Saniya Chong facing greater expectations

[VAUConnFan]

In yesterday's game Chong was consistently beat off the dribble, was slow to switch on screens, switched off the wrong man on screens, and was slow to close out on the shooter. She is a terrible defensive player and that's what bugs me because defense is all heart and hustle. Just about anybody can be a good defender if they want it bad enough and obviously Chong doesn't want it. Offensively she had 1 good aggressive take that resulted in a foul being called and 2 missed foul shots. The rest of the game her offensive contributions like most of her games recently consisted of her standing around the 3 point line and passing the ball around the perimeter. There is no doubt in my mind that Chong is playing herself deeper and deeper onto the bench. I wouldn't be surprised if Ekmark became the first guard off the bench.

Not true.

 

[jsloanjr]

I Geno's comments are true reported, my question, were are her team leaders? Where i Stewie, Tuck KML?........

 

[EricSD]

Not true.

I tend to agree, however Saniya was benched for not being a good defender - meaning she lost her starting spot to Nurse originally because of Saniya's defense. I agree that not everyone can be a good defender, but I do agree that everyone can put the effort in and give 100% and be the best defender they can be. Clearly a player like Stef would struggle stopping Moriah out beyond the arc so that's not my point.

Geno has said Saniya lacks focus. Several people have pointed out Saniya's penchant for dribbling the ball well beyond the arc, waiving her arm, and then picking up her dribble and making a pass that really accomplishes nothing. Then you compare it to Nurse who is constantly making something happen - whether it's driving to the basket and drawing a foul, drawing defenders to her to kick it out, or running a pick and roll so she can get a post player open. Saniya just doesn't seem to do any of that. Add to it her lack of focus and offensive output and she ultimately isn't accomplishing much when out there. I just don't notice her when she plays.

 

[sawxfan23]

Not true.

Really? Ask any coach in the country and they will tell you that Heart and Hustle are main components of playing good defense. I can give you countless quotes from HOF coaches stating that very fact.

 

[Striper69]

I tend to agree, however Saniya was benched for not being a good defender - meaning she lost her starting spot to Nurse originally because of Saniya's defense. I agree that not everyone can be a good defender, but I do agree that everyone can put the effort in and give 100% and be the best defender they can be. Clearly a player like Stef would struggle stopping Moriah out beyond the arc so that's not my point.

Geno has said Saniya lacks focus. Several people have pointed out Saniya's penchant for dribbling the ball well beyond the arc, waiving her arm, and then picking up her dribble and making a pass that really accomplishes nothing. Then you compare it to Nurse who is constantly making something happen - whether it's driving to the basket and drawing a foul, drawing defenders to her to kick it out, or running a pick and roll so she can get a post player open. Saniya just doesn't seem to do any of that. Add to it her lack of focus and offensive output and she ultimately isn't accomplishing much when out there. I just don't notice her when she plays.

Like I said before...her defense wasn't that bad. Their "Help" defense was lacking in that game. The coaching staff apparently hadn't prepared them for that.

Nurse is playing well though. Saniya will just have to adjust to coming off the bench (OK, OK again).

 

[Striper69]

Really? Ask any coach in the country and they will tell you that Heart and Hustle are main components of playing good defense. I can give you countless quotes from HOF coaches stating that very fact.

I agree. If they really want to be a good defender they can be (as far as their physical limitations will let them). Saniya has quickness and speed.

 

[Waquoit]

Saniya looks to me to have very little confidence in her game.I know I'm in the minority here when I say that I don't think Auriemma gets the confidence thing with certain players.

No sale. I just happened to watch that SNY All Access this weekend. Geno was effusive with his praise for Chong. Then the games start and she isn't getting it done. Geno's telling her what she needs to do. Do it or move on. "Confidence" is just an excuse.

 

[boontonbomber]

No sale. I just happened to watch that SNY All Access this weekend. Geno was effusive with his praise for Chong. Then the games start and she isn't getting it done. Geno's telling her what she needs to do. Do it or move on. "Confidence" is just an excuse.

