Piath and Amari

[itsasport]

You have to feel really happy for both of them.

The bench must have been going nuts.

 

[LarryLegend]

deberry is not a project as I assume you suspect. she is actually a terrific talent that needs some refinement and to learn the 'uconn way'. im not worried about her missed shots as i think she will make more then she misses going forward. she struggles a bit on where to be on offense and help defense...but that is normal for a big. I have my optimism glasses on now and think she will help us significantly down the stretch.

somebody else said she was a project. I was simply reacting to that assessment

 

[Charliebball]

Highly unlikely that Amari is a starter next season. Dorka may return and even if she doesn't there is still Ice Brady, Edwards and Patterson as candidates to start up front.

I know she's more athletic and a better defender but I'm not sure that Patterson is ready to start from day one either

 

[jazz]

somebody else said she was a project. I was simply reacting to that assessment

that is why I said as 'I assume you know'....

 

[donalddoowop]

I'm sorry, but basketball is a team game. One player cannot win or lose a game. It would have helped if Z was there.

That is not what they say regarding Paige. One player can make a big difference. Just ask Geno.

 

[LarryLegend]

Piath Gabriel looked pretty damn good today.

 

[CocoHusky]

I know she's more athletic and a better defender but I'm not sure that Patterson is ready to start from day one either

I don't have Patterson as a day 1 starter I'm projecting Dorka, and Ice or AE as potential starters ahead of Patterson. My point was Patterson will be ahead of Amari in the post rotation IMO.

 

[Tonyc]

Amari is a very very good back to the basket player. She can also hit the 15 footer. She needs playtime right now. She and Piath most likely will get more time against BE teams.

 

[JoePgh]

Like everyone else, I was very impressed by Piath's game today, particularly the basket she scored by beating everyone up the floor. But, not to be overlooked, is the fact that her defense was as bad as her offense was good. Watching the game live, I saw her give up a Xavier basket by losing her man immediately before each of her first two layups. So the layups had the aspect of making up for a defensive lapse, and I suspect that is how Geno saw them. She won't get prime-time minutes until she fixes that problem, regardless of her scoring.

Amari consistently makes dreadful decisions under pressure -- a big problem now. I suspect that this will improve as she gets more minutes, but her minutes will have to be limited to garbage time until she stops playing like that. It's a familiar dilemma for the coach.

 

[freshler40]

Like everyone else, I was very impressed by Piath's game today, particularly the basket she scored by beating everyone up the floor. But, not to be overlooked, is the fact that her defense was as bad as her offense was good. Watching the game live, I saw her give up a Xavier basket by losing her man immediately before each of her first two layups. So the layups had the aspect of making up for a defensive lapse, and I suspect that is how Geno saw them. She won't get prime-time minutes until she fixes that problem, regardless of her scoring.

Amari consistently makes dreadful decisions under pressure -- a big problem now. I suspect that this will improve as she gets more minutes, but her minutes will have to be limited to garbage time until she stops playing like that. It's a familiar dilemma for the coach.

Neither of our young bigs have played the equal of an entire game. Just patches of time and game ends with much of that time being run down by our guards. This is not a great time to see what these players can do, no flow, just try and get them the ball and have them see it go through the hoop. I am not worried as they, during practice, play again the top women's college players. It's a major benefit to playing for the Huskies. Real students of the game want to learn from the best.

 

[Longtime fan]

This quote has been much discussed and entirely misinterpreted. Geno was not comparing Amari to Stewie. There has only been a few notable bigs "since" Stevie. There was only Natalie Butler, Azura Stevens and ONO. I happen to disagree with Geno in this case & believe Azura was much more skilled than Amari even if you compare the players a freshman.

Two things; 1. Amari hit a nice shot today and 2. Is it significant that Piath was on the court before Amari entered the game?

 

[JoePgh]

Two things; 1. Amari hit a nice shot today and 2. Is it significant that Piath was on the court before Amari entered the game?

I think Piath's greater minutes probably reflect her performing better in recent practices than Amari. Just a guess.

 

[HuskylnSC]

View attachment 72429
I'm throw some names at you real quickly: Rebecca Lobo, Kara Wolters, EDD, Stewie, Stefanie Dolson, Tina Charles, Kiah Stokes

yup. That's why I remember what he said. But look at your list Rebecca and Kara were almost 30 years ago. All players skill level has increased considerably since then. EDD and Stewie have the size of a center but you know they both were wings offensively. Mama was a project for 2 years and Tina also improved while she was here. Kiah was a defensive monster who played reluctantly on offense. Amari may never approach the careers of any of them, but I can see what why he said what he said.

