My suggested lineup is purely speculative to be sure, the implication being that Jana, Ice, Sarah & Katelyn all step up to a level of play that forces Geno to start them over KK, Ashlyn and others. The lineup I suggest would be UConn’s biggest frontcourt and most experienced backcourt. It would only happen if Jana, Ice & Sarah could shoot, pass, move and play defense together at a level we haven’t seen before.
KK and Aubrey off the bench would be an ultimate pace changer. I like the idea of KK coming off and pushing the tempo up, then have Aubrey come in and cause some chaos for the other teams as well.
I think you’re right that we’ll often see bigger lineups than last season as part of a longer rotation. Sarah will be central to this rotation, though she may not see 30 mins until March. But even averaging 20 mins/g, I think she’ll still put up an AA stat line.
Surprised at the lack of coverage on Sarah? I think it just depends on what part of the season we were in. Over the summer, there was plenty. During the early phases of fall workouts, there was some coverage. Now that school is back in session and media days were over the last few weeks, the media attention is picking back up. And if you are a frequent flyer here in the Yard, you know sombody, somewhere, got the news on how a player is doing.
If all goes well, I could see Sarah having a fantastic freshmen season, but it all depends on how confident Sarah feels out there, where she is playing in relation to the ball, and how aggressive she is playing out there.
Yes. Okay just fun speculation I can see. A few things I hate about this lineup but for sure fun to discuss alternatives.
IMO her limitation this year will be determined by specifically a few of her teammates; Paige, Azzi, and Jana, and Kaitlyn. I believe Chen's best chance for pro ball on Offense and best chance for UCONN utilizing her is that she also works on her ability to set up players and become a more efficient shooter. So, it comes down to how much is she going to shoot. I don't expect her to be shooting 2nd or 3rd in terms of attempts and maybe not even 4th. This then paves the way for when Azzi is healthy, we also have Paige, Jana and Sarah. Paige is going to be the shot leader. But she is a natural scorer,. So, what's the expression "You can take the dog out of the fight, but you can’t take the fight out of the dog?" At some level Chen is going to at least be a scorer to a degree especially when that lane is open.
He's not reliable. Every time his videos are posted here, they get clowned on or ignored.
Who might they be ?
I would like to know too. I assume El Alfy is someone people think might be great.
In other words, she is rather like her mom, but bigger. Alison Feaster, with her great heart, could carry a team to victory even against the powerhouse of her day.
Looking ahead 1 year, Blanca might be the next Big Thing…
Along with Jana.
And you didn't even mention the Naismith 1st team AA/McDonalds All Star game standout, Morgan Cheli, who besides her BB skills seems to have an abundance of leadership qualities
She’s the best freshman Geno has had since Maya Moore. UConn would’ve been tough to beat this upcoming season with the team Geno has put together, without Sarah. With her, it’s lights out.
So, she's better than Stewie, Paige, or Napheesa?
Agree with everything said. Would just add one other attribute-when the pressure is on and the Huskies need a big shot, defensive play, or rebound, similar to Paige, Sarah will get it done. Fearless.Geno has had some very nice things to say about his star freshmen, to the point where it seems pretty clear that Sarah will be part of the plan for this season. At 6’2” she can bang in the paint , finish with either hand, step out at the arc and drain 3’s, put the ball on the floor and she is an exceptional passer.
The fascination with Sarah involves where exactly does she fit in the Huskies lineup? I think most folks expect a 3 player rotation with Ice, Sarah & Jana at the 4/5 spots, eventually supplemented by Aubrey when healthy. But what about Sarah starting at the wing, in a lineup with, oh, say Jana, Ice, Paige & Kaitlyn?
Just sayin….
That's my sense of Sarah, too. Sneaky clever about defense and rebounding. This clip, a shining moment from the darkest day in WBB history, shows just haw sneaky clever Paige can be, and I hope Sarah shows us many such plays in her 4 years:
I think Sarah has many similar qualities with Maya, but the next rung in the "best FR ladder" is a big step with Stewie and Paige. Not so much with a favorite of mine, Phee. Phee was the 2nd ranked Uconn recruit her year behind KLS and did not match Katie Lou's production as a frosh.
Are you blind, deaf or what??? As a freshman? Yes definitely. Maya was the best freshman UConn ever had, which was my original statement. She was a game changer and it was apparent immediately when she took the court as a freshman. She put 678 points through the hoop as a frosh, not mention everything else she did to effect the game’s outcome. Collier….258 pts as a freshman, Paige 581 pts as a freshman, Stewie 497 pts as a freshman, also had great freshman years but it’s impossible to argue any of them had better freshman years than Maya did, and I think Sarah has the potential to be just as big a game changer as Maya was.
For the record, I believe that Maya is the best player in UConn Women’s history.
Good point about Paige, but let me say that Maya won NPOY as a sophomore and again as a senior. She also might of won it as a freshman had she not had to go up against Senior Candace Parker in the voting. Maybe the voters felt sorry for Pat Summitt at her loss in the Maya recruiting sweepstakes. Lol
