New Uconn Target

[alexrgct]

Question on recruiting. If you have 3 scholarships to offer, can you make five offers with the understanding that after 3 commitments the other two offers expire?

You can do whatever you want to do short of fielding more than 15 scholarship players in a year. However, strong-arm recruiting tactics like this can backfire on you in all sorts of ways. Kids may feel like you don't value them enough to hold a scholly for them, and then look to a school where they seem to get more love.

Then again, sometimes strong-arming works, especially at a program with strong cache on a regional or national level.

 

[Wonkster]

Sometimes it may appear that UConn has no chance of getting a recruit and then for some reason, things change. That's what happened with Maya, for example. The UConn staff had been led to believe they had no chance with her. Upon learning she was indeed open, UConn started recruiting Maya relatively late. And we know how that turned out.

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And then there's the case of Alana Beard. CD was misled into believeing Beard would only play in her home state (Louisiana?) and she winds up going to Duke. Duh. I'm surprised we could get so easily gulled by people who might have their own agenda and one not necessarily friendly toward UConn.
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[VAMike23]

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I don't find this particular recruit (McCall) such a surprise for UConn, since Dolson continues to underperform as a rebounder.

Look where we are after misfiring on McDaniels and forfeiting the services of Samarie Walker. If Caroline Doty is the 'honey badger,' then Samarie Walker certainly was the Tasmanian devil around the basket. UConn doesn't have any fire-breathing rebounders right now - Stokes and Hayes are more finesse players in that role.
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I see it a little differently -

--Samarie as The Bull rather than Tasmanian Devil [TD is too amped up]

--Stokes is progressing nicely and is beginning to show her rebounding chops. I think she will get better in this respect and might well be a dominant rebounder by JR/SR year.

--Although many would disagree, using stats to refute, I would say that Stef still has a ways to go as a rebounder.
Underperform is debatable but I won't jump on parsed words since I get your drift. It is not an either or situation of "Stef is a very good rebounder" or "Stef is a rotten rebounder". She is much better than she used to be but is certainly not dominant in that respect. Her best asset is good positioning and a much greater consistency in boxing out, and this has served her very well. However she does not go out and/or up hard for the ball at all times; there are still many occasions where her body language says that she's waiting for the ball to come to her. I often see the ball falling in space between Stef and someone like Kelly or Tiff, and they explode to the ball because at their height that's what they are used to doing to get rebounds. Stef will likely never be a fire-breather, but we can still expect some improvement in that area, and just as importantly she will continue to improve her positioning and boxing out. Although not blessed with Tina's physical gifts, she is a bit taller and she does have time to get 'nasty' so to speak like Tina did late in her JR year and throughout her SR year.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Thanks! I was pretty sure there had been a total of 5 players listed previously, but my I was coming up blank on who the other two were.

You're welcome. You help me out much more than the reverse.

 

[UcMiami]

I think rebounding numbers can be misleading - especially defensive rebounding. The first job of the defender is to box out, and Stef typically is boxing out the other teams post who generally would be considered the most dangerous opponent for a rebound. If the defense does its job correctly, the ball lands between the defenders who are all blocking any offensive player from getting near the basket. Of course nothing is ever ideal, but alot of guard rebounds on the defensive end come because the centers and forwards are doing their job of boxing out the opponent.
On the offensive end it is more instinct, quick leap ability, and the ability to evade being boxed out. I doubt Stef will ever be a great offensive rebounder because she is not a quick leaper and is not a paticularly elusive player. The quick leap issue is also why she is less likely than one of her teammates to attack a defensive rebound.
The person who surprises me most on the team is Heather - she is very successful on the offensive glass - more so than you would expect from her size and 'quick leap' ability - she is very aggressive, and surprisingly effective.

 

[UConnCat]

Here's a clip of McCall. Good size and runs the floor well.

 

[EricLA]

she seems very mobile and good with the ball for a big kid. and she can make a layup already with both hands, while in traffic and being harassed.

 

[speedoo]

Here's a clip of McCall. Good size and runs the floor well.

Good find, Cat. I like her jump shot form and she seems very athletic.

 

[bruinbball]

Interesting development. I wonder if Geno has cooled on Reimer after watching her a few weeks ago. IIRC, a day later he made the Geno Show crack about big kids in h.s. just standing around.

Sorry for being so late pap, but I would assume this is the case. I think he wants someone this size that's primary focus is the ability to play down low with the opportunity to play on the outside as well. Reimer is perimeter/mid-game first.

 

[jennyo70]

No insider info here, just my opinion from crumbs gathered along the internet highway, but I've got Reimer going to ND.

 

[NCorBust]

Obviously, Geno did not consult with anyone here. No wonder he is such great recruiter. It wasn't long ago that this board was buzzing away about Sara Hammond, who went to Louisville and has not exactly set the world afire.

What UCONN freshman is setting the world on fire? Kaleena warmed the world early on but since then has flamed out. Kiah is warming up but Hammond is playing better to date. The only UCONN freshman I can say set the world on fire was Maya. Maybe Diana.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Also no inside information, but I think ND is going to have a monster 2013 class that will keep them in contention for National Championships.

