Funny thread now after Liv showed who is the true elite post. For all Collier's rebounding, she does not intimidate in the post like Liv. I am happy Collier found a home and is becoming an excellent player but we are more than fine.
Charlie Collier broke my heart today. I kept seeing her in American flag blue, but then my eyes cleared and I saw her in that horrible orange. But it's her loss, she could have two rings by now.
My heart broke when she retracted her verbal to UConn, after choosing to go to another program. She was a highly coveted post player that Geno thought he had locked up for the next 4 years.
When she changed her mind, that put UConn in a very precarious position. It was very late in the recruiting season when Collier de-committed. Most of the other coveted post players that UConn had offered had already verbally committed to other programs.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa was a highly coveted potential recruit that Geno had offered that was still uncommitted. Azure Stevens had left a year sooner than was expected, leaving UConn void of post players. It became crucial that he get her, or face another season without a legitimate post player.
ONO committed to UConn in the 11th hour. UConn Nation breathed a collective sigh of relief. We had our post player. It took her a year to learn Geno’s system, he said it would. She has clearly reached a plateau she could not, and should not have been expected to reach last season as a freshman. Look at her now. Liv had a career-high 16 points Dec 8 against Notre Dame. She had a career-high 19 last week at DePaul, making all nine of her shots.
She owned the court Sunday. She was 3 blocks shy of a triple double. She made 13 of 18 shots. She was aggressive, strong and efficient. She looked dangerous and her game is still trending upward. It was everything Geno and CD have been trying to squeeze out of her.
Olivia wants to be here, and wants to be coached by Geno. She’s still a work in progress with some rough edges that need to be smoothed out, but she’s here, she’s committed to Geno, the program and her teammates.
She’s getting better every game. She’s not the player she was this time last year, or the player she’ll be this time next year, but she’s one of the reasons UConn has enjoyed the success it has this season.
Things happen for a reason. Charli Collier was not suppose to be here, ONO was. We’re glad she is. I wish Collier well, but I don’t think about what might have been. Even after the monster day Collier had yesterday playing the best game of her young career (against the #1 team in the country, not against a weak cupcake/jellyroll low mid-major) with 20 points and 19 rebounds to lift the Longhorns to a 69-64 upset of No. 1 Stanford, to earn espnW national player of the week honors.
The same thing with Aaliyah Boston. I never begrudged either of them for making a decision they felt was in their best interest. As much as we wanted her, and as much time she spent on campus on unofficial visits, playing for Geno and UConn was not her destiny.
I think about what is. ONO is half of a two player class (Christyn Williams) that is working well so far. Both are paying "premium" dividends. ONO has become a better than average post player that’s improving every game. I’m extremely happy she chose to come here. I’m not a betting man, but I'd bet the farm that Liv will be an All-America before she graduates.
I’m on record as being a huge ONO fan. I love watching her play. It’s exciting to see her have the type of game she had against OU, and how she was able to impose her will against them, effectivly dispelling any hopes OU had about driving the lane for lay ups. It appears that Liv has learned the art of shot blocking. She played 37 minutes yesterday, and received only 2 fouls. It will be interesting to see the finished product in 2 years. I would not trade Liv for any other post player in WCBB today or tomorrow.
In closing, ponder this for a moment, think about how many Division 1 programs would love to have ONO on their roster.
