Nika has changed the complexion of this team, as only a great point guard can. She leads the offense on a fast break at every possible opportunity. This team is literally running their opponents off the court on offense and smothering them on defense. They're constantly trapping and double teaming. It sometimes looks like we have extra players on defense. Not to be overlooked is they're in such great shape. They don't seem to get tired no matter how long they're out there.
This is an exciting team to watch.
While Nika has been, indeed, a big factor in the character of this current team on the floor, their circumstances and the Coach has had a lot to do with it. Losing Paige and Ice meant everyone had to work hard to be more than they were and the Coach emphasized (I'm sure) that this starts with defense. That means getting into the best shape of their playing lives. They all have embraced the mantra.....hence, their defense has been good to excellent from the start. Fortunately for the team, Nika is a fireball on that side.....her only limitation is that she is not the athlete Gabby Williams and Aubrey are to become a complete lockdown defender. But, of course, everything she does is infectious. The rest of the team picks up on it....
On the offense, this team is fortunate to have a lot of confident scorers -
in saying that, it includes Aaliyah and Aubrey, who would have thought? - so Nika's main role fits her personality: timely distribution of the ball to teammates in position to best succeed. The running game has been Geno's UConn trademark and they are doing it well starting from the gate, while their half-court offense is a work in progress. The idea, for now, seems to be that the more they run and score, the less need for methodical half-court offense play - watch them work on half-court offense when they get big leads in Big East games.
Nika stands out because everybody else on the court have made it easier for her to succeed by seeking to be in position for her to deliver the ball so they can themselves best succeed. That it has happened this soon is most encouraging. They know she is growing into her role so they are helping each other. That is what the absence of Paige has induced everyone to do: be themselves, play better, help each other. And they have turned into an exciting team to watch, especially in sharing the ball and piling up assists on made baskets......persuaded that this, indeed, is the best way to success. There are still hiccups in half-court offense execution but that will diminish as the year moves on.
Elsewhere someone fantasized the starting five for next year. I endorsed the one with: Nika, Paige, Azzi, Caroline and Aaliyah. On second thought, I would prefer
Nika, Paige, Azzi, Aubrey and Aaliyah (better defense, more rebounding, if a tad less scoring....though a running Aubrey should score more than enough and another year should help her outside shot). After that, the coach can mix and match according to the opposing team's size, personnel on the floor and flow of the game.
To get by South Carolina and Stanford in the NCAAs, Dorka has to be healthy and Ayanna has to have gained more control over her body. They can go 8 deep in rotation throughout the year against tough teams, so they won't be as exhausted as the Gabby-Kia junior year team come tournament time. Geno is probably telling Nika to shoot more to prepare, get used to it and get in rhythm. If they succeed in refining their
concatenato on defense (e.g., avoid switching bailouts) and in executing their half-court offense come March, I give them a good chance to break the NC drought - never mind predictions by ESPN and other pundits.
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