 

[CocoHusky]

yup. That's why I remember what he said. But look at your list Rebecca and Kara were almost 30 years ago. All players skill level has increased considerably since then. EDD and Stewie have the size of a center but you know they both were wings offensively. Mama was a project for 2 years and Tina also improved while she was here. Kiah was a defensive monster who played reluctantly on offense. Amari may never approach the careers of any of them, but I can see what why he said what he said.

You memory is not correct. See @HuskyNan post in this thread.
What Geno said was: “ (Amari) is the most purely skilled big UConn has had since Brianna Stewart”.
Notable UCONN bigs since Stewie are only: Natalie Butler, Azura Stevens, & Liv. All three had better freshman careers and displayed more skill than Freshman Amari is currently doing; therefore I would have to disagree with Geno.

 

[HuskylnSC]

You memory is not correct. See @HuskyNan post in this thread.
What Geno said was: “ (Amari) is the most purely skilled big UConn has had since Brianna Stewart”.
Notable UCONN bigs since Stewie are only: Natalie Butler, Azura Stevens, & Liv. All three had better freshman careers and displayed more skill than Freshman Amari is currently doing; therefore I would have to disagree with Geno.

Thanks for that, but I have read Nan's post and because it was not what I heard, I chose not to comment. (A skill some others would be wise to copy.)

I am more than willing to admit I may not have heard correctly or that I may not be remembering correctly. But I have to stick by what I remember hearing. To do anything else would be disingenuous.

You know Geno well, are you certain that he never made any other comments about Amari?

I am also sure your impeccable memory allows you to remember how Natalie and Azura played after about 15 minutes of game time. That's really a gift seeing how neither were freshmen at UConn.

I suggest you just chalk my comment up to my being an ignorant old man and let it go.

 

[HuskyNan]

You memory is not correct. See @HuskyNan post in this thread.
What Geno said was: “ (Amari) is the most purely skilled big UConn has had since Brianna Stewart”.
Notable UCONN bigs since Stewie are only: Natalie Butler, Azura Stevens, & Liv. All three had better freshman careers and displayed more skill than Freshman Amari is currently doing; therefore I would have to disagree with Geno.

We haven’t seen enough of Amari to make that determination.

 

[HuskyNan]

Found this quote from the Courant via Yahoo (free article):

Geno Auriemma says: ”That kid (Amari) is skilled as hell. More skilled than I thought, around the basket, shooting it, just really knows how to play. I’ve been so impressed.”

From A Dime Back blog:

“Once we get Amari going — which the last couple days I’ve seen the change — that kid is skilled as hell. That kid is very skilled. More skilled than I thought. Around the basket, with the ball, shooting it, she just really knows how to play. I’ve been so impressed. But like I’ve said, we got to get her up to college speed.”

 

[CocoHusky]

Thanks for that, but I have read Nan's post and because it was not what I heard, I chose not to comment. (A skill some others would be wise to copy.) I am more than willing to admit I may not have heard correctly or that I may not be remembering correctly. But I have to stick by what I remember hearing. To do anything else would be disingenuous.
You know Geno well, are you certain that he never made any other comments about Amari?
I am also sure your impeccable memory allows you to remember how Natalie and Azura played after about 15 minutes of game time. That's really a gift seeing how neither were freshmen at UConn.
I suggest you just chalk my comment up to my being an ignorant old man and let it go.

I'm certain Geno has made several other comments regarding Amari. It is quite possible that Geno made the comment you mentioned. I'd still disagree. BTW I don't rely on my memory to recall how Natalie and Azura played as freshman at Duke and Georgetown respectively. You can actually looks these things up: Both Natalie and Azura had a double/double in their very first NCAA games. It would be very disingenuous for me to leave you believing you are "an ignorant old man" because you are not.

 

[CL82]

Aubrey is and has never been a big. In pre season Aubrey was working with the guards per Geno. A rotation of 3 bigs ( Dorka,AE and Liv) is the most big players UCONN has had in the 4/5 rotation for quite a while now.

Yet, Geno said that she would’ve helped out with our struggles against the South Carolina bigs.

 

[Papa33]

That is it. Thanks. If that isn't high praise, what is? Stewy is only the best player we have ever seen ( okay, begin arguments ). So does anyone think DeBerry has flashed any of those skills in the few minutes we have seen her? I mean, how cool if Geno is right. But I would think one move, one pass, one shot, one spin, one something....would have mirrored the great one. Not so far, in my book.

I vividly recall all the biting criticisms that Geno laid on Stewy, especially regarding defense and her sense of where to be and what to do on offense. It took most of her freshman year to look comfortable within the UConn system.