Geno can be effusive all he wants, but until he gets her off the bench in situations like the second half Sunday, she will continue to question herself. She needed to play in that second half. You can't really think that "Confidence is just an excuse" .

 

[Waquoit]

Geno can be effusive all he wants, but until he gets her off the bench in situations like the second half Sunday, she will continue to question herself. She needed to play in that second half. You can't really think that "Confidence is just an excuse" .

She "needed" to play? That's not how it works. She needs to produce if she wants PT.

 

[Aluminny69]

She "needed" to play? That's not how it works. She needs to produce if she wants PT.

Well, that sounds like a Catch-22 if I ever heard one. BTW, Saniya had a great assist to Stewart for an easy layup in St. John's game.

 

[malevocalist#]

Saniya looks to me to have very little confidence in her game. And it's another shot to her confidence to not be trusted at all in the second half of the St. Johns game. For the last 12+ minutes of that game Uconn led by no fewer than 14 points. I know I'm in the minority here when I say that I don't think Auriemma gets the confidence thing with certain players. If he doesn't trust the player, even in comfortable situations like Sunday, then hard to imagine that the player will trust herself. Players have to play thru things at times, play and play and play. He may lose her as a player, if he hasn't already.

Nice post....Hit the Nail on the head. Thats just my point. Sometimes it isn't wise (to hammer) the player up side the head with yo yo effect. As every player dont respond the same.

I know geno is a smart coach. Though sometimes easily frustrated especially when he expects more from his sophomore players.

But don't shatter the confidence by displaying lack of confidence. As it wouldn't hurt at all exercising patients as it would without. Let them play through it sometime. And after a few games if the point hasn't been absorbed by the player then one knows to do. The same could be said about playing time in general.

If a little patients can be afforded to Stokes's (3) starts before she was pulled due to her lack of offense and some defense it can be afforded to chong as well. Stokes doesn't get rattled easily as we saw from the ND game and on.

Chong was pulled instantly based on lack of defense period. After scoring (20) points?

To keep from shattering her confidence offensively a little patients would not have hurt at all.

Hang in there Chong I am sure you will regain your form with better defensive play as well. The team can use good offense off the bench as well as defense.

 

[boontonbomber]

She "needed" to play? That's not how it works. She needs to produce if she wants PT.

for some players that's exactly how it works. 6 minutes is not enough time for a player to get confidence back. of course, since you don't believe that there is such a thing as a player losing confidence, you wouldn't understand that.

 

[WildEagle]

sawxfan is really Megan Cuhmo from SNY. Chong played excellent D against St Johns, it was Nurse who was getting beat all over the floor on D, she looked like a turnstile.
As for Saniya's game, this kid is playing scared, she has no confidence in her game and I do not think she is the type of kid who can have confidence beaten into her.
Geno stated he has told her he wants her to contribute, for some reason she is not responding, believe me she is not playing up to her potential, not playing her game.
Defensively she still has a few things to work on but offensively if she ever comes alive again with the ball she would make Nurse look like Slo-Mo.
[mod edit]
Someone said she is not Uconn good, please some of you folks need to get over yourselves.

This whole thing reminds me of a saying that reflects on the management style of many in business and in coaching : THE BEATINGS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORAL IMPROVES!!!!!

 

[VAUConnFan]

Really? Ask any coach in the country and they will tell you that Heart and Hustle are main components of playing good defense. I can give you countless quotes from HOF coaches stating that very fact.

What you say here is true. It does, indeed take heart and hustle to play good defense. However, not everyone is equipped to be a good defender purely as a result of heart and hustle. Defense is not all heart and hustle as you stated. It also takes quickness, anticipation, speed, strength, communication, intelligence, insight, and a fair amount of ability. Let's face it, there are some defenders who are just overmatched against good offensive players. Name a player at any level who is going to stop Diana Taurasi when she has it going with mere heart and hustle? It is not happening.

 

[malevocalist#]

What you say here is true. It does, indeed take heart and hustle to play good defense. However, not everyone is equipped to be a good defender purely as a result of heart and hustle. Defense is not all heart and hustle as you stated. It also takes quickness, anticipation, speed, strength, communication, intelligence, insight, and a fair amount of ability. Let's face it, there are some defenders who are just overmatched against good offensive players. Name a player at any level who is going to stop Diana Taurasi when she has it going with mere heart and hustle? It is not happening.

