Saniya Chong - post season impressions

[TimeWillTell]

At Full Court.com/forum/prep, I found this compilation of one man's impressions concerning Saniya Chong as she played in the post season (2012). I thought some of you might be interested in reading it. Click on this LINK to get to it. Make sure, as you read, you continue to scroll down as there are several additions to his first entry.
Enjoy.

 

[EricSD]

an awful lot of positives in the article, but was a bit surprised on her "lack" of defense...

--She does not follow her shot and does not compete for rebounds—very unlike the high school Hartley. She just watches her teammates do that job, even though she is the second or third tallest player on the team.
-- Doesn’t rotate to play help defense on someone who’s not her man.
-- Doesn’t pursue a player who gets by her, again very unlike Hartley.
-- Just gives up when she is screened. Doesn’t try to fight over or through the pick or screen.
-- Doesn’t cut much or move without the ball once she passes it off. She should be in constant motion to receive passes as well as delivering them.

the writer goes on to say that all of the "negatives" are fixable with coaching, but i have to wonder if what he saw has to do with effort and intensity of play. i have no idea what most of the kids Geno goes to see look like. I do recall seeing Charde in HS and she indeed did do a lot of standing around. when she exerted herself you could see how talented she was, but often there were rare bursts of activity followed by long periods of lulls and standing around.

maybe that's something many HS kids do. Geno made some comments bemoaning how HS post players just like to stand around, and he made those comments very shortly on the heels of seeing Taya Reimer play. perhaps that's one reason UCONN cooled on her. perhaps it's also one of the reasons UCONN hasn't offered her yet...

 

[UcMiami]

Hey - where is that quote from in your signature?

 

[sTu]

Hey - where is that quote from in your signature?

Well, you can wait until someone does the "work" for you or you could copy and paste the quote into a google search.... and viola.

 

[Husky WBB Fan]

I found the comments that Uconn could regret having Moriah J instead of Chong, who he speculated could be/is better, to be off base (IMHO). Admittedly I've just seen both on film, but from what I saw the athleticism, speed, intensity, quickness of MJ are far superior to Chong. I'd like to have Chong on our team, but I have a hard time picturing her being able to put up similar numbers to what she does in high school against the competition she would see playing at Uconn. And I think if MJ was guarding her in practice, Chong could look pretty average.

 

[MilfordHusky]

We've seen the initial story before. The follow-ups are new to me.

Glenn calls her the most misranked player in history--easily top 20, possibly top 10. Plays like the great Lenny Wilkens.

"Humph, I just looked for at the HoopGurlz 2013 rankings, and Saniya Chong is not in their top 60. This is most definitely wrong, probably because they have never seen her. I have seen most of HG’s top 10 players on USA Basketball and other places. Chong is definitely a top 20 player, probably top 10, and may be the best PG in the class though I haven't seen all the ones on the HG list. Chong is better, in my current opinion, than 2012's Jordan Adams, Jordan Jones and Briana Butler, all of whom are in HG's top 15 for the 2012 class."

He thinks she may be better than MoJeff and may not choose UConn because of MoJeff's presence.

 

[EricSD]

I think the quote was made by one of the K-State players after UCONN dismantled them in the NCAA 2nd round this past year...

 

[TimeWillTell]

Well, you can wait until someone does the "work" for you or you could copy and paste the quote into a google search.... and viola.

Hey - where is that quote from in your signature?

Here is the article where the quote was taken from: LINK
Wonkster!....I found it! click on the above link......thank's to sTu with the very helpful advice!

 

[Husky WBB Fan]

We've seen the initial story before. The follow-ups are new to me.

He thinks she may be better than MoJeff and may not choose UConn because of MoJeff's presence.

As I said above, I think this is just flat out WRONG. I like Chong, but it feels like she is being mis-marketed in a way that is not quite accurate by an adult who is trying to shine a spotlight on himself. Uconn will be more than just fine if she goes elsewhere. I'm more than VERY content with MoJeff rather than Chong - no way I could possibly give that trade a second thought.

 

[HuskyMJ]

No one would trade Jefferson for Chong

 

[winlots]

At Full Court.com/forum/prep, I found this compilation of one man's impressions concerning Saniya Chong as she played in the post season (2012). I thought some of you might be interested in reading it. Click on this LINK to get to it. Make sure, as you read, you continue to scroll down as there are several additions to his first entry.
Enjoy.

TIME - terrific. Know you put alot of time into this. I really groove on detailed reports of this sort, ESPECIALLY when someone is willing to point on the both the pros and the cons. Well done and very interesting.

 

[Sonny44]

Maybe some of that is why she hasn't apparently been offered.

