So... What's next for recruiting??!

[Vowelguy]

I don't know what he said about Heather Buck or when he said it.

During her redshirt year, Geno said he thought she could be one of the best ever at UConn.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I've seen Holmes play and I promise you she's not going to be a center. She's really a 3/4 hybrid. Watch this highlight package from her game yesterday.

http://www.prospectsnation.com/story/summer-invitational-14-day-one

 

[UCONNfan1]

Considering UConn has three quality forwards coming in 2015, I'm not sure there's a positional need for Holmes either.

Who? You can call Samuelson a forward, but she's a wing/guard, albeit a tall one. She seems to have a limited interior game at this point. Boykin is solid and a glue player, but has nowhere near the game Holmes has. I'm not sure about Collier, but at 6'1" or so, she lacks the size and strength of Holmes...

Just land McCoy, Holmes, and Ionescu/Dangerfield and call it a day!

 

[sawxfan23]

I've seen Holmes play and I promise you she's not going to be a center. She's really a 3/4 hybrid. Watch this highlight package from her game yesterday.

http://www.prospectsnation.com/story/summer-invitational-14-day-one

I have seen her play as well and have my opinion so lets just agree to disagree.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Who? You can call Samuelson a forward, but she's a wing/guard, albeit a tall one. She seems to have a limited interior game at this point. Boykin is solid and a glue player, but has nowhere near the game Holmes has. I'm not sure about Collier, but at 6'1" or so, she lacks the size and strength of Holmes...

Position labels are always up for interpretation, but I certainly wouldn't call Samuelson a guard, absolutely no way defensively. Even if you don't consider her a forward, Butler definitely is and that would still make three. Collier is a wonderful player and much more refined and efficient than Holmes right now.

I have seen her play as well and have my opinion so lets just agree to disagree.

Did you watch the video? She brings the ball up the floor and uses dribble penetration for both her and her teammates.

 

[sawxfan23]

Position labels are always up for interpretation, but I certainly wouldn't call Samuelson a guard, absolutely no way defensively. Even if you don't consider her a forward, Butler definitely is and that would still make three. Collier is a wonderful player and much more refined and efficient than Holmes right now.





Did you watch the video? She brings the ball up the floor and uses dribble penetration for both her and her teammates.

Of course she does she is playing against inferior competition in an AAU tournament. Did she do that while playing against "real" competition in the fifa tournament? I didn't think so. Of course she is going to handle the ball a lot she is the best player on her team. She is 6'3 and 170 pounds at 16 and still growing so I think she will be banging in the paint in college.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Of course she does she is playing against inferior competition in an AAU tournament. Did she do that while playing against "real" competition in the fifa tournament? I didn't think so. Of course she is going to handle the ball a lot she is the best player on her team. She is 6'3 and 170 pounds at 16 and still growing so I think she will be banging in the paint in college.

Lauren Cox doesn't do those things. Dolson and Butler would never do those things regardless of competition. It's about more than being the best player on the team. It also has to do with what kind of player she is.

 

[Joe6cats]

During her redshirt year, Geno said he thought she could be one of the best ever at UConn.

Right, and it points up that when Geno's makes statements about his players, his goal is less accurate prediction than delivering messages and motivating. To cite what he said about Heather in order to devalue his opinion about Natalie is just naive.

 

[genosguy]

I was thinking about that this morning. UCONN had 4 kids visit one weekend last month - Samuelson, Collier, Boykin and Gorecki. Geno thought he'd get all 4, but Gorecki chose Duke.

But I'll get to that in a second. First, with the addition of Butler, UCONN added what might be the most important missing piece. It's not that Butler is expected to put up Griner like numbers, or that she's a top 5 recruit, but once Stokes graduates, there was no one to really take her place. Now we have that. The pieces are falling together incredibly well.

UCONN has certainly had its' fair share of bad luck between injuries and recruiting - Hunter, Thomas, Greene, Banks, Tuck, KML etc etc. On the recruiting front, McCormack, EDD, Walker, and now Banks. They were 2nd choice for kids like Wilson and Ogwumike. However, Butler was luck in the opposite direction - a kid who came out of nowhere wanting to transfer, and UCONN desperately needing what she has...

So... I'm not sure how hard UCONN continues to recruit Brown. I'm sure they'd like her, but they are also really interested in McCoy from 2016, so it's possible they prefer her over Brown.

