On Leadership

[Bone Dog]

I was watching a replay of the BC game and noticed something around the 7:00 minute mark in the first quarter. Ash and Serah are defending the off ball side in the half court. Serah had fallen back too far and Ash put a hand on her back and nudged her out further toward the elbow.

I hadn’t noticed it the first few times I watched the game. That’s a leadership gesture. It was subtle, it was a friendly correction of an easy mistake to make in a new defensive scheme. Ash, a junior, giving a little help to an incoming senior. You can yell at a freshman, but a senior transfer might need a different approach.

I wonder how many quiet lessons like that are going on all the time. I’ll be watching out for them in the next game.

 

[FanFromMaine]

Caroline Doty did that as well. One time she almost pushed Kelly Faris off the court!

 

[FanSince17]

I was watching a replay of the BC game and noticed something around the 7:00 minute mark in the first quarter. Ash and Serah are defending the off ball side in the half court. Serah had fallen back too far and Ash put a hand on her back and nudged her out further toward the elbow.

I hadn’t noticed it the first few times I watched the game. That’s a leadership gesture. It was subtle, it was a friendly correction of an easy mistake to make in a new defensive scheme. Ash, a junior, giving a little help to an incoming senior. You can yell at a freshman, but a senior transfer might need a different approach.

I wonder how many quiet lessons like that are going on all the time. I’ll be watching out for them in the next game.

Good one, and Serah killed their press. She did not come into the backcourt to cut off that easy pass to their post. God made the court 94' for a reason. Come on Serah.

 

[Bills Fan]

Caroline Doty did that as well. One time she almost pushed Kelly Faris off the court!

Well that made me laugh!

 

[Bills Fan]

Good one, and Serah killed their press. She did not come into the backcourt to cut off that easy pass to their post. God made the court 94' for a reason. Come on Serah.

Actually, if you watch all of the games last year that is the way all of our Centers play in the press. Very seldom did our post, Jana, ICE or Sarah, come into the backcourt to contest a big they were guarding if that big was their responsibility on Def.

 

[Stagnant]

I think ideally, you want the best player to be the leader.

 

[DennieEddy]

Well that made me laugh!

You don't picture Kelly as the pushed off the court type?

 

[Conndog]

It’s the men, but remember Shabbazz pushing Boatwright in the Kentucky game (sorry for spelling!)?

 

[LuvBball]

I think ideally, you want the best player to be the leader.

Why?

 

[MainefanSC]

Why?

Totally agree with that question on many levels.

 

[Bone Dog]

Totally agree with that question on many levels.

Me too.

Geno often recruits kids who were leaders in high school. They have the personality to lead, though not necessarily to dominate. In other words, he tends to favor non-ball-dominant types. Ones who can score or pass with equal effectiveness and can defend with tenacity.

Ash was one of these. I think we’ll see her lead in these quiet ways — scoring when needed and playing relentless defense.

 

[Majic Hands]

Me too.

Geno often recruits kids who were leaders in high school. They have the personality to lead, though not necessarily to dominate. In other words, he tends to favor non-ball-dominant types. Ones who can score or pass with equal effectiveness and can defend with tenacity.

Ash was one of these. I think we’ll see her lead in these quiet ways — scoring when needed and playing relentless defense.

I’ve held similar thoughts about the kids Geno goes after.

I think many here on the BY forgot that Ash, as a junior, LED her team to becoming Indiana State Champions.

Then went to a different school 2 hours away getting acclimated to being away from home in preparation of going to UConn. I consider this advanced understanding and commitment to her craft.

As much as repeating as State Champions would be. She has higher goals.

 

[Bone Dog]

Ash, as a junior, LED her team to becoming Indiana State Champions.

I saw a video of that game. In the closing seconds, she had an open look at the basket, but (Paige-like) she passed the ball to a teammate to share the glory. I have a feeling that teammate still remembers that moment, probably will remember it forever.

 

[Dogdude]

As far as UConn goes, all Geno recruits are leaders. At any given moment, the player with the ball is the de facto leader, expected to make the right decision and to tell others where to go, if necessary. Everyone else becomes a temporary follower. On defense, everyone is expected to talk and call out screens, cuts, or whatever, Paige was transcendent, but overall, the team really doesn't need one leader if they're all fulfilling their roles at that particular moment in time. I guess the point guard gets to play "leader" for a few seconds, but once the ball is passed, it's everyone's job. As far as in the huddle, that one person who does the talking? Doesn't matter, as long as there's only one talking, as time is short and you don;t need everyone talking at once.

 

[Blond D.]

I remember Quandance, Ashlynn and KK's freshmen year when Nika was shoving them all over the place when UCONN was on defense. And Paige was yelling and pointing to where they should be on offense. No doubt who the leaders were on THAT team.

 

[huskiemaniac]

It’s the men, but remember Shabbazz pushing Boatwright in the Kentucky game (sorry for spelling!)?

He really shoved him, too!

 

[FanSince17]

He really shoved him, too!

It’s common, especially old school stuff.
My college coach believed in fighting over screens and hedging, not switching, so we routinely helped (grabbed, pushed, whatever) each other get over screens. I still argue about it. You can also do both, but it involves lots of communication.