Razzle dazzle Danger

[HuskyNan]

I just love this kid.

“When you have somebody like Crystal, you can’t underestimate the impact that she has on your team because of what she can do with the ball in her hands,” Auriemma said. “She can go wherever she wants with it and she’s very creative…and she’s really smart and she can go places nobody else on our team can. The difference was evident right away. She set the tone, as did that whole group in the first quarter and it just carried over from there.”

Women’s Basketball: Huskies give fans near record-breaking win over Shockers

 

[Charliebball]

I would love to hear Geno's take comparing Crystal with Moriah at this point in their careers.........

 

[warbler1055]

It's amazing what a difference one year has made in Crystal Dangerfield. She is just so confortable and plays with great consistency and confidence!!! Geno has a way with words!!!

 

[Twolf]

I would love to hear Geno's take comparing Crystal with Moriah at this point in their careers....

In order to be great at their position, not only does the player have to have the obvious skill set, but the outstanding ones have the “it” factor, which brings their personality into the equation. Both Mo and Crystal have the ability to bring their personalities into play at the 1 position, which not only gives you “wow” moments at their playmaking skills, but also makes it a lot of fun just to watch them play.

 

[eebmg]

I would love to hear Geno's take comparing Crystal with Moriah at this point in their careers....

Crystal looks to me to be a good 50-50 mix between Sue Bird and Moriah.

 

[oldude]

As great as it is to watch Crystal, I almost feel cheated this year. Her chronic shin splints have limited Crystal’s PT and forced Geno to shut her down for several games.

I’d love to see her play at 100% again, like we witnessed in the 1st game of the season vs Stanford. Crystal says she continues to feel better, so maybe the best is yet to come.

 

[Phil]

I know this may come across as a little bit greedy, but imagine how that game would've gone without limited minutes for Dangerfield.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Others may disagree, but I think that in terms of running the point, Crystal is actually somewhat ahead of Mo at this relatively early point in her college career, which, if true, is pretty impressive. On the other hand, I think that she is a touch behind Mo’s pace as a shutdown defender and ball-denier, areas where Mo was unparalelled. It’s going to be interesting to see where it goes from here, but we’re talking about a very high bar putting the two of them in the same discussion. How lucky are we??

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

the best word to describe Crystal's game yesterday as the PG is "Amazing"... her passes were sharp, crisp and on target time and time again. While some may consider the behind the back pass to Lou on that fast break to be "show boating", it was really the only way to get the ball to Lou... the Defender moved over to cut off Crystal's angle to the basket and she was in front of Crystal. Crystal was quickly running out of court, so any pass in front would have been either intercepted or deflected out of bounds by the defender. Lou's comment in Post Game presser was something like "I knew I was going to get the ball from Crystal...we've learned if she isn't looking at you, she is going to pass it to you, so you have to be ready for it."... This one play epitomized the way the Team Played (unselfish, extraordinary team work) and showed how valuable Crystal is.

 

[JordyG]

It's been pointed out on air more than once. But what I also love is how after every play, during play and obviously during practices Crystal is always standing near Geno or in his ear. I don't think I've ever seen this before quite as much from any player. Someone who is constantly trying to pick his brain and giving input. I think this is a future Olympic play people.

 

[JordyG]

As great as it is to watch Crystal, I almost feel cheated this year. Her chronic shin splints have limited Crystal’s PT and forced Geno to shut her down for several games.

I’d love to see her play at 100% again, like we witnessed in the 1st game of the season vs Stanford. Crystal says she continues to feel better, so maybe the best is yet to come.

Hopefully next year this will be in her rear view mirror. I remember how A'ja Wilson recently had to deal with this issue during her sophomore year. It wasn't a problem for A'ja during her junior and senior years. Crystal's going to be a terror her last 2 years at UConn.

 

[pacific 44]

And just think,"YOU AIN'T SEEN NUTHIN" YET.

