 

[hoophuskee]

Perhaps you are tone deaf?

Maybe: All the years listening to The Who and other rock bands.

It's just that below in bold you posted two different things. I liked your 2nd post much better than the 1st. Just odd for example you indicate what a 11 time champion coach should want to do if he really wants to win is follow your advice. But it doesn''t seem that way in para 2.

And again I here the statements about "he has to give players time on the floor." But ofc everyone has to know the bench players will see more time in blowouts. They may not get enough for some - but it is obvious that most if not all the bench players will get more time/ or more of a consistent time in blowouts. There is no revelation that the bench players will see more time / or get more consistent time.

So if Geno wants to be proactive and put his team in position to win, he must be aware that his bench players MUST get time on the floor.

Given the AAC schedule, it would be prudent to give the bench players game time experience. This should be a goal, but I agree not a MUST. If it is in his hands to mitigate a risk, he should try and do so. Note, I am not saying he has to do this to somehow placate his players.

 

[housekeys]

Maybe: All the years listening to The Who and other rock bands.

It's just that below in bold you posted two different things. I liked your 2nd post much better than the 1st. Just odd for example you indicate what a 11 time champion coach should want to do if he really wants to win is follow your advice. But it doesn''t seem that way in para 2.

And again I here the statements about "he has to give players time on the floor." But ofc everyone has to know the bench players will see more time in blowouts. They may not get enough for some - but it is obvious that most if not all the bench players will get more time/ or more of a consistent time in blowouts. There is no revelation that the bench players will see more time / or get more consistent time.

So if Geno wants to be proactive and put his team in position to win, he must be aware that his bench players MUST get time on the floor.

Given the AAC schedule, it would be prudent to give the bench players game time experience. This should be a goal, but I agree not a MUST. If it is in his hands to mitigate a risk, he should try and do so. Note, I am not saying he has to do this to somehow placate his players.

Sounds like you have a problem with the word MUST. Let me try again.

What do you get when you have a short bench, possible injuries, and possible foul trouble? Geno MUST play someone deep from his bench. Re-read my first post.
PS. You must have misunderstood if you think my post implies I think Geno MUST follow my "advice".

 

[CocoHusky]

Sounds like you have a problem with the word MUST. Let me try again.

What do you get when you have a short bench, possible injuries, and possible foul trouble? Geno MUST play someone deep from his bench. Re-read my first post.

Still don't see the difference between this explanation and your first post. For clarity sake the offending words are the first two-"Geno MUST".

 

[Sluconn Husky]

2018 they have Collier and are really working Smith hard by many reports.

Where did you see they are "working Smith hard"? I haven't found anything on Smith and UConn. Rather, Geno has been to Olivia Nelson-Ododa's games.

 

[Buzzyboy]

There was no conditional "at some point" in my post . The PG position especially in the UCONN offense is the hardest position to learn and master. This makes it especially hard to compare players playing different positions. I stand by my original statement that Crystal is a better PG than Gabby is a Forward or Guard. Both a fabulous passers but Crystal gets the nod as you would expect from a PG. Gabby get the nod for her defensive versatility. Crystal gets the nod on Mid range and long distance shooting while Gabby gets the nod because of her athleticism closer to the basket. Again, overall Crystal gets the nod because she is playing the most difficult position.
About the evolution of Gabby's skill set, by the numbers: Betweeen freshmen and Sophmore year +3 minutes more a game and the same FG%. Increase of .2 PPG entirely due to increasing FT % from .46 to .75. Gabby from Sophmore to Junior year (so far) +10 Minutes per game , +3PPG , -.116 FG%, +2.4 RPG.
Remember the original statement by @Monte was "There is NO ONE on the present Uconn bench with the ability that Gabby has." IMO Crystal does.

I definitely have a far different opinion than you do of the shooting capabilities of Crystal and Gabby and also a far different opinion of their value to the team offensively and defensively. Crystal had one superior performance running the offense (Baylor) but other than that, I've seen nothing close to that performance. Her shot making and her passing are NOT superior to what I've seen from Gabby and she's been a bit of a defensive liability at times. I guess we can agree to disagree which is no big deal.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Where did you see they are "working Smith hard"? I haven't found anything on Smith and UConn. Rather, Geno has been to Olivia Nelson-Ododa's games.

I think Geno visited NaLyssa in September or October when he was in S.A. with the Spurs.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I think Geno visited NaLyssa in September or October when he was in S.A. with the Spurs.

I remember that he went for a home visit with her, I just wasn't sure what made it such a hard push for her above the other targets.

 

[HuskyNan]

I remember that he went for a home visit with her, I just wasn't sure what made it such a hard push for her above the other targets.

Any "facts" folks read on the Boneyard should be taken with a grain of salt unless there's a direct quote in a respected source, such as a newspaper or credentialed blog.

 

[HuskyNan]

I definitely have a far different opinion than you do of the shooting capabilities of Crystal and Gabby and also a far different opinion of their value to the team offensively and defensively. Crystal had one superior performance running the offense (Baylor) but other than that, I've seen nothing close to that performance. Her shot making and her passing are NOT superior to what I've seen from Gabby and she's been a bit of a defensive liability at times. I guess we can agree to disagree which is no big deal.

Crystal plays like someone from 20 years ago and that's a great thing. Nowadays, kids want to run up and down the court at 100 miles an hour, taking a long outlet pass, and scoring in a flourish on the fast break. I've had to leave AAU games because the entire game was played like that.

Crystal, however, has a pull up jumper, can drive and dish, and she - gasp! - uses the backboard. While she's still figuring out how to read defenses, her defensive posture is good, so that's a matter of time. And I disagree with you on her passing - it's quite good and her A/TO is a respectable 1.5, just a shade behind Gabby's 1.6 and better than Lou's 1.3. Crystal also has a nose for the ball and has tipped & stolen a few passes, signs that she can anticipate offenses pretty well.

I love the fundamentals of Crystal's game. She's far ahead in this part of her development than most freshmen - credit to her high school/AAU coaches for helping her. Crystal's "problems" are that she's 1. a freshmen, therefore inconsistent, 2. has been thrown into the frying pan, playing point for the #1 team against the best teams in Div I, and 3. she's still adjusting to college. After all, she's a student, too, and she's got to get used to studying, practicing, traveling, playing, Geno, and being away from home. I think she's done a fabulous job up til now and am excited for her future.

 

[Zanzman]

Different circumstances but both players had adequate opportunity to earn playing time.
D'Janae left the program on December 15th that was 11 full games into UCONN's season. Plenty of close games at ND and Depaul, Florida State. But there were also plenty of blowouts Kansas State + 40, tOSU + 44, Nebraska +42 and ample opportunity for D'Janae to earn playing time- I though there was talk that her hand may have not been completely healed from HS injury. Similar Situation for Sadie who was gone by Christmas time also 11 games into the season. Close games against Stanford and ND and blowouts against UC Davis, Charleston +61.

2 months is adequate time as a freshman to earn playing time ? Really I will have to remember that when this years freshnen get beat up

 

[CocoHusky]

2 months is adequate time as a freshman to earn playing time ? Really I will have to remember that when this years freshnen get beat up

Yes.
Please do.

 

[Zanzman]

Actually d'janae never played between hand Achilles and what seemed falling behind academically so I don't think she had a fair 2 months to prove herself