Paige back in a week!!! (merged)

[RockyMTblue2]

There is one answer to the question and I'll bet 90% of Boneyarders know thhe right answer.

 

[The deacon]

I think you haven’t been watching the same games I have. Azzi hasn’t “misfired.” She hasn’t scored a ton, but her defense has been excellent, at least as good as what Ash is doing. I’m not sure what @BBallF is hoping for, but I’m hoping to see Azzi go off for 20+ pts. She has it in her and this may be the moment we get the full Azzi. And just a reminder, Azzi firing on all cylinders is significantly more formidable than Ash is right now.

A fair response, except that Azzi's 31 percent three-point shooting and 38 percent overall shooting before Wednesday evening's game might be judged as 'misfiring' on many pundits' scorecards.

As for her defense, it is solid, although I believe not quite at the excellent level. And I've been watching all the games, my friend...

Anyway, it was fun to see Azzi 'fire' quite well that evening, and I know we both hope she continues to do so at a quality level when they play better teams... Xavier was embarrassingly poor.

 

[Bone Dog]

You can't compare performances that way. Did Paige get more points, and more opportunities, because NC State couldn't defend her as closely with Azzi and Christyn on the court? Or is she just "better"? We'll never know the answer to that.


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It’s very telling that no one got more minutes in that game than Azzi. That’s a very revealing stat for trying to see who Geno values.

 

[HuskyNan]

There is one answer to the question and I'll bet 90% of Boneyarders know thhe right answer.

In the Xavier postgame presser, Geno said Azzi can do everything that Paige can do. That's what my eyes tell me, too.

 

[BBallF]

You can't compare performances that way. Did Paige get more points, and more opportunities, because NC State couldn't defend her as closely with Azzi and Christyn on the court? Or is she just "better"? We'll never know the answer to that.


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Perhaps but Paige took that game over in a way that was Taurasi-esque. It was one of the greatest performances ever in women's basketball. It was her taking the ball up time after time, making moves, shooting, scoring and not missing in the vital moments. On that stage, she was magnificent. Could Azzi have a performance like that? I agree that it is two ships passing in the night and that we will never truly know except in retrospect many years from now but I think most talking heads would rank Paige as the superior all -around player this year. Look at what Paige did last year playing the 4 position so well. It was incredible, Hers is a great talent. Aziz's is also. I think we are all starting to see it once again. People forget. She made 23 points look effortless on Wednesday. If you were not being regularly told how many points she had during the game you would never have guessed it. The same is true for Sarah. It is a hallmark of greatness. As I said, if we have Sarah, Paige, and Azzi in top form, and these other cylinders firing, like KK, now Allie, maybe Morgan, maybe Aubrey, with even half a cylinder from Jana and Ice each, we are going to be a force to be reckoned with in April, which is an understatement.

 

[BBallF]

I agree that there are nuances to be observed here. But I’m not sure you’ve exactly captured all of them here. In my view, Azzi is as skilled a player as Paige, though perhaps not quite as versatile. That is, I don’t see Azzi filling in as power forward for a season. But in most other senses, Azzi is Paige’s equal. In most… but not in one important sense: Paige is more of a leader than Azzi is. This has been true from the beginning of their friendship. In a one-v-one game, they’d probably play to a draw ending up exhausted. Paige simply seems to know how to wield the team as a weapon better than Azzi does. And perhaps her court vision is slightly better -- this is what teammates always gush about with Paige, that she anticipates the action better than anyone. If Azzi stays for one more season after Paige turns pro, she’ll have an opportunity to develop this aspect of her game, and I’d love to see it.

I agree with everything you say here. I didn't try to be all inclusive but whenever I see Paige play close up, I watch her eyes and I watch her on defense. She anticipates the second pass. It's remarkable. She also has vision with the ball which is exceptional. I think we have not yet seen the new Azzi in top form yet. She is stronger than 2 years ago. She hasn't shot the pull up much this year. I theorize because it is the most physical of all shots to take and is the last bastion of a residual tentativeness from her injury. If she puts together a strong game against the Hoyas I will be greatly delighted and like I said, she is the key to April and winning the last game we play this year.

