The only comments I would add are that to me Evina was tentative today and less confident compared to Butler. She made a very poor pass early that resulted in a basket by Xavier and then lost her man on defense and allowed a layup. We really need her to just let it all go and just play. Start it up with intense defense and the offense will come.
Nika Fuel gets the offense going immediately because of her speed and vision in transition. The half court offense is much better when the ball is not dribbled up at a moderate pace but rather at a fast pace with the intention of creating a transition basket. The big question for this "new" team is how will they fare in a half court set offense when they have to. Will it stagnate? Will we try to force passes underneath? Will it throw off our outside shooting?
AE has to get rid of the ball as soon as she sees a double coming or realizes that she can't get to the basket in a drive. The best option is usually to pass it back out immediately if you don't have preferred position, reset, and get the ball back when you have the defender on your hip. Hey, it put Kevin McHale in the H of F.
I share the views of many here that CD should just keep on shooting. One of my top 3 things for this game was for her to get 20, which she did, and I fully expect she will hit 30 one of these days. She made some bad judgments today but basketball is fluid game and she is a freshman and a 6-17 performance with 4-10 from the arc with 7 boards, 5 assists and 4 steals is a very solid game. Like Culmo said, she has shooter's amnesia which will serve her well. Many of her shots are close to the basket with drives or pull-ups so there is no reason at all for the reins to be pulled in. She accounted for 30 of our 78 points today in an off shooting night. Like we said, this kid is a player, she knows where and when to move and has every shot already in her arsenal.
Finally, as to Liv. She is becoming the player we all hoped she would. I see First Team Big East and in the running for Player of the Year with CW because Paige will have missed much of the season. Her stroke is smoother, her decisions are much improved and her defensive timing on blocks has been superb. There will be tests ahead but Dorka's presence has really helped her by relieving some of the pressure on both ends of the court.
In general, a further positive movement down the path with this newly reconstituted team. The bottom line? They are fun to watch again.
Nika Fuel gets the offense going immediately because of her speed and vision in transition. The half court offense is much better when the ball is not dribbled up at a moderate pace but rather at a fast pace with the intention of creating a transition basket. The big question for this "new" team is how will they fare in a half court set offense when they have to. Will it stagnate? Will we try to force passes underneath? Will it throw off our outside shooting?
AE has to get rid of the ball as soon as she sees a double coming or realizes that she can't get to the basket in a drive. The best option is usually to pass it back out immediately if you don't have preferred position, reset, and get the ball back when you have the defender on your hip. Hey, it put Kevin McHale in the H of F.
I share the views of many here that CD should just keep on shooting. One of my top 3 things for this game was for her to get 20, which she did, and I fully expect she will hit 30 one of these days. She made some bad judgments today but basketball is fluid game and she is a freshman and a 6-17 performance with 4-10 from the arc with 7 boards, 5 assists and 4 steals is a very solid game. Like Culmo said, she has shooter's amnesia which will serve her well. Many of her shots are close to the basket with drives or pull-ups so there is no reason at all for the reins to be pulled in. She accounted for 30 of our 78 points today in an off shooting night. Like we said, this kid is a player, she knows where and when to move and has every shot already in her arsenal.
Finally, as to Liv. She is becoming the player we all hoped she would. I see First Team Big East and in the running for Player of the Year with CW because Paige will have missed much of the season. Her stroke is smoother, her decisions are much improved and her defensive timing on blocks has been superb. There will be tests ahead but Dorka's presence has really helped her by relieving some of the pressure on both ends of the court.
In general, a further positive movement down the path with this newly reconstituted team. The bottom line? They are fun to watch again.
Whatever it was, she needs to have that at every PGM from now on. She got a couple of nice passes on a fast break that led to a basket. That was a wonderful sight. Those passes hit her in stride, and she rode them all the way to the basket. Poetry in motion.
