Saniya Chong facing greater expectations

[MilfordHusky]

Saniya seems to still be struggling. I hope she can work her way through it.

 

[hoophuskee]

A very good set of questions. And ones that I must respond to with my own set of questions.

Thank you. Don’t take offense to my answers. I enjoy these fun discussions.

Do you think that the team could have been just as successful last season with Chong , Banks, and don't forget Stokes, getting more minutes?

What do you define as “just as successful?” Our definitions might be different.

And would those extra minutes have brought more progress for them?

Yes- but I have an opinion about that. I’ll share later.

And would Banks have stayed around if she had gotten more minutes?

I thought he could have played Banks more last year. Not Chong but Banks – yes. And while I am in no way certain – a little part of me believes Banks was probably disappointed and wanted PT. But I have no certainty or 90% probability etc. I’m just guessing. As for guessing here is what I think some of the greatest players in the world for their age may think- after your comments in bold.

I must go ahead and give you my thoughts on those questions …the thought, losing a game. I don't have a big problem with them possibly losing a regular season game now and then.

Now I’ll share mine. The top players deserve the minutes they get too. If I were a top 5 wcbb player and you, the coach, don’t have a problem with losing a game because you benched me in order to give those minutes to an inferior bench player not playing as well me and it cost us the game, I’d think underneath my breath you are the biggest phony on the planet. As you have beat down on me for my career the importance of heart, effort and the importance of winning and here you go without the same, heart and effort I put out, and deliberately blow a game that I KNOW I could have helped us win. And I wanted to be out there and help my teammates (haven’t you always said “we’re in this together?”) and you denied me and especially all my teammates that- as you have told me all my career I AM responsible to get my teammates involved. I couldn’t share with my teammates what you have been trying to instill into me since I arrived and that is to always try your best. Yet did you do that coach in this game, coach? I bust my hump harder than the bench players, worked all my life to be among the best players in the world for my age, and you so casually don’t care if we lose this game? You didn’t give me and especially your team your best effort coach. I’ll always remember that.

Well suppose I was Bria Hartley- didn’t play well as a junior. My senior year YOU gave more minutes to Banks and Chong and we lost to Baylor. Now maybe I become a 2nd round pick. So I was a top ten player coming out of High School and one of the biggest games in my senior year – I really wanted to beat Sims- and you didn’t give me more than 25 minutes while I was clearly much better than Chong and Banks? Don’t you care coach that I didn’t give the pro scouts and the fans and most importantly my family as well as myself a chance to show what I can do?

Booton- I know a bench player can say similar things but it’s the superstars that fans want to see and it’s the superstars that win titles. Gradually word would get around that you as a coach are okay with such a great team benching the stars and okay if you lose a game or two despite far superior talent. As time goes on you can say goodbye to the top 5 player from High School (they are competitors among the best players in the world for their age. They won’t look at a coach like this as competitor. ), then the top ten, then the top 20. IMO your coaching style would be on a downward spiral yet the style you are criticizing from Geno keeps getting tremendous recruits.

I had fun with this- thanks. We just have different styles I suppose. I think your style is a bit detrimental to the top tier players while you think mine is awful for the bench. I think giving MoJeff big minutes has done wonders for her overall game. Which in turn helps gets kids like “TheRealDanger” who love MoJeff’s style and maybe sees herself playing super like MoJeff but in her own special way. And I think Stokes has grown tremendously at UCONN despite getting 20 minutes. If we put minutes on a pedestal that you want to do, why aren’t there so many more senior players that have played more minuets better than Stokes?

 

[OssiningPride]

She's struggling and looks totally deflated. One of the best NY STATE HS players of all time reduced to rubble by a HALL OF FAME COACH! [mod edit]
Hall of fame coaches should know who their recruiting. His latest attacks wishing that his bench was somewhere else and that you can't teach some of the guards anything points to him wanting her to leave.
What is with the anaylist on SNY... she spends every second Chong is in the game ripping her. Her comment during the Tulsa game basically stating that Chong doesn't fit at UCONN was so unprofessional and mean spirited.
Saniya is a good person that has been through a lot in her young life. I hope this can work out for her!

 

[sarals24]

She's struggling and looks totally deflated. One of the best NY STATE HS players of all time reduced to rubble by a HALL OF FAME COACH!
[mod edit] Hall of fame coaches should know who their recruiting. His latest attacks wishing that his bench was somewhere else and that you can't teach some of the guards anything points to him wanting her to leave.
What is with the anaylist on SNY... she spends every second Chong is in the game ripping her. Her comment during the Tulsa game basically stating that Chong doesn't fit at UCONN was so unprofessional and mean spirited.
Saniya is a good person that has been through a lot in her young life. I hope this can work out for her!

