Rich: Jefferson was a star

[pap49cba]

(Geno) “She’s a tough little kid. She doesn’t back down from anyone. I’m more and more impressed with her every day in practice and in games.’’

LINK

 

[RadyLady]

really, really, really like and admire this kid

 

[ChicagoGG]

really, really, really like and admire this kid

+1!

 

[msf22b]

I'm going to say this only one time more to avoid the disgruntlement that may ensue.

Yes, I believe in the Sophomore leap.

But much of this talent and obvious ability was there last season.
As it had been in USA ball.
It just didn't spring out of the earth now.

Mo just needed a little more encouragement, trust and responsibility.
I know Geno doesn't trust freshman in general
But Caroline (no greater admirer than me) was essentially a cripple.
An earlier emergence might (just might) have made last season's travails disappear.

Now, we are seeing the potential of a near superstar point.
With ball-hawking skills, second to none.
When she picked Sims' pocket, that had an effect on the game.
And when that unheralded leaper blocked the shot in the corner, that put an exclamation point on the proceedings.

Looking at her physically; what is she 5'5, 95 pounds ringing wet? It's hard to take her seriously.
But watch out, this kid is a basketball player.

And by the way, she had 6 (count em) rebounds, last night, and 0 turnovers.

 

[doggydaddy]

much of this talent and obvious ability was there last season.
As it had been in USA ball.
It just didn't spring out of the earth now.

Mo just needed a little more encouragement, trust and responsibility.
I know Geno doesn't trust freshman in general
But Caroline (no greater admirer than me) was essentially a cripple.
An earlier emergence might (just might) have made last season's travails disappear.

It's doubtful that this will be the last time you say that Geno didn't manage the players minutes last year. Sometimes it's Tuck, Sometimes Jefferson, sometimes Stokes.

An earlier emergence might have done what? Please you is all I can think of. It certainly didn't effect Uconn winning the championship.

This has always been your more foolish rants when you pull it out. I'm surprised you keep doing it.

 

[msf22b]

I was wrong about Tuck
When she had the great overtime game against Notre Dame
and then didn't play much for a while, I went ballistic,
Now, of course, we know the answer.
It's a shame she's hurting, great kid, great basketball player.

 

[doggydaddy]

I was wrong about Tuck
When she had the great overtime game against Notre Dame
and then didn't play much for a while, I went ballistic,
Now, of course, we know the answer.
It's a shame she's hurting, great kid, great basketball player.

Excellent diversion post.

 

[trisailin]

Mo just needed a little more encouragement, trust and responsibility.
I know Geno doesn't trust freshman in general
But Caroline (no greater admirer than me) was essentially a cripple.
An earlier emergence might (just might) have made last season's travails disappear.

COMPLETELY disagree and I think Moriah would too. She has stated several times that NOW she is ready (implying that last year she wasn't). Geno (and CD, Shea, Marissa) did not feel she was ready yet. He/they see every day - we see a small small fraction.

 

[UcMiami]

Love this from Jeff Jacobs column in the news links:
Auriemma said he upset Jefferson once in the huddle by telling his guards that whoever Sims is guarding to pass it. Let the other guard run the play.

"We went down, got fouled and Moriah came over to me and said, 'I'm not throwing it. If she's guarding me, I'm taking it.' I said go ahead. She's just filled with confidence and I can't think of anything more important to a player's success than confidence. Right now she's got a ton of it."
And this:
"When the game got really close at the end, the two most vocal players in the huddle where Bria and Stefanie [Dolson]," Auriemma said. "They've been through a lot of these. They've won a bunch, lost a couple. It was surprising to see how animated Moriah was, which was kind of cool. That's not who she has been so far in her career at Connecticut. She kind of sits back and listens. But she has got it going right now."

And this is why she didn't play a lot last year until the end of the year - she was learning and lacking in confidence. Every time she did something in a game during the regular season last year she immediately looked to the bench - not the way to play the game. She went home this summer, worked her tail off, and came back with a completely different attitude. She now leads the teams in assists, assist/TO ratio, and steals and hustle plays and is on track for triple digits for the year in steals, assists, and rebounds and will score 350-400 points while shooting over 55% from the field. Somehow, I do not think she is losing her starting job.

 

[EricLA]

Moriah was the best PG on the floor that game. Didn't score more than Simms, but she was the better PG and floor general, and she's only a sophomore. She's absolutely amazing. 2.5 more years of this kid. LOVE it!!!

 

[huskybill]

It's doubtful that this will be the last time you say that Geno didn't manage the players minutes last year. Sometimes it's Tuck, Sometimes Jefferson, sometimes Stokes.

An earlier emergence might have done what? Please you is all I can think of. It certainly didn't effect Uconn winning the championship.

This has always been your more foolish rants when you pull it out. I'm surprised you keep doing it.

