Replace Kia in the starting lineup with ........

[HairyDog]

Kia has been throwing up bricks for weeks now. Time for a change. You need another guard on the floor, either Chong or Samuelson. My vote is Chong. Like Geno said we know she can score points.
The thing Geno seems to forget is that you win games by SCORING more points than your opponent. If not constantly brow beaten Chong will score points in bunches.
Time for Kia to give the trowel and mortar a rest.

 

[Bonpland]

Kia has been throwing up bricks for weeks now. Time for a change. You need another guard on the floor, either Chong or Samuelson. My vote is Chong. Like Geno said we know she can score points.
The thing Geno seems to forget is that you win games by SCORING more points than your opponent. If not constantly brow beaten Chong will score points in bunches.
Time for Kia to give the trowel and mortar a rest.

Wow quite a day for new members to get poked at on the Board.

Keep posting and keep commenting but even I know that your post here is (What did Joe P. say?) sacreligious. Your comment on Geno will get you tarred and feathered if you get to close to the now agitated crowd.

I've stated above; defense, leadership and guts. Her shots will fall. She stays in the lineup.

 

[Hongster]

Kia is tenacious, not gracious but like a badger she's keep coming back for more. Love her tenacity.

 

[Bgillon]

Kia has been throwing up bricks for weeks now. Time for a change. You need another guard on the floor, either Chong or Samuelson. My vote is Chong. Like Geno said we know she can score points.
The thing Geno seems to forget is that you win games by SCORING more points than your opponent. If not constantly brow beaten Chong will score points in bunches.
Time for Kia to give the trowel and mortar a rest.

Gee I missed that we don't score enough! If there is an issue on offense, I think it is our shooting %. And Gabby in place of Kia does not solve that.

 

[hoophuskee]

Kia has been throwing up bricks for weeks now. Time for a change. You need another guard on the floor, either Chong or Samuelson. My vote is Chong. Like Geno said we know she can score points.
The thing Geno seems to forget is that you win games by SCORING more points than your opponent. If not constantly brow beaten Chong will score points in bunches.
Time for Kia to give the trowel and mortar a rest.

Geno has forgotten? His team is averaging 89.5, so what exactly has he forgotten? Your reasoning is "forced." Geno hasn't forgotten - you're just a fan of superior shooting. I love shooting too. But I also hate watching my team get pushed around when they don't have to be- and if Chong is in there with MoJeff for significant amount of time - we're going to open up ourselves to get pushed around. Why open that door? SO we can average 96 ppg vs the weak teams instead of 90? For what purpose? What next? Harp on Geno to bench Lawlor and Pulido? When is enough enough?

There I a higher ceiling with Nurse and secondly, Saniya has the injury. Can't raelly on her game to game to play "starters minutes."

 

[JRRRJ]

Gee I missed that we don't score enough! If there is an issue on offense, I think it is our shooting %. And Gabby in place of Kia does not solve that.

Actually, this year it might solve such a problem: 61.6% (77/125, best on the team) vs 40.8% 58/142). And Gabby has less than 2/3 the minutes of Kia.

But I'm not agreeing with the OP. And I"m not agreeing with you that a team 52.8% is a problem...

 

[Scud49]

I love Gabby to death, but Kia is tough, tenacious, a natural leader, battle tested, and a winner.

Having a weapon (for all the reasons previously stated by others) like Gabby off the bench (when Morgan is back) has to be a nice card for Geno to play - when he thinks he needs a change, and a big spark.

 

[Woof 101]

Forget about position strategy; go with the best athlete who can best help the team in different kind of ways. Some teams have a 4 guard system, don't they? Why not a 2 center, 2 forward, one guard or different other combos depending on the team played or particular time in the game being played? Let's think outside the box, or maybe NO box at all?

You MIGHT have a point just not HERE. Most coaches who use unconventional line-ups due so as a last resort, by no means are we in that position.
http://temple-news.com/sports/cardozas-switch-to-5-guard-lineup-boosts-owls-offense/
Over all though you will find here IN GENO WE TRUST. Welcome .
Now if your up on football and offensive line changes you will find open arms & ears.

 

[Bgillon]

Actually, this year it might solve such a problem: 61.6% (77/125, best on the team) vs 40.8% 58/142). And Gabby has less than 2/3 the minutes of Kia.

But I'm not agreeing with the OP. And I"m not agreeing with you that a team 52.8% is a problem...

Subtract the layups and our % goes down significantly. Secondly, Gabby's high % is bolstered by the number of her layouts, not outside shooting. Personally, I love the way Geno is using both Gabby and Kia.