But getting back to Gorecki, it's clear Geno really liked and wanted her. I don't think she was a "back up" plan in case Durr went elsewhere, so it seems to me he wanted 2 more guards from the class. One name that was linked to UCONN a while ago was Ogunbowali. Is it possible he goes after Arike as well as Asia? It wouldn't surprise me. Banks leaving doesn't impact that class at all, but it seems he was already considering 2 guards from that class.

Was it only Gorecki because he liked her blue collar work ethic so much? Or was he really looking for 2 guards from that class anyway (IF they were the right kids)? If it's the latter, Ogunbowali makes perfect sense. The upcoming US 3x3 championship team consists of Samuelson, Collier, Boykin and Ogunbowali. How fitting would it be to have those 3 recruit Arike to UCONN?

I have no prediction as to what happens next. All I know is the class as it stands is one of the best - top 4 IMHO - of all time at UCONN. I don't know what other kids we add in 2015. Durr is listed as a PG. But if we don't get her, Lambert (TX) is at #4, and Page (IL) is #6 per HG. They are also PG's. It might be too late to recruit them, but there are still top kids in positions Geno is looking for on the "board".

Lots of speculation and it's great to be able to sit back and watch the pieces fall into place because we already have such incredible pieces on our board...

\
Hunter came to UConn from Duke as a medical project and she paid well for her time at UConn. Played the minutes she could .
Injuries are part of the game some (including Sue Bird and Shea ) had ACL's --it's difficult but most if not all teams have them
EDD, McCormack, were recruited and accepted but never put on a UConn Uniform--why are they counted at all?? You forgot the kid that went to St. Johns who skipped out during the summer--another no count. Walker was one shoe in one shoe out--her parents wanted UConn her love was Kentucky--Banks saw the playing time dwindle this past year and 4 Guards coming in as Freshmen--nothing for her from here on out--so she bailed. Geno lost nothing in any of these escapees-escaping you can't lose what you never had.. I doubt Geno loses much sleep thinking about them or the recruited kids who as Sophs or Jr's in High School fail to show up--he does not really have them until the first day of practice. You failed to mention Johnson and KJ Johnson, Engeln, and 14 more I don't remember who "transferred"--(I supposed they did because they were told --you'll never play again at Uconn). Geno has to cut his losses and coach those that will respond to him and have the talent he thought they had as recruits--he puts big efforts into Frosh and Sophs--less on Jr's--even less on Seniors. That's his recorded Philosophy.

Making assumptions is nice off season and good brain exercise--the names of those Uconn desires give us something to look forward to. But I don't get worked up until they sign.

 

[JoePgh]

Right, and it points up that when Geno's makes statements about his players, his goal is less accurate prediction than delivering messages and motivating. To cite what he said about Heather in order to devalue his opinion about Natalie is just naive.

So how do we know that he isn't just trying to motivate Natalie, or deliver messages to her?

 

[pap49cba]

Joseph Staszewski @CNG_Staszewski · Jul 23
UConn coach Geno Auriemma is here watching Andra Espinoza-Hunter of the Philly Belles. She goes to Blair Academy. #usjnDC14 #gbb

 

[RadyLady]

\
..
...You failed to mention Johnson and KJ Johnson, Engeln, and 14 more I don't remember who "transferred"--(I supposed they did because they were told --you'll never play again at Uconn). Geno has to cut his losses and coach those that will respond to him and have the talent he thought they had as recruits--he puts big efforts into Frosh and Sophs--less on Jr's--even less on Seniors. That's his recorded Philosophy.

Making assumptions is nice off season and good brain exercise...

what is it they say about assume...something such as

"it makes an a s s out of you and me"...?

 

[Paul1969]

Got to get Durr, she is head of 2015-16 class. Ogunbowale has ruled Uconn out. If Durr comes, Dangerfield will go to Tennessee, or another good option, where she could start right away in 2015-16.

Tennessee will have Te'a Cooper as the PG so I'm not sure the logic follows on this one.

 

[MarlboroughMike]

Tennessee will have Te'a Cooper as the PG so I'm not sure the logic follows on this one.

Watched the whole Georgia Pistols game yesterday - Durr played the SG position (Georgia used two different PGs ), she never moved to point at all. Dangerfield at the point, Durr as the SG - UConn has room for both in the same lineup (after one year of course).

 

[MilfordHusky]

Joseph Staszewski @CNG_Staszewski · Jul 23
UConn coach Geno Auriemma is here watching Andra Espinoza-Hunter of the Philly Belles. She goes to Blair Academy. #usjnDC14 #gbb

Saniya's former teammate at Ossining. A 3-point shooter extraordinaire.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Joyner Holmes is a bit thinner than I thought. She reminds me of another #32, Swintayla Marie Cash, with that great mobility.