On the othe other hand, you never rant at a poster more than once.

 

[huskybill]

I'm going to say this only one time more to avoid the disgruntlement that may ensue.

Yes, I believe in the Sophomore leap.

But much of this talent and obvious ability was there last season.
As it had been in USA ball.
It just didn't spring out of the earth now.

Mo just needed a little more encouragement, trust and responsibility.
I know Geno doesn't trust freshman in general
But Caroline (no greater admirer than me) was essentially a cripple.
An earlier emergence might (just might) have made last season's travails disappear.

Now, we are seeing the potential of a near superstar point.
With ball-hawking skills, second to none.
When she picked Sims' pocket, that had an effect on the game.
And when that unheralded leaper blocked the shot in the corner, that put an exclamation point on the proceedings.

Looking at her physically; what is she 5'5, 95 pounds ringing wet? It's hard to take her seriously.
But watch out, this kid is a basketball player.

And by the way, she had 6 (count em) rebounds, last night, and 0 turnovers.

Little Mo played a great game, as usual. But I was somewhat disappointed by your message. When I first saw it I was sure it was a poem and the verses were going to rhyme. I was going to set it to music.

 

[doggydaddy]

On the othe other hand, you never rant at a poster more than once.

Bill, why are you being so short with me?

 

[huskybill]

Bill, why are you being so short with me?

DD, I have to be short with you. I'm under "the influence of fear"

 

[doggydaddy]

DD, I have to be short with you. I'm under "the influence of fear"

You must be posting from Colorado. You are certainly under the influence of something.

 

[msf22b]

Love this from Jeff Jacobs column in the news links:

And this is why she didn't play a lot last year until the end of the year - she was learning and lacking in confidence. Every time she did something in a game during the regular season last year she immediately looked to the bench - not the way to play the game. She went home this summer, worked her tail off, and came back with a completely different attitude. She now leads the teams in assists, assist/TO ratio, and steals and hustle plays and is on track for triple digits for the year in steals, assists, and rebounds and will score 350-400 points while shooting over 55% from the field. Somehow, I do not think she is losing her starting job.

This is what I call in my thesis (on another subject) the applicable folk-tale.

It's quite possible that it's true, perhaps Moriah actually believes it herself.

I am the dissenter on this as I have been from the outset.

IMHO, this talent and much of the performance we are now seeing was available earlier

 

[Wbbfan1]

What's sad is Moriah won't get any serious consideration for All American this year. No way will any of the All American teams consider 5 UConn players as All American. The most UConn will get will be three. IMHO Stewie and Stef get the 1st two and then the choice will come down to Kaleena or Bria. Moriah most likely makes WBCA Honorable Mention and be in line for All American Status next year.

 

[doggydaddy]

This is what I call in my thesis (on another subject) the applicable folk-tale.

It's quite possible that it's true, perhaps Moriah actually believes it herself.

I am the disseneter on this as I have been from the outset.

IMHO, this talent and much of the performance we are now seeing was available earlier

There ain't nothing humble about you.

You have NOTHING to base this opinion on. No facts.

You, my good fellow, are a moron.

 

[meyers7]

IMHO, this talent and much of the performance we are now seeing was available earlier

I wouldn't worry about it. We won last year and she's playing great this year. Sooooo, even if you were correct (you're not), it doesn't matter. And it's all good now.

 

[msf22b]

There ain't nothing humble about you.

You have NOTHING to base this opinion on. No facts.

You, my good fellow, are a moron.

I suppose from you, I should take this as a compliment

 

[doggydaddy]

I suppose from you, I should take this as a compliment

Actually you should. I save that one for just the right posts.

 

[Sonny44]

CORRECTION - Jefferson IS a star.

 

[NoelAustin]

Jefferson vs. Sims:

FG%: 50 16
3-point%: 67 33
Free throw%: 75 100
Rebounds: 6 1
Assists: 5 4
Steals: 4 1
Turnovers: 0 7

 

[DobbsRover2]

Theoretically, MoJeff might have been capable of much more last year, but she got a sizable 17 mpg last year and the stat averages do not show that she was ready to star last year. Her 1.4 A\TO average was decent enough, but she's doubled that this year, and across the board her stats have soared far far beyond her freshman season in shooting, assisting, rebounding, and especially on blocks, where she has become the Vexin' Texan.

One constant from last year is her ability to take the ball away from ball handlers, as she was #2 on the team last year behind Kelly in steals per minute, and this year she's thieving at about the same rate but getting far more pilferings with the huge increase in minutes.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Jefferson vs. Sims:

FG%: 50 16
3-point%: 67 33
Free throw%: 75 100
Rebounds: 6 1
Assists: 5 4
Steals: 4 1
Turnovers: 0 7

I knew the late missed FT would come back to haunt MoJeff big time.