Serah Williams Commits to UConn | Page 10 | The Boneyard

Serah Williams Commits to UConn

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BBallF said:
Very fundamentally sound player. I like the way she sets a pick, clean with no movement. I like the way she seals underneath. Just pro level. I like the way she can shoot a short push shot or jumper and how she runs the floor on a break. She has to be covered at all times anywhere from 15 feet in (even more at times). Imagine what that means for Sarah. If Serah takes her post defender outside that leaves the key open for Sarah. Who can cover her one on one underneath with her moves? If Sarah is being defended by a 4 outside, that leaves the key open for Serah underneath.
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I believe Serah will be able to show (may be greater development at UConn) that she can be an effective passer for assists to complete her skills sets before the WNBA.

It is also wonderful for Serah to be closer to home for her senior year, including the road games. Last year had California road trips, etc. with the expanded Big Ten.

The "Big" benefit is the other bigs can learn from Serah's use of the glass, which simplifies the physics of the close-in game, for layups and put backs inside the paint, particularly through contact. Then, it will be the "Sky Hook" or the Majic Johnson mini-hook...

Go Huskies!!!
 
RockyMTblue2 said:
Just watched a highlights reel on her. I'd put it here but I don't want a time out if the source is not approved. Anyway what struck me was how many 2 handed layups she makes.

One other thing struck me. Her first Gampel crowd is going to blow her mind in a good way.
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The two-hand layup comes from getting hacked repeatedly as you approach the rim. The glass-work comes from knowing the physics of the bounce path to the center of the rim, and possibly background in pool, billiards, or snooker.

Regardless, I am very happy Serah is with the Huskies for her Senior year!

Go Huskies!!!
 
BBallF said:
To my earlier point, Geno had Maria Conlon playing like an AA in the Big Dance. She was never a W player, but she is now the head coach at Western Connecticut State and will do well there and beyond I am sure. She doesn't get that job if she played someplace else. It's not just the basketball here, it's the pedigree.
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Maria didn't become a factor until her junior year. She was basically a mop up player until then, but she got in better shape and we needed a point guard for Diana. Give her a huge amount of credit becoming the player that she did, becoming a key factor as an upperclassman to Crocket, Turner, and Strother.
 
The CDR-Ret said:
I believe Serah will be able to show (may be greater development at UConn) that she can be an effective passer for assists to complete her skills sets before the WNBA.

It is also wonderful for Serah to be closer to home for her senior year, including the road games. Last year had California road trips, etc. with the expanded Big Ten.

The "Big" benefit is the other bigs can learn from Serah's use of the glass, which simplifies the physics of the close-in game, for layups and put backs inside the paint, particularly through contact. Then, it will be the "Sky Hook" or the Majic Johnson mini-hook...

Go Huskies!!!
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What she does have and uses that neither Ice nor Jana show is a baby jump shot where she releases at the top of her jump, not on the way up. It stabilizes the shot, makes it many times harder to block, and leads to fouls because the defender can't time the shot and often hits the wrist or arms. That's a critical thing both Ice and Jana need to learn to use going forward in my mind. Ice has shown it at times but it is not muscle memory for her, it is for Serah. Both Ice and Jana, and Sarah too for that matter, will get better just by playing against her in practice.
 
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Bald Husky said:
Maria didn't become a factor until her junior year. She was basically a mop up player until then, but she got in better shape and we needed a point guard for Diana. Give her a huge amount of credit becoming the player that she did, becoming a key factor as an upperclassman to Crocket, Turner, and Strother.
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That's right but out there with DT and company she was confident and excellent. No question she worked at it but no question either she was pushed, molded and cajoled by Geno. To the point, at another school, her story, past, present, and future is almost certainly entirely different.
 
While I was watching the first half of the season highlights for Serah, I was impressed with the system and fundamentals being run at Wisc. They didn't have the talent I think, but you could see good coaching in the way the ball and players moved on the perimeter to improve the passing angles into the post, and the spacing they kept. Wonder where their coach refined her skills? :eek:

Serah is impressive and appears to have really good hands.

This commitment makes me VERY happy!
 
YankeeJim said:
i just watched video highlight reel of Serah from this past season. She really understands how to use her big, athletic body to create space and passing angles around the rim -- in a way that our bigs can't (yet). One of the things our offense has lacked is easy points at the rim by feeding the post. That will change. She and Sara a scary 4-5 combo.
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I thought the highlight reel showed that Serah's Wisconsin teammates were good at getting passes to her in the post, including some difficult ones. I think that is something the Huskies need a little work on in order to take full advantage of her skills.

Also noted that she was good at getting the ball to tall teammates who were posting up. Anyone else thinking "Serah and [------] with the high-low!" [ Fill in the blank with any of the other UConn bigs.]
 
jeff30189 said:
Not a chance that Serah (SW) and Jana are both starting or even regularly playing together unless it's against an opponent who has a very tall frontcourt.

