Piath Gabriel Article

[RockyMTblue2]

Geno tells it like it is. A work in progress. Gabriel getting foes' best shots

 

[eebmg]

I guess I had seen an earlier version of the article posted. More material added

I always like the personal stuff


Gabriel was motivated and appreciative that Auriemma made the effort to see her play Saturday.

It’s been a whirlwind since she first stepped on campus in September and accepted his scholarship offer.
“My first day there I felt like I belonged there,” Gabriel said. “It was a great place to be. They welcomed me. It was like I was already a part of their family.
“It means everything to me. As I went on playing basketball, I never thought I’d end up at a place like UConn. It’s just a blessing to be a part of their program, and their community, and their family.”

 

[EricLA]

Some very interesting things in that article...

“I feel like there’s more to my game that I don’t know about yet,” Gabriel said. “Throughout my time playing, I’ll find those skills. I’m working on my left hand, being stronger with the ball and with my post moves, things like that.

“My goals for this season are to lead my team to another (NEPSAC Class C) championship, help my teammates get better, and help myself get better so I can do the things I need to for our team to win.”

What Auriemma and Hazelton — a former UConn player under Jim Calhoun who finished his college career at the University of Rhode Island — agree on is that Gabriel will put in the work.

First, the kid sounds like a gem. Hard worker, puts time in the gym, knows she needs to work on things, and is like a sponge. LOVE that from her.

Almost more interestingly, former UCONN men's player Scott Hazelton is her coach? That's awesome.

I love that she's getting pushed, and getting the best shot from every team she faces. It's a tiny bit of a concern that Geno feels that while she has a "presence in the lane", the "other stuff doesn't exist". I know he said she'd be the biggest surprise next season, so i'm wondering which comments are more on point - will she contribute more than anyone thinks,or is she so raw that she'd need at least 1 year of redshirting to be even remotely useful?

 

[victor64]

The dream is that Piath can be on the floor at the same time as Liv so that Liv can play some 4. Or Piath can provide minutes if Liv gets in foul trouble. The reality, I suspect, will be that next year Piath's minutes will only come at garbage time simply because there is so many good players ahead of her.

 

[DEpup]

I have to think that Geno believes if she has gotten to this point only playing since middle school that she is a real quick learner......

 

[j66kicker]

I have to think that Geno believes if she has gotten to this point only playing since middle school that she is a real quick learner......

That and she's 6'5"

 

[Alydar]

That and she's 6'5"

with shoulders

 

[HuskylnSC]

Year 1 training outline - Defense, interior footwork, rebounding. With those 3 things she can contribute with the highly athletic, skilled team we expect next year. Garbage time at the beginning, but I think Geno will try to work her in as much as he can.

 

[EricLA]

Year 1 training outline - Defense, interior footwork, rebounding. With those 3 things she can contribute with the highly athletic, skilled team we expect next year. Garbage time at the beginning, but I think Geno will try to work her in as much as he can.

I'll be honest - not sure if it's realistic, but I'd rather see her redshirt for a year than get 3 minutes per game at the end of blowouts. give her one more year to work on her game since she's so new to it. If she can't contribute but for garbage time, it's not worth using up a year of eligibility IMHO.

Not saying it will happen. but look at how much it helped Jessica Moore.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I'll be honest - not sure if it's realistic, but I'd rather see her redshirt for a year than get 3 minutes per game at the end of blowouts. give her one more year to work on her game since she's so new to it. If she can't contribute but for garbage time, it's not worth using up a year of eligibility IMHO.

Not saying it will happen. but look at how much it helped Jessica Moore.

I agree that it may be a stretch. My hope would be that by February she would be able to contribute some minutes to rest Liv. She eats up a lot of space and could provide some key minutes late in the season. Rebounding should be an automatic given her size and really with the offensive fire power that Geno has amassed for next year, she won't be expected to add much in that realm. perhaps a put back or two.

The year of eligibility would be more of a concern except that DeBerry is coming right behind her and who knows about Lauren Betts or some other top post following.

 

[eebmg]

I'll be honest - not sure if it's realistic, but I'd rather see her redshirt for a year than get 3 minutes per game at the end of blowouts. give her one more year to work on her game since she's so new to it. If she can't contribute but for garbage time, it's not worth using up a year of eligibility IMHO.

Not saying it will happen. but look at how much it helped Jessica Moore.

I just don't think being a redshirt helps much in player development (at least at UConn). I think we overestimate how much red shirt players can/will be integrated into practices and the culture of the active team. I seem to recall that Azure and Batouly were not able to be integrated very deeply in their transfer year. And I think it plays with the mind of the player and possibly affects how her teammates view them. Like it or not, UConn is highly competitive and Geno will not slow down to accommodate players who are not quite ready.

 

[EricLA]

I just don't think being a redshirt helps much in player development (at least at UConn). I think we overestimate how much red shirt players can/will be integrated into practices and the culture of the active team. I seem to recall that Azure and Batouly were not able to be integrated very deeply in their transfer year. And I think it plays with the mind of the player and possibly affects how her teammates view them. Like it or not, UConn is highly competitive and Geno will not slow down to accommodate players who are not quite ready.

Actually, I was referring to Jessica Moore. She was very raw as well. IMHO there's a difference between a player who is raw and who simply needs more basketball skills (Jess Moore and Piath Gabriel), vs. players who are already really good and just need to be acclimated into the UCONN system (Adebayo, Camara, Stevens, Westbrook).

For the raw players, the year off will help big time. For the players with already advanced hoops skills, I agree totally with you. I'm not saying PIath will be red-shirted, but if we take Geno's comments at face value and that she literally has no skills besides size and a presence in the lane, then she won't be useful at all.

BUT... his other comment "the player who will surprise the most next year is Piath"... you know - Geno talks in hyperbole sometimes so... who knows!

 

[eebmg]

Actually, I was referring to Jessica Moore. She was very raw as well. IMHO there's a difference between a player who is raw and who simply needs more basketball skills (Jess Moore and Piath Gabriel), vs. players who are already really good and just need to be acclimated into the UCONN system (Adebayo, Camara, Stevens, Westbrook).

For the raw players, the year off will help big time. For the players with already advanced hoops skills, I agree totally with you. I'm not saying PIath will be red-shirted, but if we take Geno's comments at face value and that she literally has no skills besides size and a presence in the lane, then she won't be useful at all.

BUT... his other comment "the player who will surprise the most next year is Piath"... you know - Geno talks in hyperbole sometimes so... who knows!

Jessica Moore is a good example but I think UConn in 2000 is very different than UConn in 2020. The level of urgency seems so much more heightened now. And we do need a good true post to provide backup minutes, defense and toughness and I think Piath can supply that if she simply evolves naturally. And maybe redshirting the first true post we recruited in a while may not be a good precedent.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I guess I had seen an earlier version of the article posted. More material added

I always like the personal stuff


Gabriel was motivated and appreciative that Auriemma made the effort to see her play Saturday.

It’s been a whirlwind since she first stepped on campus in September and accepted his scholarship offer.
“My first day there I felt like I belonged there,” Gabriel said. “It was a great place to be. They welcomed me. It was like I was already a part of their family.
“It means everything to me. As I went on playing basketball, I never thought I’d end up at a place like UConn. It’s just a blessing to be a part of their program, and their community, and their family.”

Really nice to see a youngster get it and express it so well.