Question re Bria H's Game

[RockyMTblue2]

In the National Semi Doris Burke sorta harped on Bria being very right handed and that made her more predictable for blocking purposes. Diggins blocked 2 lay ups. I don't think the rightiness had anything to do with the blocks, but I do recall that this was a critique we heard last year too. I would be interested to hear comments of the experts among us.

 

[msf22b]

Rocky

I'm not an expert, but since there is a paucity of replies, let me take a crack.
I took another look at the blocks and they were two big time defensive plays by Skylar.
Maybe, you could have called a foul on the first, certainly not the second.

If you remember Tiff always wanted to go left, was repeatedly successful even as the announcers shook their head that people wouldn't get on to it…apparently they're still not.

Bria played a monster aggressive game the other night, hit two in a row at a key time, stole the ball, harassed the ND offense and was moving like the speed of light.


Under such circumstances, the two blocks were of little consequence.

Obviously folks like Stewie who are comfortable going to the hoop with either hand, have an advantage.
Lots of successful players, Skylar among them have a strong side.

 

[sarals24]

Bria also has a tendency to hang in the air a bit before shooting her layups. In most instances, this is really effective because the defender jumps too early. But Skylar has played against her for three years and played with her last summer, and knew to time her block attempt a split second after Bria left her feet. Great plays on both, and Bria needed to go straight up and into the defender.

Oh well, we still won by 18

 

[DaddyChoc]

good D and timing by Diggins... period

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

IMHO, Bria has yet to recover full strength on her ankle, and that accounts for some of the ability to block her shots on breakaway. Straight away speed is good, but not jumping. Wait until next year...different story.

 

[ThisJustIn]

I wonder -- without looking at the tape and with no real basketball knowledge -- if feeling Diggins on her right shoulder, if she could have protected the ball by switching to the left hand and going up at the other side -- maybe still missing, but perhaps forcing a foul.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Diggins had Bria completely shadowed on both of those break aways, so the blocks were not surprising and probably would have occurred even if Bria attempted a hand switch. I was just wondering whether a greater left handed facility would broaden her game.

 

[Icebear]

Bria has a terrible flaw in her approach to layups on the breakaway. She does not drive all the way through the basket on the shot but rather goes up and stalls in the air decelerating and allowing the defender excellent opportunities to block the shot. Her technique is great when the defender doesn't have the ability to close on you but with a sharp quality defender like Diggins you end up in trouble. Either she needs to force contact and draw the foul or extend like Maya with the scoop adding distance from the defender and forcing them to come through her body.

The deceleration is great in layup lines without defenders and on blow out breakaways because it increases the time to judge the pace and execute the shot. It is essentially a rehearsed flaw.

 

[UcMiami]

I think she is definitely right handed, but she does move left comfortably on the floor and I have seen her use her left hand at the basket. I would say Tiff was the ultimate dominant hand player as she almost never went right - Bria not so much.

 

[UcMiami]

Bria has a terrible flaw in her approach to layups on the breakaway. She does not drive all the way through the basket on the shot but rather goes up and stalls in the air decelerating and allowing the defender excellent opportunities to block the shot. Her technique is great when the defender doesn't have the ability to close on you but with a sharp quality defender like Diggins you end up in trouble. Either she needs to force contact and draw the foul or extend like Maya with the scoop adding distance from the defender and forcing them to come through her body.

The deceleration is great in layup lines without defenders and on blow out breakaways because it increases the time to judge the pace and execute the shot. It is essentially a rehearsed flaw.

But you also see a lot of times when Bria does her stop and hang and the defender goes flying by. I think familiarity for Diggins helped plus just outstanding play.

 

[Icebear]

But you also see a lot of times when Bria does her stop and hang and the defender goes flying by. I think familiarity for Diggins helped plus just outstanding play.

Yes, that does happen. I meant to include that example.