 

[EricLA]

One other thing about her that is amazing (well I think it goes to the staff as well) is that they have "taught" the other players to always be looking for a pass coming their way if they are open. Crystal can thread the needle with bounce passes, bullet passes, or lobs into the post, but they will only result in assists and baskets if the teammate is ready and able to catch the pass.

Kudos to the entire team - whenever any of them talk about Crystal, they almost always say some version of "you have to be ready because the second you are open she will find you". I also recall at least one recent recruit saying one reason she chose UCONN was because she wanted to play with an elite PG ie. Crystal (I think it was either Megan or Christyn).

There are not that many extraordinarily elite true PG's, and while Crystal will shoot when open, she's always looking for the best pass for her teammates. My point there is that going forward, it's important to land another elite type PG.

If you go back over the years to the elite PG's that Geno has had (Rizzotti, Rita Williams to an extent, Sue Bird, Renee Montgomery, Moriah Jefferson, and now Crystal Dangerfield. Without doing tons of research, the years UCONN struggled were in no small part to the lack of a PG (an elite one who developed).

Kennitra Johnson transferred. So did Kia Wright and Kiana Robinson (I think Wright was going to be the PG). Lorin Dixon never developed into an elite guard. Ketia Swanier was quite good, but not elite. There are so few truly elite PG's out there it's amazing that UCONN has landed as many as they have. And for the record, even if these kids are VERY highly rates, they don't generally have eye-popping freshman years. That means to me that the staff is truly remarkable in how they develop these kids. Freshman year is rough for them, and then they GET it and become true floor generals and 2nd coaches on the court.

While I was bummed that Honesty Scott-Grayson in 2018 and Zia Cooke in 2019 did not work out for UCONN (whether it was them, us, or both), but that just means it's really important to land Van Lith and/or Buekers from 2020 - in the top 12, there are 5 PG's so there is a lot to recruit from, and UCONN is very much in need of at least 1 from that class.

 

[Bigpetunia]

[QUOTE="PAHuskeyFan, post: 2572971, member: 7880
“I knew I was going to get the ball from Crystal...we've learned if she isn't looking at you, she is going to pass it to you, so you have to be ready for it."... This one play epitomized the way the Team Played (unselfish, extraordinary team work) and showed how valuable Crystal is.[/QUOTE]
In that regard, while I have no doubt that Megan is going to turn out to be a great Husky, this is a reality to which she needs to grow accustomed. This isn’t high school anymore. Your teammates are as good and sometimes better than you are. And, because of the way they play, the ball is going to come to you from unexpected angles, and often very crisply. You have to anticipate this inevitability, and learn to thrive upon it!

 

[oldude]

In that regard, while I have no doubt that Megan is going to turn out to be a great Husky, this is a reality to which she needs to grow accustomed. This isn’t high school anymore. Your teammates are as good and sometimes better than you are. And, because of the way they play, the ball is going to come to you from unexpected angles, and often very crisply. You have to anticipate this inevitability, and learn to thrive upon it!

One of my absolute favorite plays yesterday occurred when MW drove just below the foul line, spotted Pheesa out of the corner of her eye down low and threw a beautiful, over the shoulder, touch pass to Pheesa who converted it for an easy layup.

While it’s taken a little longer for MW to figure things out, she’s starting to get it, and she’s going to be great when it all clicks.

 

[MSGRET]

One of my absolute favorite plays yesterday occurred when MW drove just below the foul line, spotted Pheesa out of the corner of her eye down low and threw a beautiful, over the shoulder, touch pass to Pheesa who converted it for an easy layup.

While it’s taken a little longer for MW to figure things out, she’s starting to get it, and she’s going to be great when it all clicks.

After Lou left the game for good I got a little mad at Pheesa for short arming the dish from Lou. If she had made it Lou would have had her first double double. Lou even joked about in her after game interview, saying that Pheesa didn't want her to get it.

 

[Carnac]

I know this may come across as a little bit greedy, but imagine how that game would've gone without limited minutes for Dangerfield.

