Our Team Continually Changes, Yet Remains The Same... | The Boneyard

Our Team Continually Changes, Yet Remains The Same...

Joined
Nov 1, 2014
Messages
4,514
Reaction Score
32,490
here's the proof. :D


12943765.jpeg

photo by Stephen Slade


HERE are the rest of his pics.
 
The high school National Player of the Year is competing for college National Teammate of the Year.
And THAT is a really, really big part of the secret to UConn's success. They recruit and develop teammates. The veterans school the newbies and everyone buys into the system. I was just waiting for one of the freshmen to freelance last night: take a bad shot and Geno would sit her butt right down. But it just didn't happen.
 
There is another thing that never changes at UConn that I think is great. In the Hays Post article in today's news there are some embedded audio interviews. Both the coach and their leading scorer remarked about how classy the Huskies were as hosts. Player mentioned they all had dinner together, for example. Makes you feel really good to be rooting for a very classy program and fine people.
 
I think the pre season game was what was expected.

I think Crystal is going to have a monster year. Some of her moves and passes are amazing. A true point guard who didn't hesitate.

Just wondering - How do you think Azura will respond when the opponents start banging her and playing rougher especially if she's in the paint more? I have not looked into games she played while with Duke.
 
There is another thing that never changes at UConn that I think is great. In the Hays Post article in today's news there are some embedded audio interviews. Both the coach and their leading scorer remarked about how classy the Huskies were as hosts. Player mentioned they all had dinner together, for example. Makes you feel really good to be rooting for a very classy program and fine people.
so interesting, Rocky: thanks. Makes sense. I got to thinking how they flew all the way from Kansas to get their brains beat in, in front of maybe 3000 people. So, UConn goes the extra mile to make them feel (rightly) as if it's a friendly game for mutual improvement. Really nice.
 
Just wondering - How do you think Azura will respond when the opponents start banging her and playing rougher especially if she's in the paint more? I have not looked into games she played while with Duke.
Azura was only occasionally in the post during her time at Duke. As a Duke freshmen she had Elizabeth Williams in the post and as a Sophomore she had a pair (maybe 3??) 6'4" type players in the Duke post. As far a contact in the paint I think she will handle it well. She is a 75% foul shooter, not great, but good enough to discourage teams from repeatedly using the "hack a Azura" strategy against her. Azura has had a year off from playing in games so I'm sure she has found her way to the UCONN weight room to gain additional strength just like Stewie did. However, I don't envision Azura spending significantly more time in the paint than she did at Duke. If you use last night game as an example only 1 of Azura's 4 ( She actually had 5) blocks came in the paint and offensively her strength is not posting up.
 
There is another thing that never changes at UConn that I think is great. In the Hays Post article in today's news there are some embedded audio interviews. Both the coach and their leading scorer remarked about how classy the Huskies were as hosts. Player mentioned they all had dinner together, for example. Makes you feel really good to be rooting for a very classy program and fine people.


Yes. They interviewed the leading scorer and she was very happy to play UConn. To meet Geno was a true highlight. It is an accomplishment to compete and not give up against a superior opponent and if you do, you come out stronger. Not on the same scale perhaps but think Texas and Mississippi State.

Also in the coaches interview, he said it was a pleasure that they treated his team as a real team and not some "poor relation" by playing as well as they can (not just putting in their subs for example).
 
Azura was only occasionally in the post during her time at Duke. As a Duke freshmen she had Elizabeth Williams in the post and as a Sophomore she had a pair (maybe 3??) 6'4" type players in the Duke post. As far a contact in the paint I think she will handle it well. She is a 75% foul shooter, not great, but good enough to discourage teams from repeatedly using the "hack a Azura" strategy against her. Azura has had a year off from playing in games so I'm sure she has found her way to the UCONN weight room to gain additional strength just like Stewie did. However, I don't envision Azura spending significantly more time in the paint than she did at Duke. If you use last night game as an example only 1 of Azura's 4 ( She actually had 5) blocks came in the paint and offensively her strength is not posting up.
Good point. I think she will be playing more in the paint than at Duke. We may use her to match up with the taller centers on occasions.

I don't think a high percentage FT will deter opponents from knocking her around. In Stewie's sophomore year, she was spending alot of time picking herself off the floor and also shot well from the FT.
 
I think the pre season game was what was expected.

I think Crystal is going to have a monster year. Some of her moves and passes are amazing. A true point guard who didn't hesitate.

Just wondering - How do you think Azura will respond when the opponents start banging her and playing rougher especially if she's in the paint more? I have not looked into games she played while with Duke.

I don't know this, I'm guessing, but it's possible that she spent a lot of time guarding the paint in practice last year on the scout team. If she did, I'm sure she experienced some physicality on a regular basis. Already having played two years in the rough and tough ACC, she's use to it by now. Like Java said, she'll tough it out, she'll be fine.
 

Online statistics

Members online
214
Guests online
1,429
Total visitors
1,643

Forum statistics

Threads
164,033
Messages
4,379,524
Members
10,173
Latest member
mangers


.
..
Top Bottom