 

[MilfordHusky]

As I said above, I think this is just flat out WRONG. I like Chong, but it feels like she is being mis-marketed in a way that is not quite accurate by an adult who is trying to shine a spotlight on himself. Uconn will be more than just fine if she goes elsewhere. I'm more than VERY content with MoJeff rather than Chong - no way I could possibly give that trade a second thought.

I think he said he had not seen MoJeff, so she will surprise him.

I think there is room for both of them in the post-Bria years.

 

[MarieM]

Better than mojeff?? that man must be nuts Smh. If Chong was in the 2012 class she would be in the same predicament as now still no offer from uconn

 

[MarieM]

Chong and MoJeff wil have a chance to go at each other at USA trails. Without Alexis jones MoJeff would definitely make the team.

 

[Replicant]

He thinks she may be better than MoJeff and may not choose UConn because of MoJeff's presence.

Do I understand correctly...the gentleman reporting is a self-annointed women's basketball guru? The article has a weird vibe to it. Aside from promoting himself, it seems the writer is attempting to project a zero-sum-game narrative and perhaps create doubt in Saniya's mind about potential PT at UConn. Since when can't two great guards co-exist in UConn's backcourt [Bird/Taurasi].

And to even suggest anything other than a sublime future for MJ & UConn is passive aggressively negative. Does he have an axe to grind with UConn, or is he trying to raise his visibility by stirring-up the fan base of the games pre-eminent wcbb program?

Saniya and Moriah have the potential to become one of the greatest guard tandems in wcbb history!

 

[DEK1234]

I found it interesting that he said it would be UConn's loss if we didn't get Saniya. I don't understand how he can come to that conclusion without having seen Moriah play in person. I'm sure Saniya is very talented but Moriah didn't get her #2 ranking for nothing. Like others have said, I don't see why they couldn't coexist.

 

[Husky WBB Fan]

Better than mojeff?? that man must be nuts Smh.



Exactly!!!! I tried to say the same thing delicately, but was thinking it MUCH more explicitly and crudely than what you said. That man has zero credibility after that comment.

 

[Replicant]

I found it interesting that he said it would be UConn's loss if we didn't get Saniya. I don't understand how he can come to that conclusion without having seen Moriah play in person. I'm sure Saniya is very talented but Moriah didn't get her #2 ranking for nothing. Like others have said, I don't see why they couldn't coexist.

That's what I'm talking about. I love everything I've seen and read about Saniya (the player and the person). He could have simply written the article heaping praise on Saniya and left it at that. There was no reason (other than having an agenda) to get into a hypothetical about whose a better fit for UConn. That's not reporting, that's editorializing. MJ is coming. Period. We'd love to have Saniya also and there's room at the Inn.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

I agree in the fact that there is plenty of room for both MJ and Chong. I'm really interested to see where she lands when the 2013 top 100 rankings come out!

I have seen MJ play and she is electric!

 

[Icebear]

The guy has an agenda pure and simply, nothing more.

 

[Wonkster]

The guy has an agenda pure and simple, nothing more.

An agenda of long-standing duration, I might add.

But consider this: Glenn couldn't even get the date right for the duel between Breanna and Saniya. While we were following the on-site blogger's game report on Friday in real time or delayed here on the 'Yard, he was home brushing his teeth in preparation for his trip to the non-existent meeting on Saturday. LOL!
.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Saniya and Moriah have the potential to become one of the greatest guard tandems in wcbb history!

Exactly!

 

[pap49cba]

He lost my attention when he started crowing about his high-end (I assume) camera equipment and tripod with disc breaks and rack & pinion steering (or whatever the hell it is).

 

[huskyblooz]

anyone know what AAU team she plays for?
I would love to get to see her play.

 

[sTu]

Glenn MacGrady has been writing/reporting about NY talent for quite awhile. I would think folks from other "colored" teams think that he is pro UConn. He was a Bria Hartley advocate long before it was fashionable. It is difficult to find first hand reporting of H.S. players (always appreciated Bruinball's reports from her h.s. games).

Most likely well less than 5% of women's h.s. basketball players have the athletic abilities of Jefferson. DeShield's is one we have seen on video. Having not seen anyone in person I believe that the video only watchers do not know about future Division 1 predicitons for Chong. She probably is as quick as DT and appears to have some of DT's court awareness. It is possible she might make quite a backcourt mate after a couple of years growth and adaption to Division 1. Or not. I am really interested to see what her game looks like at the tail end of next season considering the rapid rate of her growth in the last couple of years and hope to catch a game next year.