Reduced to rubble? She was a starter at the beginning of the year!! She had every opportunity to shine, but her defense will always hold her back. It's frankly terrible. If she's hitting shots she might be able to compensate, but she hasn't been doing that lately either. Nurse has clearly outplayed her, and the team looks much better with her in the starting lineup. It's a competitive sport, and to get minutes at UConn you have to play defense.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

She's struggling and looks totally deflated. One of the best NY STATE HS players of all time reduced to rubble by a HALL OF FAME COACH! [mod edit]
Hall of fame coaches should know who their recruiting. His latest attacks wishing that his bench was somewhere else and that you can't teach some of the guards anything points to him wanting her to leave.
What is with the anaylist on SNY... she spends every second Chong is in the game ripping her. Her comment during the Tulsa game basically stating that Chong doesn't fit at UCONN was so unprofessional and mean spirited.
Saniya is a good person that has been through a lot in her young life. I hope this can work out for her!

I continue to have more than hope for her. You should too.

Hang in there Saniya.

 

[sawxfan23]

She's struggling and looks totally deflated. One of the best NY STATE HS players of all time reduced to rubble by a HALL OF FAME COACH! [mod edit]
Hall of fame coaches should know who their recruiting. His latest attacks wishing that his bench was somewhere else and that you can't teach some of the guards anything points to him wanting her to leave.
What is with the anaylist on SNY... she spends every second Chong is in the game ripping her. Her comment during the Tulsa game basically stating that Chong doesn't fit at UCONN was so unprofessional and mean spirited.
Saniya is a good person that has been through a lot in her young life. I hope this can work out for her!

I am sure Saniya is a good person as well but right now she is not a very good basketball player!!! IMHO Coach Auriemma has given her every chance in the world to succeed. Frankly you referring to him wanting her to leave because of a comment he made is SO OFF BASE from reality that it is laughable!

 

[jsloanjr]

Right now the gme is too fast fo her and she has a very diffcult time slowing the game down in her mind. I was right behind the bench last night and Geno asked Shea, "What the hell is she doing"?.........Eric hit the nail on the head in his earlier post.........#1 Get the ball out of her hands at the point and let her do her thing with cuts, screens, and take open 3's
The game needs to slow down in her mind, then she will be able to be herself.........She is an excellent player........

 

[Striper69]

Saniya, Saniya, Saniya...

 

[Bgillon]

She's struggling and looks totally deflated. One of the best NY STATE HS players of all time reduced to rubble by a HALL OF FAME COACH! [mod edit]
Hall of fame coaches should know who their recruiting. His latest attacks wishing that his bench was somewhere else and that you can't teach some of the guards anything points to him wanting her to leave.
What is with the anaylist on SNY... she spends every second Chong is in the game ripping her. Her comment during the Tulsa game basically stating that Chong doesn't fit at UCONN was so unprofessional and mean spirited.
Saniya is a good person that has been through a lot in her young life. I hope this can work out for her!

I appreciate candid comments from analysts since they know the game better than I do. I believe her comments were about Saniya's basketball skills, not her as a person. There are many "good persons" playing D3 basketball for instance. Regarding recruiting skills, I suppose Geno should be able to project exactly what a high school player will develop into and never recruit a player who may turn into a role player for him.

Of course, when he recruits only players who will be starts and then doesn't have enough minutes to go around, he will be criticized for some players transferring because of lack of PT. Oh and if any injuries occur , I sure hope he knew that or else he will be criticized .

A simple question comes to mind when I read quotes like the above... is the player ever responsible for their own development or lack thereof?

 

[Waquoit]

Reduced to rubble? LOL! Geno's tried the carrot approach to start by talking her up and starting her early on. That didn't work so he's on to Plan B.

 

[Bgillon]

Reduced to rubble? LOL! Geno's tried the carrot approach to start by talking her up and starting her early on. That didn't work so he's on to Plan B.

Brilliant! It's a shame that some posters can't recognize that Geno might have a strategy that he believes will help one of his players develop but realizing that unlike in the BY, in real life players don't always succeed. Reference all the criticism he has received over the past few seasons for Stokes lack of offensive development... play her more, spend more time with her at practice, don't yank her if she makes a mistake, etc, etc, etc.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I appreciate candid comments from analysts since they know the game better than I do. I believe her comments were about Saniya's basketball skills, not her as a person. There are many "good persons" playing D3 basketball for instance. Regarding recruiting skills, I suppose Geno should be able to project exactly what a high school player will develop into and never recruit a player who may turn into a role player for him.

Of course, when he recruits only players who will be starts and then doesn't have enough minutes to go around, he will be criticized for some players transferring because of lack of PT. Oh and if any injuries occur , I sure hope he knew that or else he will be criticized .

A simple question comes to mind when I read quotes like the above... is the player ever responsible for their own development or lack thereof?

Indeed, there are many excellent athletes that compete at the D III level.