Saniya Chong IMO will be the next Renee Montgomery after this season

[Forty_four]

Thankfully, some realism. What a breath of fresh air. To anoint someone whose done some nice things (Saniya) as if she's the second coming is a little much. Comparing her to Mel Thomas is I think a nice compliment without going overboard. Mel Thomas was a really nice asset for the Huskies and were she not injured her senior year, the Huskies may have gotten another national championship. Her three point shooting was really missed in the tournament. I also agree with everyone whose talked about MoJeff's rise in a very short time. Last year she was a smidgeon out of control, particularly early but she really started finding herself as the year was winding down and she really contributed very nicely in the tournament. That speed and quickness is totally off the charts and her skill set is something that Saniya just can't match. I'm hopeful her confidence (Saniya) builds, her strength grows and that she helps in her own way to put a few more championships on that wall.

Well said.

 

[tomcat]

Saniya is a fine player, but I think the OP overstates what is likely to happen, for two reasons. First, Saniya herself. As someone else said, the OP sees things in her that just may not be there yet. Second, she's a guard and UConn has just reloaded with some guards who are likely to demand playing time. Competition is always a good thing, but Saniya is not going to be the only go-to shooting guard on the team.

 

[blackbird]

To be fair, Saniya is better than what Moriah was at this point in her freshman season, and look at Moriah now.

Granted, I don't think either of them are like Renee.

 

[Geno-ista]

To be fair, Saniya is better than what Moriah was at this point in her freshman season, and look at Moriah now.

Granted, I don't think either of them are like Renee.

I really don't think Soniya is ahead of Mo Jeff at this point in her freshman season. Mo Jeff was taking point, and was showing all the signs , beating people off the dribble, even if she did not finish at the hoop every time. I'm not seeing that Soniya has been forced to take on the responsibility that Mo had at the point position vs Soniya as a shooting guard. I also think if Tuck is healthy and is still quick enough to take people off the dribble like she has been- I think she's the starter ahead of Kiah hands down. Kiah is not near the asset offensively that a healthy Tuck is. And I think Kiah will be gtd a long professional career because of her physical ability. She has to develop a 15-18 ' jump shot. Which she should be able to accomplish!

 

[DobbsRover2]

That speed [MoJeff's] and quickness is totally off the charts and her skill set is something that Saniya just can't match. I'm hopeful her confidence (Saniya) builds, her strength grows and that she helps in her own way to put a few more championships on that wall.

All true, but I don't think anyone has really compared Saniya's capabilities to MoJeff's overall, though she may be the second "quickest" player on the team after MoJeff. Saniya is a different type of player and doesn't need to "match" MoJeff, even if occasionally she will fall into the PG role a little bit when MoJeff takes a breather. Any comparison to MoJeff was simply that she might have a big boost in her sophomore year with Bria gone on, and that is definitely possible and to be hoped for by most UConn fans. We can all debate how central MoJeff's role on the team as a freshman was with basically Kelly and Bria as the guard tandem, but the fact is she got 17.4 minutes a game during the season (less than Saniya's current average), and personally I believe that much of her impressive leap came post season during summer and the October practices. Certainly at this point Saniya has better stats than MoJeff had as a freshman for points, rebounds, and assists on the entire season. In the FF last year MoJeff had a total of 3 points and 3 assists (all against Lville), and we know how certain BY posters have pooh-poohed Saniya's contributions in this year's big games even while posting a decently credible line in some of them.

The OP comparison was to Renee, and though it might well be a stretch and the ultimate answer is way down the road, Chong's skill set and likely position as a switch-up guard is a lot closer to Renee than MoJeff.

 

[baggerbob]

She really needs to start playing better then today. She had a chance in a big game situation with the injury to KML, to show Geno that she is ready to play in crunch time.