 

[carpe diem]

I hope the UCONN players do not read the boneyard. While most comments are very positive, to be said to "throw up bricks" would be a hurtful read for anyone. We are so fortunate to have such personable, talented women to support. Any negativity directed towards them is really unfair since they are all exceptional.

 

[HuskyNan]

Kia has been throwing up bricks for weeks now. Time for a change. You need another guard on the floor, either Chong or Samuelson. My vote is Chong. Like Geno said we know she can score points.
The thing Geno seems to forget is that you win games by SCORING more points than your opponent. If not constantly brow beaten Chong will score points in bunches.
Time for Kia to give the trowel and mortar a rest.

Kia is shooting 41.2% overall, 31.9% from three. Lou is shooting 42.6% overall and 31.9% from three. Both of them average about the same number of points. Not sure why you are saying Kia is shooting "bricks" while Lou's shooting is fine.

 

[PacoSwede]

Subtract the layups and our % goes down significantly.

Wow. I don't know of any team that doesn't have this "problem."

 

[CocoHusky]

Kia has been throwing up bricks for weeks now. Time for a change. You need another guard on the floor, either Chong or Samuelson. My vote is Chong. Like Geno said we know she can score points.
The thing Geno seems to forget is that you win games by SCORING more points than your opponent. If not constantly brow beaten Chong will score points in bunches.
Time for Kia to give the trowel and mortar a rest.

This is so misguided I'm beginning to think you are having fun at all our expense. Regardless, I'll play along. Scoring has never been a problem since Saniya been in a UCONN uniform. She was taken out of the starting lineup AFTER a game in which she scored 21 points. Geno brow beats everyone ,if you want to call it that.

 

[cohenzone]

. It's not just that the offense wouldn't run better with Gabby replacing Kia. It's that it's hard to imagine why there is a need to think about tinkering with a team that beats the daylights out of just about everyone. At the moment, there's no one playing so out of sorts that making a change makes any sense, and, of course, as some have pointed out, even if Kia was playing lousy - she isn't - Gabby would not be the one to replace her.

 

[stamfordhusky]

The thing Geno seems to forget is that you win games by SCORING more points than your opponent. If not constantly brow beaten Chong will score points in bunches.
Time for Kia to give the trowel and mortar a rest.

Yes, that Geno is an idiot. Knows nothing about the game at all. Instead of a change at guard, I think it's really a coaching change they need. Maybe turn the job over to,you. After all, there are few experts who know that the team with the most points wins.

 

[huskyd]

Even though I was someone who did not quite believe the Boneyard optimists' euphoric predictions about Kia when she was starting her freshman season (and I still don't expect to see her name on the wall at Gampel), I think that the idea of removing her from the starting lineup is close to sacrilegious. (Webster Online definition, since I had to look up the spelling: "[showing] gross irreverence toward a hallowed person, place, or thing.")

The two main reasons why I say that are: (a) defense; and (b) leadership. You can't replace (even with Gabby, her best friend on the team) Kia's competitive fire or her all-out effort. And that is reflected in her defense. I have no doubt that she is far more vocal than Gabby in practice and elsewhere in guiding the freshmen, and that she will do the same for next year's freshmen as well.

Gabby certainly has great athletic skills, but you can't measure the importance of competitiveness: Jenn Rizzotti, Jamelle Eliot, Diana, and Maya. It has a positive effect on the whole team, every minute of every game.

Sooner or later, there will be a confrontation on the court with some overly physical opponent taking liberties (maybe against Gabby), and then we will all see what I am talking about. I don't expect to see a fight, but perhaps some other payback from the Ontario hockey playbook.

Glad you mentioned HOFamer Jen Rizzotti in your post. In the recent discussion about UConn's best guards, Jen didn't get much attention. But her numbers were impressive. During 94'-95'--that special season--Rizzotti played in 35 games, averaged 12.5 points, shot a bit over 50% from the field, and over 40% from 3-land. She also had 161 assists. But the distinguishing quality that you cite is what separates Jen from the pack: she was as competitive a player as you could hope to have on your team. And you're right: Kia has much the same personality. Lucky us.

 

[RunItUp!]

Welcome to the Boneyard.

Kia has been in something of a scoring slump, but her defense is still outstanding and she will be the heart of next year's team. She's a born leader and she has shown the world that she can perform under pressure when it counts.

She's the kind of player that Geno dreams of having; Kelly Faris with a greater upside on offense. She'll work her way out of her mid season funk and her shooting will improve, and she'll step up before the season is over.

We have a lot of weapons. Her moment has not yet arrived, but it will.

Yes, you are right in your assessment of Kia but putting her on the bench for awhile, having her think that she needs to earn the spot again, may get her out of her shooting slump!!!

 

[RunItUp!]

Gee I missed that we don't score enough! If there is an issue on offense, I think it is our shooting %. And Gabby in place of Kia does not solve that.