As for the concern over PG duties, keep in mind that Sarah (SS) is more than capable of playing point forward. You just need a few sure handed guards to get the ball over midcourt against a press. With the loss of Paige and Kaitlyn, and the addition of Serah (SW), THIS is now the biggest "need" (if there is one).
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"Not a chance that Serah (SW) and Jana are both starting or even regularly playing together unless it's against an opponent who has a very tall frontcourt."

Totally agree. Maybe in some unusual situation, but not regularly.
 
drweo said:
"Not a chance that Serah (SW) and Jana are both starting or even regularly playing together unless it's against an opponent who has a very tall frontcourt."

Totally agree. Maybe in some unusual situation, but not regularly.
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But here’s the thing. Geno, the mad scientist, loves to experiment with different lineups as he did throughout this past season. He’s done the twin tower, high-low 2 Big lineup several times going all the way back to Rebecca & Kara. He also did it with Steph & Stewie.

I seem to remember one game during the NCAA tournament when Geno tried out a lineup on the court of Steph, Stewie, Kiah Stokes, Tuck & KML. Stewie brought the ball up and the opposing team couldn’t come down with a rebound at either end of the court.

While I doubt we will see a steady diet of Jana & Serah on the court together next season, I will not be surprised if Geno experiments with it to see how it looks.
 
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oldude said:
But here’s the thing. Geno, the mad scientist, loves to experiment with different lineups as he did throughout this past season. He’s done the twin tower, high-low 2 Big lineup several times going all the way back to Rebecca & Kara. He also did it with Steph & Stewie.

I seem to remember one game during the NCAA tournament when Geno tried out a lineup on the court of Steph, Stewie, Kiah Stokes, Tuck & KML. Stewie brought the ball up and the opposing team couldn’t come down with a rebound at either end of the court.

While I doubt we will see a steady diet of Jana & Serah on the court together next season, I will not be surprised if Geno experiments with it to see how it looks.
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Geno may have found the "combinations key" for probability on his calculator, and is lining them up for the first five games so he can get every possible combination of 5 from the 11 healthy players and then will add the others as he has more players available.

Go Huskies!!!
 
BRS24 said:
So, what number do you thing Serah will wear? Ice is currently #25. Serah could do something fun and ask for #52, as the last player to wear it was Kara Wolters.
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Love your new avatar, hopefully you will have to change it next April.
 
One thing I noticed, reviewing Serah's numbers over the last 3 years, is that the main improvement she made last season was in assists and steals. Year over year, she went from 27 assists as a sophomore to 73 as a junior, and 23 to 33 steals. Both of these are excellent signs for what she brings as well as what Geno and CD can work with.
 
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HuskyNan said:
I dunno. Rebekka Brunson went to Georgetown, EDD went to Delaware, and Courtney Williams went to Miami. They’re just a few from less elite schools that have had great to outstanding pro careers. If a player is good enough, she’ll go pro.

That said, Geno & staff can dig out and refine skills beyond scoring to make a more rounded and desirable player. For the record, so can Dawn and other top coaches. As a UConn fan, I can believe Geno does that better than anyone else, but I’m a homer, so….
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Kiah Stokes is a prime example of Geno and Company. Many didn't think she would make it in the W. She is loved here in Vegas on and off the court.
 
This is the best news I've heard from the portal in a long time. She is not only a "Big", but played in a power conference against quality players and held her own. With what LSU and South Carolina had coming in and staying I thought we would be in a real dog fight. Maybe we still are but I'll always favor a Huskie.
 
oldude said:
Not a valid comparison. Maria “Conlon” was a good college basketball player. But she never had the potential to play in the W. Lou & Kaitlyn are both significantly more talented with the potential to play professionally. Per My2cents post, the exposure they got at UConn likely elevated their draft stock. I agree.
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if I'm not mistaken Maria Conlon got an invite to a WNBA team training camp. Would have not happened if she didn't play for UConn and got the exposure.
 
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Steelerone said:
This is the best news I've heard from the portal in a long time. She is not only a "Big", but played in a power conference against quality players and held her own. With what LSU and South Carolina had coming in and staying I thought we would be in a real dog fight. Maybe we still are but I'll always favor a Huskie.
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I feel that UCLA will be the toughest challenge for UConn. They now have Kneepkens coming on board. On paper they more than made up for their portal losses.
 
Jaml said:
I feel that UCLA will be the toughest challenge for UConn. They now have Kneepkens coming on board. On paper they more than made up for their portal losses.
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What I like best about the Boneyard is that we never ever get ahead of ourselves. Can we at least get into the summer workouts before we get to the Championship Game?:)
 
BBallF said:
What I like best about the Boneyard is that we never ever get ahead of ourselves. Can we at least get into the summer workouts before we get to the Championship Game?:)
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That's why I said it's just my feeling. We have a long wait before any basketball is played, so we still want to talk basketball until then. Heck, Charlie Creme wrote his first 2025 bracketology projection a week ago.
 
Here’s the box score from the 2/5/25 Wisconsin-USC game :-)

IMG_2959.jpeg
IMG_2960.jpeg
 
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