They would have a new record for the most points scored in a game beyond 126.

 

[Carnac]

One of my absolute favorite plays yesterday occurred when MW drove just below the foul line, spotted Pheesa out of the corner of her eye down low and threw a beautiful, over the shoulder, touch pass to Pheesa who converted it for an easy layup.

While it’s taken a little longer for MW to figure things out, she’s starting to get it, and she’s going to be great when it all clicks.

She'll be doing that on a regular basis next season...................she'll be a starter. Remember, you heard it here first!!

 

[Carnac]

[QUOTE="PAHuskeyFan, post: 2572971, member: 7880
“I knew I was going to get the ball from Crystal...we've learned if she isn't looking at you, she is going to pass it to you, so you have to be ready for it."... This one play epitomized the way the Team Played (unselfish, extraordinary team work) and showed how valuable Crystal is.

In that regard, while I have no doubt that Megan is going to turn out to be a great Husky, this is a reality to which she needs to grow accustomed. This isn’t high school anymore. Your teammates are as good and sometimes better than you are. And, because of the way they play, the ball is going to come to you from unexpected angles, and often very crisply. You have to anticipate this inevitability, and learn to thrive upon it![/QUOTE]

The Laker's Magic Johnson's teammates said the exact same thing about him at the beginning of his rookie season in 1979.
They said Magic was hitting guys in the head and shoulders with "no-look" passes on fast breaks. They learned after a while to look for a pass from Magic even if it looked impossible for him to get it to them, or he was looking at another player. Magic saw the entire floor like Crystal does. Magic didn't decide to give a player the ball at the last minute. He knew he was going to pass it 4-5 steps back on a fast break, but he had to set it up first. Like Magic and Gabby, there is no pass that Crystal can't make be it short bounce, long bounce, baseball or no look.

 

[Carnac]

I just love this kid.

“When you have somebody like Crystal, you can’t underestimate the impact that she has on your team because of what she can do with the ball in her hands,” Auriemma said. “She can go wherever she wants with it and she’s very creative…and she’s really smart and she can go places nobody else on our team can. The difference was evident right away. She set the tone, as did that whole group in the first quarter and it just carried over from there.”

Women’s Basketball: Huskies give fans near record-breaking win over Shockers

View attachment 28499

..........and it was a PERFECT pass.

 

[calpedaler]

 

[oldude]

Incredible!
I could spend all day attempting that shot and never come close.

 

[eebmg]

It's been pointed out on air more than once. But what I also love is how after every play, during play and obviously during practices Crystal is always standing near Geno or in his ear. I don't think I've ever seen this before quite as much from any player. Someone who is constantly trying to pick his brain and giving input. I think this is a future Olympic play people.

This issue was a major topic on the GA show. It is really a 2 way street. Crystal likes to get feedback but is also likes to explain what she sees. Geno also says Lou does that quite a bit, not only on the sidelines but in the huddle.

 

[JordyG]

This issue was a major topic on the GA show. It is really a 2 way street. Crystal likes to get feedback but is also likes to explain what she sees. Geno also says Lou does that quite a bit, not only on the sidelines but in the huddle.

Yep, in his ear.

 

[augustaTC]

I just love this kid.

“When you have somebody like Crystal, you can’t underestimate the impact that she has on your team because of what she can do with the ball in her hands,” Auriemma said. “She can go wherever she wants with it and she’s very creative…and she’s really smart and she can go places nobody else on our team can. The difference was evident right away. She set the tone, as did that whole group in the first quarter and it just carried over from there.”

Women’s Basketball: Huskies give fans near record-breaking win over Shockers

View attachment 28499

Particularly since it had to be tough working through the issues during her freshman year. I remember her Dad was interviewed at a game early last year and was asked about advice for his daughter and his answer was (more or less!) "I told her to work hard and listen to her coaches". And that, boys & girls, pretty much sums up what it takes to succeed at UConn.