 

[Blakeon18]

FWIW: I went to see the Ossining/Cicero match-up in Troy in mid-March. Based on how Ossining torched all opponents during the season [undefeated...no wins less than double digits] I had high expectations that they would be competitive with national top 5 Cicero. Based on the reports we had about Saniya I had very high expectations
for her. Qualifier....this is based on a one-time viewing:

Ossining had a terrible first quarter....the game was over after three minutes or so. Cicero led 29-6 after the quarter. A lot of that was
due to Breanna being spectactular....she had 14 and about 8 boards after those 8 minutes. Some of it was due to Ossining's undisciplined play and poor shooting.
Saniya was around 0-11 from the floor after 8 minutes. After that mini-disaster Cicero was never headed and romped.....Breanna wound up with 42/23.
Saniya wound up with 21 or so.....maybe 7-25 from the floor. She played pretty decently the last 3 quarters....is pretty tall and smooth....nice handle...good athleticism. She shot with her off-hand a fair amount....didn't hit but looked like she was comfortable doing it.
She wasn't what I expected to see by a lot.....but I also could see why all 4 UConn coaches had gone to see her play late in the season.

I hope there is still mutual interest and that we wind up with her in Storrs....she looked like she has a high ceiling with a lot to work on to achieve that. The 18U trials should be a great experience for her whether she makes the team or not. I would not be one bit surprised to see Ossining back in Troy next year...and better...and not have to face a Breanna Stewart type to boot.

 

[speedoo]

The guy has an agenda pure and simply, nothing more.

It's not at all that simple. I think he has an agenda that includes self-promotion and some anti-UConn/Geno/Boneyard stuff that apparently comes from some experience from years ago that I know little about.

But he also is a serious student of basketball, particularly the women's game and invests a lot of time in observing HS players in the NY area. Bria and Stef are two players that he saw a lot of in addition to Breanna and Saniya. I found his videos of these players very illuminating, but I have not het seen anything he did of Saniya's play.

And he understands the game pretty well, particularly the type of game UConn coaches. He once talked about the old NY Knick championship teams very positively and for that I applaud him.

One problem I have with what he does is when he gets into unnecessary specualaion about what kids like Saniya are thinking, and what Geno and staff might be thinking about kids like her.. That undermines the other good things he does.. But folks here on the BY do that a lot too, for reasons that I'll probably never understand.

 

[Husky WBB Fan]

It's not at all that simple. I think he has an agenda that includes self-promotion and some anti-UConn/Geno/Boneyard stuff that apparently comes from some experience from years ago that I know little about.

But he also is a serious student of basketball, particularly the women's game and invests a lot of time in observing HS players in the NY area. Bria and Stef are two players that he saw a lot of in addition to Breanna and Saniya. I found his videos of these players very illuminating, but I have not het seen anything he did of Saniya's play.

And he understands the game pretty well, particularly the type of game UConn coaches. He once talked about the old NY Knick championship teams very positively and for that I applaud him.

One problem I have with what he does is when he gets into unnecessary specualaion about what kids like Saniya are thinking, and what Geno and staff might be thinking about kids like her.. That undermines the other good things he does.. But folks here on the BY do that a lot too, for reasons that I'll probably never understand.

If he wanted to be perceived as a serious student of the game and a voice with opinions worth listening to, then he should stick to that representation of himself. When he makes silly statements insinuating that Chong is/might be better than the highest ranked PG ever, then he sells out any credible side of himself that he might have established. When he suggests that UConn made a mistake in taking MJ when they had a chance for Chong, then he is so blatantly pushing an agenda that all his opinions gather no traction and it is hard to view him as "serious." He can't have it both ways - who does he want to be? AND, when the evidence in video of MJ vs. Chong is so clear in differentiating the skills of MJ vs. Chong (together with the relative rankings), it feels like he is also treating us like idiots. It is a noble statement that most on the Boneyard are able to accurately peg this guy while retaining a positive and hopeful perspective on the athlete he is doing a disservice to.

 

[speedoo]

If he wanted to be perceived as a serious student of the game and a voice with opinions worth listening to, then he should stick to that representation of himself. When he makes silly statements insinuating that Chong is/might be better than the highest ranked PG ever, then he sells out any credible side of himself that he might have established. When he suggests that UConn made a mistake in taking MJ when they had a chance for Chong, then he is so blatantly pushing an agenda that all his opinions gather no traction and it is hard to view him as "serious." He can't have it both ways - who does he want to be? AND, when the evidence in video of MJ vs. Chong is so clear in differentiating the skills of MJ vs. Chong (together with the relative rankings), it feels like he is also treating us like idiots. It is a noble statement that most on the Boneyard are able to accurately peg this guy while retaining a positive and hopeful perspective on the athlete he is doing a disservice to.

Where are you finding all this negative stuff in his comments re. MJ? I just looked and could find nothing more than he finds it hard to believe she's better than Chong and he explains that it's because he has only seen highlights of MJ while he has seen Chong live several times. If you want to seriously criticize someone, at least be accurate, and it appears almost everything you are saying is incorrect.