 

[Buzzyboy]

To be fair, Saniya is better than what Moriah was at this point in her freshman season, and look at Moriah now.
Buzzyboys Comments FOLLOW ..................... I think you are watching different games then I am if you feel that Saniya is anywhere near the player Moriah is or was. Moriah has physical tools that Saniya doesn't have and can't attain but she's not alone. There are few players that have ever played the game of women's basketball that have the tools of Moriah Jefferson. I think there's little doubt that she's going to be better than Renee Montgomery, if she isn't already there. The only area that I think Renee "might" have an advantage, at least presently, is in three point shooting but based on Moriah's determination and work ethic, that may soon in coming. I am off the charts in how good she is. I had my doubts about her being as good as she was rated coming out of high school until late in her freshman year but she harnessed all her energy, and gained control of her skill set. She was outstanding in the NCAA tournament though overshadowed by the marvelous Ms Breanna Stewart and her phenomenal performance. She was the highest rated point guard EVER by Hoopsgurl and it's so evident why. The only former UConn point guard she may have trouble surpassing is Sue Bird in terms of greatness. She is a fan favorite of more of my UConn friends than just about anyone else and the reason why is obvious. She's relentless on both sides of the ball and she is totally disruptive to her court counterparts. She really makes her opponent work so hard that they really don't have nearly the opportunity to get in the offensive flow of the game, decidedly helping the Huskies. A real special player.

 

[Buzzyboy]

KML, TBS and MoJet will definitely start. I think that Kiah will start also. As for the fifth starter, it will be Morgan, Saniya or BB, with, I think, equal probabilities at this time, assuming and hoping that Morgan's knee is fully mended. Which of the frosh will emerge as the eighth regular, if any, is impossible to predict. They are all great prospects. But I will be amazed if any of them crack the starting lineup, in the normal course of events.

As far as Saniya's future prospects, I am inclined to agree with Tony; she is going to be outstanding. She is not doing more now simply because there is no reason for her to. When you are on the floor with the best center in wcbb, the best shooter in wcbb AND the best over-all offensive player in wcbb, and/or one or two of the best slashers in wcbb, there is not much call to engage in individual heroics. She takes her shots when they are there, she gets her steals and rebounds and assists. If and when the situation calls for her to step up her individual offense, I have no doubt that she will.

The inclination is for me to think that with all the options the Huskies have, Saniya gets very little attention from the opposing team. That would seem to give her an enormous advantage to be able to pick up some impressive numbers, both shooting and assist wise. With so many other offensive options, almost any pass could easily result in a made basket, giving her an assist. With so much focus on the AA's, she probably is more open to shots than most freshman that have ever worn a UConn jersey. I really haven't seen her do a lot of the things out there that really scream out to me that she'll ever be a real Go To person on this team. I'm a really big fan of the Huskies so I'm hopeful I'm wrong because I want all our girls to be super but I think there's the potential that with the girls coming in that she will eventually be a little further down the bench then she was this year. No slight to her because she's good but with Kia Nurse and company coming in with more size and strength and amazing skills, something's got to give. The Huskies don't typically start freshman but doesn't Kia sound like someone who could come in immediately and make some noise????? With the experience she's getting with the Canadian national team, she may be way ahead of some of the others.

 

[UcMiami]

The guard/wing situation is really interesting next year and into the following years. Any comparison to Montgomery I think is off base because of situation and personality - From day one Rene was forced into a leadership position and her personality suited that - she was the biggest busybody on the team for 4 years - knowing everybody's business all the time. That is not a description of Moriah or Saniya. I do think Saniya probably has an advantage over Banks in both passing and shooting so if she makes that leap her sophomore season she is probably starting over Banks but I think they both get share time.
For the incoming freshman - I think they get as much time resting Kaleena as they do either of the guard spots.
I am really intrigued by Nurse in that I think she will come in as a more mature player than a typical freshman - partly because Canada is half way to the English system which matures kids faster, and because of her National team experience playing with teammates that are 25-30 years old instead of age mates.
A lot depends on Wilson's decision, but if she goes elsewhere and if the freshman come along quickly I could also see Geno playing some of his own version of 40 minutes of dread with a four guard pressing and trapping defense with Stewart or Stokes at the basket ready to swat away anyone who gets past the guards.
I also expect Kiah to start - she has quietly become quite a good passer and she has the size and strength to play post defense - something you really don't want Stewart doing with the possibility of more fouls and more wear and tear. With the report that Morgan isn't able to do anything at all until mid-summer, I think she will be brought along slowly next year. And while she is a strong player, it would be like the times Geno had to play Maya in the post her senior year - not an ideal situation.

 

[MarieM]

By the next Renee Montogmery, you mean she'll be a captain her by sophmore year ???