Nice post. And lets not forget skills. in my days of playing BB and FB. My confidence didn't come overnight. All the tools were there. But once I relized that (enough said).

The one thing I took pride in was defense. I just loved taking out the other teams quickest player because I was bless with the speed & quickness to be able to accomplish just that.

The drive has to come from within. But the thing that enabled to play good on both sides of the ball after realizing the skills were there was confidence.

Nevertheless, that confidence had to climb a mountain at times. Because there were times confidence took a beaten by virtue of people telling me what I couldn't do or the coach having no cinfidence in me etc. But thank God for inner competitiveness and faith that refuse to swallow whatever it was they were negatively preaching. (With that said don't misunderstand me....I don't think for one geno is telling chong what she can't do, because he knows what she is capable of doing) And that is the seed he hopes to sow. The methods now thats another thing.

Chong will find that same confidence she had in high school. Give her time. Coach is good tearing down what needs to be destoyed and rebuilding that which would set in motion consistency.

There are too many good player around this kid. As she grow she will get it. Keep the drive within. Pay attention to detail. And continue to get better defensively. Defense builds confidence that causes offense to flow smoothly for some. (I did say for some). Especially those who possesses offensive skills.

 

[sawxfan23]

sawxfan is really Megan Cuhmo from SNY. Chong played excellent D against St Johns, it was Nurse who was getting beat all over the floor on D, she looked like a turnstile.
As for Saniya's game, this kid is playing scared, she has no confidence in her game and I do not think she is the type of kid who can have confidence beaten into her.
Geno stated he has told her he wants her to contribute, for some reason she is not responding, believe me she is not playing up to her potential, not playing her game.
Defensively she still has a few things to work on but offensively if she ever comes alive again with the ball she would make Nurse look like Slo-Mo.
If the rest of this season continues like the St Johns game I can only hope that she sees the light and gets the hell out of Storrs and transfers someplace where she can light it up and shine.
Someone said she is not Uconn good, please some of you folks need to get over yourselves.

This whole thing reminds me of a saying that reflects on the management style of many in business and in coaching : THE BEATINGS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORAL IMPROVES!!!!!

Now you can all follow with your pompous comments.

What game were you watching?

 

[Waquoit]

for some players that's exactly how it works. 6 minutes is not enough time for a player to get confidence back. of course, since you don't believe that there is such a thing as a player losing confidence, you wouldn't understand that.

It's not a confidence issue, it's a focus issue. A buy-in issue. I heard Geno tonight, something's going on there. Playing time needs to be earned, Geno's treating Chong like a basketball player. Sounds like you would rather he treat her like a girl.

 

[UConnCat]

It's not a confidence issue, it's a focus issue. A buy-in issue. I heard Geno tonight, something's going on there. Playing time needs to be earned, Geno's treating Chong like a basketball player. Sounds like you would rather he treat her like a girl.

Yep. That's exactly what he said tonight. He also said he's going to get to the bottom of it and get her to the point where she is contributing.

 

[hoophuskee]

for some players that's exactly how it works. 6 minutes is not enough time for a player to get confidence back. of course, since you don't believe that there is such a thing as a player losing confidence, you wouldn't understand that.

I agree confidence for a player is huge. I l also believe confidence for a team is huge - develop cohesion/flow etc.

With that said do you think it was a blunder last year by Geno with how he handled Banks and Chong vs. how the team did? Which was more important or were they equally important? Is this different than last year? If you need a bench then you think it means Geno blundered but lucked out last year?

And is it acceptable at all to play your 7th best player 6 minutes for any game (i.e. a coach should never do it?)?

 

[Striper69]

No sale. I just happened to watch that SNY All Access this weekend. Geno was effusive with his praise for Chong. Then the games start and she isn't getting it done. Geno's telling her what she needs to do. Do it or move on. "Confidence" is just an excuse.