With Gabby grabbing more rebounds, and being more athletic, we get more shots to put in, AND as Gabby's confidence grows, her shot will improve. Given a fair shot, an AA???

 

[bags27]

There are a lot of things that go into the decision of who's going to start and who's going to come in soon after. We sometimes forget that the issue of "starting" is for high school, as has been quoted recently on BY. The issue is flow and combinations. Gino's been "pretty good" at figuring these things out. There are intangibles well beyond the statistics, such as who makes the hard cut, the hard screen, and the hard switch, who takes the better angles on defense (which is what basketball is all about), etc. Each player (even Stewie!) has her limits and vulnerabilities, and it's up to our "pretty good" coach to figure out the best combination of players who complement each other at difference times, different challenges, different matchups. Remember the old Celtics? Remember how many years Havlicek sat on the bench? didn't seem to hurt them or him....

 

[bags27]

Yes, you are right in your assessment of Kia but putting her on the bench for awhile, having her think that she needs to earn the spot again, may get her out of her shooting slump!!!

So maybe Gino should have benched at the beginning of her sophomore year, a player who went 0-11 in the last half of the final game of the previous year, costing UConn a chance to play for another NC? Wonder what ever happened to that kid.....

 

[CocoHusky]

Yes, you are right in your assessment of Kia but putting her on the bench for awhile, having her think that she needs to earn the spot again, may get her out of her shooting slump!!!

Let me get this straight, she is going to shoot her way out of the slump from the bench? That would be a first!

 

[CocoHusky]

So maybe Gino should have benched at the beginning of her sophomore year, a player who went 0-11 in the last half of the final game of the previous year, costing UConn a chance to play for another NC? Wonder what ever happened to that kid.....

That Kid was from Chino I believe.

 

[NewCorn]

Kia has been throwing up bricks for weeks now. Time for a change. You need another guard on the floor, either Chong or Samuelson. My vote is Chong. Like Geno said we know she can score points.
The thing Geno seems to forget is that you win games by SCORING more points than your opponent. If not constantly brow beaten Chong will score points in bunches.
Time for Kia to give the trowel and mortar a rest.

Hairy, use a smiley face to indicate you're kidding.

 

[JordyG]

Even though I was someone who did not quite believe the Boneyard optimists' euphoric predictions about Kia when she was starting her freshman season (and I still don't expect to see her name on the wall at Gampel), I think that the idea of removing her from the starting lineup is close to sacrilegious. (Webster Online definition, since I had to look up the spelling: "[showing] gross irreverence toward a hallowed person, place, or thing.")

The two main reasons why I say that are: (a) defense; and (b) leadership. You can't replace (even with Gabby, her best friend on the team) Kia's competitive fire or her all-out effort. And that is reflected in her defense. I have no doubt that she is far more vocal than Gabby in practice and elsewhere in guiding the freshmen, and that she will do the same for next year's freshmen as well.

Gabby certainly has great athletic skills, but you can't measure the importance of competitiveness: Jenn Rizzotti, Jamelle Eliot, Diana, and Maya. It has a positive effect on the whole team, every minute of every game.

Sooner or later, there will be a confrontation on the court with some overly physical opponent taking liberties (maybe against Gabby), and then we will all see what I am talking about. I don't expect to see a fight, but perhaps some other payback from the Ontario hockey playbook.

You've delineated my view on this topic point for point. Gabby's skill set is far different from Kia's. As well as the skills and intangibles you've mentioned, Gabby's off ball skills and her perimeter shooting skills eliminate her from the off guard position at this time. I say at this time because if Gabby's rate of progress continues she could be effective at that position by her senior year. Effective enough to give Geno more flexibility by then. But replacing Kia at that position (given Kia's rate of progress as well) would be a major long shot.

 

[huskeynut]

Forget about position strategy; go with the best athlete who can best help the team in different kind of ways. Some teams have a 4 guard system, don't they? Why not a 2 center, 2 forward, one guard or different other combos depending on the team played or particular time in the game being played? Let's think outside the box, or maybe NO box at all?

You have not been paying attention to how Geno recruits and coaches. Geno likes those who can play more than one position. Geno has been "thinking outside the box" for years. The traditional positions of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 don't really applyy to his coaching. Geno has used a 4 guard set, a 2 center set and other combinations.

Kia plays the the "old" 1 or 2 or occasional 3. She is hard as nails and an excellent defender. Gabby plays the 3 or the 4. She has incredible leaping ability and exceptionally quick hands. She is the perfect spark off the bench.

Each player brings different skill sets to the court. As does Moriah, Stewie, Morgan, Lou, Sinaya and Phees.

And when you have won 55 games in a row, you must ne doing something right!