 

[Tonyc]

Let me say this. Having Paige Sarah and Azzi at full strength and with the development of Ash Allie Morgan Jana Ice and KK we are coming along just fine. We arent where I think we can be or should be but its coming. We will be tested by @ Tenn with their athletic press which Im sure we will throw our press at them. SC the same thing. We can score in a hurry when back to 100%.

 

[BBallF]

It’s very telling that no one got more minutes in that game than Azzi. That’s a very revealing stat for trying to see who Geno values.

Geno is doing that purposefully to get her back physically in shape and to get rid of mental tentativeness.

 

[BBallF]

A fully functioning AZZI is at Paige's level. ASH isn't there yet, but she is better than you think.

So at the end of the NC game, when we need a basket to win, who would you want to have the ball? If you say either Azzi or Paige, I disagree.

 

[Bone Dog]

Geno is doing that purposefully to get her back physically in shape and to get rid of mental tentativeness.

I was referring to the NC St game 3 years ago.

 

[Crossover]

So at the end of the NC game, when we need a basket to win, who would you want to have the ball? If you say either Azzi or Paige, I disagree.

Fwiw, Paige says Azzi.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Geno is doing that purposefully to get her back physically in shape and to get rid of mental tentativeness.

Ditto his remark which Nan sees as saying Azzi is as good as Paige. Most of her time at UConn has involved getting her more aggressive.

 

[BBallF]

Ditto his remark which Nan sees as saying Azzi is as good as Paige. Most of her time at UConn has involved getting her more aggressive.

I think that she is older and more mature now and that it is also getting into game shape, getting her second wind, and finally the injury tentativeness. I hope we see it. It will be special and memorable.

 

[ABCDFE]

A fair response, except that Azzi's 31 percent three-point shooting and 38 percent overall shooting before Wednesday evening's game might be judged as 'misfiring' on many pundits' scorecards.

As for her defense, it is solid, although I believe not quite at the excellent level. And I've been watching all the games, my friend...

Anyway, it was fun to see Azzi 'fire' quite well that evening, and I know we both hope she continues to do so at a quality level when they play better teams... Xavier was embarrassingly poor.

Azzi's case shouldn't be a mystery. Every time she has an injury or gets hurt, mentally she takes it slow before she allows herself to trust her body. And in doing so, I believe it affects her shooting and all around play. When she has no mental or physical obstacles, she has the ability to drop 30 on any team, and I mean any team.

Unfortunately, we've only seen small glimpses of top form Azzi, but when we've seen them, I know we can all attest that the ceiling for her game is at the player of the year type of level.

 

[oldude]

I like this “Paige or Azzi” debate. Which player is better? Well, the last time both players were healthy for an entire season was back in high school, during Paige’s junior season and Azzi’s sophomore season.

As a reminder, during that season the Gatorade & USA Today NHSPOY was Azzi, who averaged over 30 ppg for St Johns College HS in the tough Washington Catholic League. The following year, Azzi was injured and Paige won all the NHSPOY awards.

I’m not saying that one or the other is better. But it sure would be wonderful if we could all continue to have this debate right on through this season’s national championship game.

 

[meyers7]

Ditto his remark which Nan sees as saying Azzi is as good as Paige. Most of her time at UConn has involved getting her more aggressive.

Most of her time at UCONN has been rehab from injuries.

 

[The deacon]

Most of her time at UCONN has been rehab from injuries.

Well said, Meyers7. I'm enjoying reading these comments but, truthfully, comparing Azzi with Paige is pure speculation. There is such little evidence of Azzi's purported 'greatness.' Again, as I've said before, I hope Azzi provides us with a long stretch of outstanding basketball... then we can starting comparing.

 

[Tonyc]

Paige Azzi and Sarah can fill it up pretty quickly now add in a hot Allie. WOWZER

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Most of her time at UCONN has been rehab from injuries.

That's what I said!