I still like the 'relaxed' use of 1-5 designations because they indicate the relative strengths of the players on the court at any given time - seldom do you have two guards that are equally adept scorers, seldom do you have two players on the court at wing/forward that are equally comfortable defending a power forward, etc. a player like Maya may be a 4 in one line-up and a 3 in another and may even be shifted to a 2 in another, but by designating her with a number in the line-up it gives a good indication of how she integrates into the team at one end of the court or the other. Locking a player into a number designation doesn't work, nor does it necessarily define everything she does, but it still works pretty well.As some of you know, I have never liked this rigid 1-2-3-4-5 designation of players' positions. Recently a basketball writer in The Globe suggested a system to categorize positions that I really like. Here goes:
Ball-Handlers: Kia, Saniya, Crystal, Molly, Tierney.
Wings: Lou, Courtney.
Swings: Gabby, Napheesa.
Bigs: Nat, Kyla.
Obviously, lots of flexibility rnabling Coach to "go big" or "spread the floor." One BH must be PG.
Looking ahead, Lexi will likely be a Wing, Azura a Swing, and I'm uncertain about Andra.
Actually she plays 4,5,6 and at times 7. 6 is score keeper, 7 Ref.I don't care what you call her. To me she is rebounds, blocks, assists, second chance points, third chance points and much more. She will ensure that the NC stays or comes back to it's rightful home, UCONN.
I think they call her Azura.
This discussion over who's a 1,2,3,4,5, is irrelevant. When you run a motion offense (as UConn does) each player must feel comfortable anywhere on the court. Sure some players handle the ball to a greater extent than do others but all in all players need to be able to face up or play with their backs to the basket. It's what makes them so hard to guard.
Even while running a motion offense there are still fairly clear distinctions on defense and some pretty clear distinctions on offense.This lesson must be taught again and again. Actually we all know it by heart, but love to argue and the old is she a 3, 4 or 5 debate is such a stand by we cannot pass it up!
Natalie can play the 5, Azura the 4, Katie Lou the 2, Crystal the 1 and Gabby and Napheesa play the 3. On defense you can have Katie Lou play the 3 and Gabby and Napheesa play the 2.
Point guard (1)OK, call me old-fashioned. But I'm used to "point guard, shooting guard, forward, center. Could someone briefly bring me up to date with the "1,2,3,4,5" positions?
Sorry for the ignorance.
That is all very nice in theory, but having Gabby or Natalie or Napheesa more than 15 ft from the basket on offense does not 'threaten the defense' at all - in fact it allows their defenders to play off and provide help defense closer to the basket. Napheesa and Gabby I am sure will be working on extending their range this summer and next year, but Natalie, like Stef before her will likely never be a real threat beyond the foul line extended. If they want to shoot from 20 ft, a defense will consider that a winning proposition.Geno clearly stated back at an alumni gathering in November in Hartford that he prefers players who are multi-position. He does not subscribe to the old 1-2-3-4-5- designations.
The motion offense needs versitle players to succeed. Stevens will play inside and outside, as will Lou, Gabby, Napheesa, Natalie and Irwin. This is what makes defending UCONN so difficult.
or the ubiquitous and ambiguous "W".Since the press release has been calling AZ a 6'6 Center, but she was listed as a G/F on her Duke bio, any chance she's listed as a G/F/C one the roster is updated for next season ?
*onceSince the press release has been calling AZ a 6'6 Center, but she was listed as a G/F on her Duke bio, any chance she's listed as a G/F/C one the roster is updated for next season ?
hoophuskee - most of the world's national teams have to qualify in the odd years for the even year Olympic or WC competitions so it ends up being a yearly commitment - USA last had to play a qualifying tournament in 2007 after they won Bronze at the WC in 2006. So Kia is likely to be playing next summer as well for her NT.
My first post. I'm not all that familiar with this site just yet, but here goes.This discussion over who's a 1,2,3,4,5, is irrelevant. When you run a motion offense (as UConn does) each player must feel comfortable anywhere on the court. Sure some players handle the ball to a greater extent than do others but all in all players need to be able to face up or play with their backs to the basket. It's what makes them so hard to guard.