Geno himself said that "confidence" means a lot to shooters (he was talking about Stewart) in the interview after the game. I think he knows Saniya's confidence is down right now.

 

[Striper69]

No disrespect, but if Saniya Chong ever starts reminding me of Kelly Faris I'm gonna hire a band and host a big party for all Boneyarders!

Sorry but I was referring to last season when Faris would get the ball in the three point area and look nervous. Wide open and miss more often than not- like a lot of big time NBA players. They make all these half court and trick shots but when the pressure is there they miss.

You're not confident about your long range shot? Drive and make something happen or get an easier shot/get fouled.

 

[Tonyc]

Saniya is thinking to much about her game, her shot and what she is suppose to do and when she doesn't live up to her own expectations she beats herself up. JMO Ive seen it with kids who are stars at one level and struggle at the next level. Did benching her after the Stanford game hurt her confidence. Im sure it did. It would for almost anybody. Saniya is a terrifc scorer and in the Stanford game I saw it in her eyes just like when she was in HS. Its easy to say but she just has to have a scorers mentality. Shes thinking pass the ball and cut here or cut there. All she has to do is think I need to score and do what she did in HS. If she fails she needs to keep doing it until she doesn't fail anymore. Success is failure turned inside out. Ive never seen or met a successful person who hasn't failed first. We as fans need to be patient and let Saniya figure it out.

 

[boontonbomber]

I agree confidence for a player is huge. I l also believe confidence for a team is huge - develop cohesion/flow etc.

With that said do you think it was a blunder last year by Geno with how he handled Banks and Chong vs. how the team did? Which was more important or were they equally important? Is this different than last year? If you need a bench then you think it means Geno blundered but lucked out last year?

And is it acceptable at all to play your 7th best player 6 minutes for any game (i.e. a coach should never do it?)?

A very good set of questions. And ones that I must respond to with my own set of questions. 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? And would those extra minutes have brought more progress for them? And would Banks have stayed around if she had gotten more minutes?
I must go ahead and give you my thoughts on those questions. I think that Banks and Chong could have been given some more important minutes last year with no appreciable effect on the team results. And those minutes could very well have been beneficial to them. Brianna Banks worked so very hard after her injury and really played well at times last year, but I think was not rewarded with the minuutes she deserved. And I think that's why she left. Personally , I think that was a blunder by the coaching staff. If any luck was involved in last year's success, it was that the team did not suffer any injuries during the tournament, nor did they lose players due to fouling out. Obviously, those are the situations where you need players coming off the bench who have had some good minutes during the second half of the season, especially against better opponents. I don't think that Banks, Chong, or Stokes, got the minutes the team needed them to have in case catastrophe struck. And I also think that the lack of minutes hurt their progress. I hope that the same thing doesn't happen this year, with Chong, Williams, and Ekmark. For the same reasons, those 3 need to be getting minutes, especially against better teams. And I would get them those minutes even though it might mean closer games, or, perish the thought, losing a game. I don't have a big problem with them possibly losing a regular season game now and then.
It just seems common sense to me for coaches to imagine the possibility of disaster striking, say Moriah or Morgan going down with injury, or Nurse fouling out again. I just have not been able to understand over the last few years why being ready for these things doesn't seem to be a priority for this coaching staff.

 

[cabbie191]

To me, more scalene!

I thought it kind of a-cute comment myself.

 

[JoePgh]

It makes no sense to put a bench player like Chong or Banks into a game (whether the game is competitive or not) if she is not going to play the way she was taught in practice and that follows the team's game plan.

I am not talking about physical errors -- missed shots or bad passes. Those are totally forgivable. I'm talking about not playing help defense the way you were coached, not feeding the post when that play is open, or passing up shots that you were coached to take.

If you show in 6 minutes that you are going to make those kinds of mistakes, then you belong back on the bench (apart from garbage time) until you show that you can and will play as you were taught.

Self-confidence is important, but it has to be based on doing the right things, or at least attempting to. If you confidently do the wrong things when you are put in the game, what good is that?

 

[wbfree]

Not true.