Re Eric's comment on recruiting, I'd like:

At least 1 of Cox, McCoy, Holmes.

At least 1 of Dangerfield and Ionescu.

And possibly Boley.

Two studs from 2016 would be very nice; 3 would be fabulous.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Cox and Dangerfield? Where do I sign?

Keep in mind that the 2017 class looks to be one of the strongest in recent memory. Wanna leaves a few spots available.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Some Lauren Cox highlights from the recent Battle of the Bayou:

http://passthaball.com/2014/08/11/basketball-on-the-bayou/


0:28 - backs down her defender, hits a turnaround shot

0:34 - nice entry pass for an assist

1:19 - hits a turnaround jumper

1:46 - hits a runner in the lane

 

[broadwayVa]

I was thinking about that this morning. UCONN had 4 kids visit one weekend last month - Samuelson, Collier, Boykin and Gorecki. Geno thought he'd get all 4, but Gorecki chose Duke.

But I'll get to that in a second. First, with the addition of Butler, UCONN added what might be the most important missing piece. It's not that Butler is expected to put up Griner like numbers, or that she's a top 5 recruit, but once Stokes graduates, there was no one to really take her place. Now we have that. The pieces are falling together incredibly well.

UCONN has certainly had its' fair share of bad luck between injuries and recruiting - Hunter, Thomas, Greene, Banks, Tuck, KML etc etc. On the recruiting front, McCormack, EDD, Walker, and now Banks. They were 2nd choice for kids like Wilson and Ogwumike. However, Butler was luck in the opposite direction - a kid who came out of nowhere wanting to transfer, and UCONN desperately needing what she has...

So... I'm not sure how hard UCONN continues to recruit Brown. I'm sure they'd like her, but they are also really interested in McCoy from 2016, so it's possible they prefer her over Brown.

But getting back to Gorecki, it's clear Geno really liked and wanted her. I don't think she was a "back up" plan in case Durr went elsewhere, so it seems to me he wanted 2 more guards from the class. One name that was linked to UCONN a while ago was Ogunbowali. Is it possible he goes after Arike as well as Asia? It wouldn't surprise me. Banks leaving doesn't impact that class at all, but it seems he was already considering 2 guards from that class.

Was it only Gorecki because he liked her blue collar work ethic so much? Or was he really looking for 2 guards from that class anyway (IF they were the right kids)? If it's the latter, Ogunbowali makes perfect sense. The upcoming US 3x3 championship team consists of Samuelson, Collier, Boykin and Ogunbowali. How fitting would it be to have those 3 recruit Arike to UCONN?

I have no prediction as to what happens next. All I know is the class as it stands is one of the best - top 4 IMHO - of all time at UCONN. I don't know what other kids we add in 2015. Durr is listed as a PG. But if we don't get her, Lambert (TX) is at #4, and Page (IL) is #6 per HG. They are also PG's. It might be too late to recruit them, but there are still top kids in positions Geno is looking for on the "board".

Lots of speculation and it's great to be able to sit back and watch the pieces fall into place because we already have such incredible pieces on our board...

I'm not sure when Geno said "I really want Gorechi, but that does not sound like his recruiting method. Geno only recruits players he'd LIKE to have,that's true. Does he bemoan not getting them? Probably not, coaching is a business not an emotion. McCormack (australian) was a NEVER had, I don't remember her even showing up on campus. EDD--a never was--had less than a day on campus. You forgot Phillips, she lasted almost 2 months. But why are you dwelling on those that left ? That isn't what Uconn WBB ever was, Geno took what he got and made CHAMPIONS.
Recruiting at best is a crap shoot--you are dealing with Teen Girls at the height of their emotional peak--as a parent of many girls (8) I can assure you they operate more on emotions than analysis (although I had one that analyzed everything).
Other than that I like what you said---but please let us drop the comments on Banks--she left because she saw 4 guards coming in and she knows Geno will give the newbies the most attention. Please forget EDD, McCormack, Walker, two of the 3 didn't want Uconn MCCormack wanted Australian play, not America.

 

[broadwayVa]

If she's half as good as Rodney was we should get her if at all possible.

But does she get and RESPECT??

 

[broadwayVa]

That was supposed to be : Does she get ANY RESPECT?? (Rodney; I don't get any respect (line))

 

[Sluconn Husky]

New Lauren Cox highlight vid:

 

[meyers7]

McCormack (australian) was a NEVER had, I don't remember her even showing up on campus.

She showed up, but that was about it. At least she got her picture taken.

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/mccormack_jessica00.html