St Johns Postgame Thread | Page 2 | The Boneyard

St Johns Postgame Thread

My $.02
  • Freshmen, freshmen, freshmen!!
  • Paige, Paige, Paige. This is the type of game she needs to play every night. Not necessarily the scoring numbers, but the number of shots. Kudos to her.
  • Liya - way to go!
  • Olivia - good grief.
  • Nika - she has improved in leaps and bounds this season
  • Evina - lots of other good things in spite of 1-9 shooting. YIKES!
  • Mir may or may not be the most athletic player on the team, but IMHO no one is more explosive
  • Autumn - attagirl!
  • Saylor - 0-America thus far, but hey, getting reps and practice with the team and bonding as well
Having said all that, this game was problematic. Arkansas scored 90 on us. SJU shot 50% for the game. That is flat out unacceptable and problematic. Sure we outscored them by a lot, but this SJU team was only able to put up 65 against Nova, 60 against UMASS, 62 vs. Marquette, 53 vs. Providence.

So yeah, we all can be thrilled for Paige and Liya, but we've already seen that our defense has cost us a game. It very well could cause us a shot at a NC, never mind making it to the NC game.
The freshmen played 129 of the 200 minutes and so far their offense is ahead of their defense. Well, except for Mir. I think she has taken more charges than she has shots.
 
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A few thoughts on the game.
Olivia made my day, first two touches right to the hoop, good outside shooting. Overall good game fouls be damned, heading in the right direction.
Fun to watch AE run the floor, she is as quick as most guards.

Nikka gaining confidence each game, along with team seeming to gel after so many lost games.
PB obviously getting Geno's message to shoot!
Announcer man on one of PB's shots so perfectly subtle, " Bueckers ........ money!" No rambling prattle.
On another two passes and to the hoop it was simply "tic .... tac .... toe!"

Sad to see CW out as I was hoping for a follow up game like the last, but glad to see AE get the start as this is the type of line up I vision for SC game. I think Aliyah's game is a key to how far this team goes this season. I know of the phenom PB is as a guard but AE is not your average freshman big either.
 
Watch out Sue Bird. Paige is coming for your three point shooting percentage crown, 46%. Soooo supposedly Azzi is a better 3PT shooter than Paige. Azzi will shoot - what? - 65% - 70%? :eek::)
Actually they are a whisker apart.
 
Perhaps the best ball and player movement offensively this season. Lots of quick screens and cuts; very few moments when the ball was static. And all of this occurred when Christyn was not able to play. Ergo . . . ?
My observation is that she too often holds the ball outside the 3-point line, takes a couple aimless dribbles, then holds the ball, taking pressure off the defense, and not making it easier for her teammates to find lanes to cut. This is not definitive cause-and-effect, but I'll be interested in seeing if we can get this same kind of motion in the offense when she returns.
 
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Perhaps the best ball and player movement offensively this season. Lots of quick screens and cuts; very few moments when the ball was static. And all of this occurred when Christyn was not able to play. Ergo . . . ?
My observation is that she too often holds the ball outside the 3-point line, takes a couple aimless dribbles, then holds the ball, taking pressure off the defense, and not making it easier for her teammates to find lanes to cut. This is not definitive cause-and-effect, but I'll be interested in seeing if we can get this same kind of motion in the offense when she returns.
Excellent post
 
Concerned about Evina. 2-13 from the arc in the last 2 games and 5-21 overall. I thought she looked off from the beginning of the game and she may be just worn down somewhat considering she hasn't had a full season for 2 years or perhaps playing more of a 3 position tonight had an impact. Either way she just seemed to be hesitating a little on her shots which always creates problems. However, she helped as she always does in her floor game with 7 assists and 3 steals tonight. She is a tremendous "glue" player. We shall see Friday night but I am optimistic about her shot.
 
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My $.02
  • Freshmen, freshmen, freshmen!!
  • Paige, Paige, Paige. This is the type of game she needs to play every night. Not necessarily the scoring numbers, but the number of shots. Kudos to her.
  • Liya - way to go!
  • Olivia - good grief.
  • Nika - she has improved in leaps and bounds this season
  • Evina - lots of other good things in spite of 1-9 shooting. YIKES!
  • Mir may or may not be the most athletic player on the team, but IMHO no one is more explosive
  • Autumn - attagirl!
  • Saylor - 0-America thus far, but hey, getting reps and practice with the team and bonding as well
Having said all that, this game was problematic. Arkansas scored 90 on us. SJU shot 50% for the game. That is flat out unacceptable and problematic. Sure we outscored them by a lot, but this SJU team was only able to put up 65 against Nova, 60 against UMASS, 62 vs. Marquette, 53 vs. Providence.

So yeah, we all can be thrilled for Paige and Liya, but we've already seen that our defense has cost us a game. It very well could cause us a shot at a NC, never mind making it to the NC game.
Yeah, but we were missing 3 of our top 6 or 7.
 
Muhl is very efficient with the basketball, keeps her head up, good passer and moves without the ball. Not the fastest or best leaper but on D she was able to anticipate and get in the passing lane. Man-up D against Arkansas talent would be an issue but she really helps Paige on offense and it is a net positive. Another good tool in the toolbox for Geno.
 
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Thoughts:

1. Defense takes a lot of effort: when the game was on the line, in the first half, St J. was held to 12/12 = 24 and the D might have been the best of the season. In the 3rd quarter the game was perilously close to being garbage time...not to take anything away from Correa; A real offensive threat. But after halftime, the game felt almost over and defensive effort and focus has been know to relent at that point.

2. Show of hands: who missed Christyn, Aubrey, who remembers Anna? Not to disparage our injured former starters...but those who played, sure looked pretty good; and don't give me that crap, that those who are left have to step up...The future of this team is the young uns plus Mamma, Geno knows that, and I would not be surprised if future minutes bear that out.

On a day that the team's, offensive co-star, Ms. Mamma couldn't hit the side of a barn, the rest sure showed promise...Paige shot more, Aaliyah did her prime Tina imitation (Does she even have a better sense of timing as she rolls to openness)?...And Nika...Was it not only a few games ago that she was standing tearfully on the sidelines while Geno lit into her?
Tonight, It was a close contest between her and Paige as to whom made the most impressive passes. And as a bonus, she hit a bunch of shots Another BB whiz...Can't have too many.

Yet...there remains uncertainty...as I have proclaimed all season...It was 5 and 10 (not the old chain store...wins and losses) St. John's tonight, not a top-team.. we'll know a lot more after South C...but I imagine Geno is taking the long view...We may lose again, even Marquette is no push-over...but the identity, individual abilities, and cohesiveness of the kiddie corps is coming into focus...and coach has a lot of gifted, fearless youth to work with.
 
Interesting that CW didn't tell Geno she "couldn't go" until halfway through pregame warm ups. A contrast to Nika's "just put more tape on it."
 
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