I'm pretty sure Saniya has blocked a few three point attempts the last few games. Not bad for poor defense. I think her problem is confidence.
I do believe her benching after the Stanford game was not fair, but I'd never argue Geno's judgement. He's with the team every day and he knows what's best. However, Morgan and KML were terrible on defense against Stanford. The whole
team was terrible on D, including Stewie and Stokes. So to signal out one to me was unfair. Just my opinion.
Nurse is more of a presence on the court. She plays with more confidence and toughness. I think that's what Geno is trying to get from Chong.

 

[Bgillon]

Saniya looks to me to have very little confidence in her game. And it's another shot to her confidence to not be trusted at all in the second half of the St. Johns game. For the last 12+ minutes of that game Uconn led by no fewer than 14 points. I know I'm in the minority here when I say that I don't think Auriemma gets the confidence thing with certain players. If he doesn't trust the player, even in comfortable situations like Sunday, then hard to imagine that the player will trust herself. Players have to play thru things at times, play and play and play. He may lose her as a player, if he hasn't already.

To me, if Saniya doesn't get better, it will not be because Geno "lost" her. It will be because she will not perform better than Geno's other options. His objective is to win as many games as he can by teaching players to be the best they can be. Most respond very well to his approach but not every player has it in them to break through their personal (mental) barrier. But the best chance for any player to become the best they can is to take personal responsibility for their development. Remember Gabby's comment after the Stanford game? She didn't play a single minute and her family was in attendance yet she took complete responsibility for not being put in the game. Many times the difference in two athletes can be their mental approach. How do they handle errors or misplays or lack of playing time.

As one D! hockey coach said about one of his star players, "he has no conscious", meaning he instantly forgot about a mistake and focused on the next play.

 

[Bgillon]

A very good set of questions. And ones that I must respond to with my own set of questions. 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? And would those extra minutes have brought more progress for them? And would Banks have stayed around if she had gotten more minutes?
I must go ahead and give you my thoughts on those questions. I think that Banks and Chong could have been given some more important minutes last year with no appreciable effect on the team results. And those minutes could very well have been beneficial to them. Brianna Banks worked so very hard after her injury and really played well at times last year, but I think was not rewarded with the minuutes she deserved. And I think that's why she left. Personally , I think that was a blunder by the coaching staff. If any luck was involved in last year's success, it was that the team did not suffer any injuries during the tournament, nor did they lose players due to fouling out. Obviously, those are the situations where you need players coming off the bench who have had some good minutes during the second half of the season, especially against better opponents. I don't think that Banks, Chong, or Stokes, got the minutes the team needed them to have in case catastrophe struck. And I also think that the lack of minutes hurt their progress. I hope that the same thing doesn't happen this year, with Chong, Williams, and Ekmark. For the same reasons, those 3 need to be getting minutes, especially against better teams. And I would get them those minutes even though it might mean closer games, or, perish the thought, losing a game. I don't have a big problem with them possibly losing a regular season game now and then.
It just seems common sense to me for coaches to imagine the possibility of disaster striking, say Moriah or Morgan going down with injury, or Nurse fouling out again. I just have not been able to understand over the last few years why being ready for these things doesn't seem to be a priority for this coaching staff.

This reminds me the a famous quote ' The harder I work, the luckier I get"

 

[Striper69]

I'm pretty sure Saniya has blocked a few three point attempts the last few games. Not bad for poor defense. I think her problem is confidence.
I do believe her benching after the Stanford game was not fair, but I'd never argue Geno's judgement. He's with the team every day and he knows what's best. However, Morgan and KML were terrible on defense against Stanford. The whole
team was terrible on D, including Stewie and Stokes. So to signal out one to me was unfair. Just my opinion.
Nurse is more of a presence on the court. She plays with more confidence and toughness. I think that's what Geno is trying to get from Chong.

The entire team has stepped up their interior defense since the Stanford game. That stuff will not happen if Stanford is fortunate enough for a rematch in the NCAA's.

 

[Zorro]

Reminds me of something I once heard one Husky parent say to another; "Sue is always thinking two plays ahead. Diana doesn't think at all; she doesn't have to."