No insider info here, just my opinion from crumbs gathered along the internet highway, but I've got Reimer going to ND.

 

[EricLA]

What UCONN freshman is setting the world on fire? Kaleena warmed the world early on but since then has flamed out. Kiah is warming up but Hammond is playing better to date. The only UCONN freshman I can say set the world on fire was Maya. Maybe Diana.

huh? Hammond is averaging 3.4 PPG and 3.7 RPG. she's hitting 12% of her 3 point shots and averages about 13 minutes per game. her numbers are similar to Banks - at least as far as production and minutes. not as good as Kiah's, never mind KML's....

 

[speedoo]

Also no inside information, but I think ND is going to have a monster 2013 class that will keep them in contention for National Championships.

With everyone but Achonwa and McBride gone by 2013 (other than backups), they will need a monster class in 2013.

 

[NCorBust]

She SOUNDS plenty interesting to me. I'm glad Coach is going to see her.

I like the family tie to Bonner.

 

[Sonny44]

Seems the university and Geno could save a lot of time and money if they just did their recruiting here.

 

[UcMiami]

On Geno's comment about bigs - he has made the same or similar comments quite frequently over the years so I saw no tie-in to a current recruit. He may be picking up some negative vibes from either DD or TR, and therefore looking at others, or he may just have gotten interested in a new recruit, who is blossoming ths year.
We all try to read the tea leaves, but it doesn't generally work very well.

 

[ballin201021]

I thought Jannah Tucker and Stephanie Mavunga (sp???) had previously been listed?

I guess we received no interest from Mercedes Russell after CD visited. Sigh.

Had there been any mention of Taylor Greenfield?

FYI recruits and their parents read these forums. So unless you HEAR it from a recruit about interest in a program get you facts straight, Just because a coach makes one visit to a practice don't assume there is no interest. All your doing is creating negative feedback for the recruit. Whoever lands MR is getting not just a phenomenal talented basketball player but a hard working humble kid. Like someone on here said Geno was in California recruiting not Oregon.....lol

 

[Icebear]

Most folks here are well aware of the realities of recruits and families reading the forums. Some have had family members play college sports at various levels, including Div. 1. At the same time there will always be individuals who over analyze and make assumptions grossly misguided and far off concerning the recruiting trends of schools and players. Boards are a broad spectrum of persons and personalities which means there will always be a need to weigh everything one reads cautiously and take few things too seriously.

Recruits and families who make decisions and assumptions about schools and fans groups based on the comments of those few will do themselves and those schools injustice by trusting their futures to the idle gossip of fan boards.

 

[Sonny44]

Most folks here are well aware of the realities of recruits and families reading the forums. Some have had family members play college sports at various levels, including Div. 1. At the same time there will always be individuals who over analyze and make assumptions grossly misguided and far off concerning the recruiting trends of schools and players. Boards are a broad spectrum of persons and personalities which means there will always be a need to weigh everything one reads cautiously and take few things too seriously.

Recruits and families who make decisions and assumptions about schools and fans groups based on the comments of those few will do themselves and those schools injustice by trusting their futures to the idle gossip of fan boards.

Well said Icebear.

 

[Kait14]

FYI recruits and their parents read these forums. So unless you HEAR it from a recruit about interest in a program get you facts straight, Just because a coach makes one visit to a practice don't assume there is no interest. All your doing is creating negative feedback for the recruit. Whoever lands MR is getting not just a phenomenal talented basketball player but a hard working humble kid. Like someone on here said Geno was in California recruiting not Oregon.....lol

I can't believe that Geno isn't pushing harder for Mercedes.. This girl is just an absolute BEAST, and a great kid.. Every night she's on the news.. Her and DD are best friends, why not go after BOTH and not just DD? I don't think there's any question the two would like to play together

 

[HuskyMJ]

I can't believe that Geno isn't pushing harder for Mercedes.. This girl is just an absolute BEAST, and a great kid.. Every night she's on the news.. Her and DD are best friends, why not go after BOTH and not just DD? I don't think there's any question the two would like to play together

Are they really best friends? Oregon and Georgia are so far. I thought Russell was looking at colleges with her usa basketball teammate mavunga maybe they are looking to go to the same school to play the 4 and 5. That school people mention most is Louisville.

 

[HuskyMJ]

and maybe Geno isn't going hard after her because he didn't think she was interested in going to school so far away? Trips to Oregon are not easy, you don't make them unless you feel like they are worth it. Maybe he thinks his time could be spent recruiting players who are closer to us regionally or have shown more interest in our program because there is only so much time available between practices and games to go recruit.

 

[Sonny44]

I can't believe that Geno isn't pushing harder for Mercedes.. This girl is just an absolute BEAST, and a great kid.. Every night she's on the news.. Her and DD are best friends, why not go after BOTH and not just DD? I don't think there's any question the two would like to play together

Maybe he is. We don't know everything (or do we)?

 

[Artifact]

College recruits can be unpredictable at times. As a coach it is best to keep all options open with all playing cards close to your chest!