Stewart leads USA U-18s in win over USA U-17s

[UConnCat]

The U-17s were ahead through 3+ quarters and then Breanna took over. Here's Jim Fuller's take:
http://elmcitytoeaglevillenhr.blogspot.com/


Don't even try telling Breanna Stewart that it was little more than a glorified practice. Whenever they are keeping score and there are two teams on the court the UConn incoming freshman wants nothing more than for her team to come out on top.

However, in a scrimmage between the U.S. Under-18 and U-17 national teams it was the younger squad which had the upper hand and led for the first 3 1/2 quarters.

Then Stewart displayed the form that has made her the winner of every national high school player of the year award.

Baskets by Erica McCall, Rebecca Greenwell (a 3-pointer) and Mercedes Russell pushed a two-point U-17 lead to a nine-point cushion midway through the fourth quarter. Then Stewart went to work as she started a 10-0 run by the U-18s with a jumper and capped the run with back to back 3-pointers. She would add a couple of assists, take a charge, grab a couple of rebounds as the U-18s ended the game on a 21-5 run to cap a 73-66 win on Wednesday night.

"I set it up by putting myself in foul trouble a little bit but in the second half I wanted to step it up and lead the team," Stewart said. "We started to make a run and took control."

Stewart led all scorers in the scrimmage with 18 points and also had nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks.

Here's a fact from the scrimmage that should warm the hearts of UConn fans - of the four U-18 players who scored in double figures in the game three will be freshmen at UConn this season. Morgan Tuck had 12 points, four rebounds and three steals while Moriah Jefferson ended up with 12 points as well. The other double-digit scorer for the U-18s was UConn recruiting target Jannah Tucker.

 

[Kibitzer]

The link includes DeShields providing her explanation of how she and three others all committed to UNC the same day. It apparently started when God told Diamond to go to Chapel Hill. Given that lofty level of competition a mere mortal like Geno never had a chance.

As for Stewart, she must have been simply devastating. One has to wonder what effect performances like the one described might have on UConn targets like McCall, Harper et al. Would they want to win as her teammate at UConn (less PT) or be motivated to undertake the challenge of taking her on playing elsewhere (more PT), as DeShields and others will do? (Add Tuck and Jefferson into this equation.)

Now that we have Geno's tease about the class of 2013 plus the upcoming interviews by Fuller with some UConn recruiting targets, the plot thickens and the suspense ramps up. Who's coming? Who's not?

What a pleasure to read the entire Fuller link and not have to read about that school that UConn used to play. And respect. And consistently (but not quite always) beat. Time marches on.

 

[Icebear]

Very strange, Kib.

 

[UConnCat]

The link includes DeShields providing her explanation of how she and three others all committed to UNC the same day. It apparently started when God told Diamond to go to Chapel Hill. Given that lofty level of competition a mere mortal like Geno never had a chance..

All I can say is that there must be some truth to that popular North Carolina bumper sticker: "If God is not a Tar Heel, then why is the sky Carolina blue?"

 

[easttexastrash]

The link includes DeShields providing her explanation of how she and three others all committed to UNC the same day. It apparently started when God told Diamond to go to Chapel Hill. Given that lofty level of competition a mere mortal like Geno never had a chance.

As for Stewart, she must have been simply devastating. One has to wonder what effect performances like the one described might have on UConn targets like McCall, Harper et al. Would they want to win as her teammate at UConn (less PT) or be motivated to undertake the challenge of taking her on playing elsewhere (more PT), as DeShields and others will do? (Add Tuck and Jefferson into this equation.)

Now that we have Geno's tease about the class of 2013 plus the upcoming interviews by Fuller with some UConn recruiting targets, the plot thickens and the suspense ramps up. Who's coming? Who's not?

What a pleasure to read the entire Fuller link and not have to read about that school that UConn used to play. And respect. And consistently (but not quite always) beat. Time marches on.

With fairness to DD, she did say that she did not "recruit" the other players to go to UNC as many have insinuated. Based on her feedback she was a UNC lean and when she found out that the other players were also UNC leans that they then decided to make a splash with their announcement.

She said that it was "like God put it together" and it was "like God was speaking to me." She did not say that God told her to commit to UNC. She was stating that she felt a real sense of peace with her decision. If she is a religious young girl who looks to God for guidance, good for her.

 

[easttexastrash]

I did like DD's comments about UNC having a bad year last year. She basically said that won't happen when she and the other recruits arrive on campus. And she is probably right. Everything that I read about her says that she is phenomenally gifted and talented and is a very hard worker. It sounds like these girls are ready to get on campus and have a big impact.

 

[easttexastrash]

I am very excited about watching Stewart play. It sounds as if she has a skill set that is going to be incredibly hard to defend. She is tall and her release point on the three is going to be tough for the average guard to challenge. And other than BG and Elizabeth Williams it sound like she may be difficult to defend in the paint.

 

[Wbbfan1]

easttexastrash: I beginning to believe that your motive to post on the BY has multiple purposes but one of them is to trash posters here. You go out of your way to look for ways to criticize UConn and its fan base. I find it amazing the number of posts on the BY and suspect its more then what you post on the Baylor board. Why is that?

 

[MilfordHusky]

Regarding Breanna, as Geno says ... "If they are going to keep score, we might as well win." Bree believes the same. She takes game over, much as Maya did.

 

[easttexastrash]

easttexastrash: I beginning to believe that your motive to post on the BY has multiple purposes but one of them is to trash posters here. You go out of your way to look for ways to criticize UConn and its fan base. I find it amazing the number of posts on the BY and suspect its more then what you post on the Baylor board. Why is that?

Yes, I post here more than on the Baylor board because the Baylor board is not very active. The BY is very active, informed and discusses the women's game as a whole, not just in terms of UCONN basketball. I consider it the premier board out there.

I am not here with the intent to criticize but that does not mean that I will not call out others, much as you are doing with me. I make many positive comments about the UCONN program but I suspect that since I am a "guest" on the board that it is much easier to remember my posts that seem to be critical than it is to remember my positive comments.

If you were to visit the Baylor board you would find my comments very similar. There are posters on that board that only see things through green and gold glass, and I tell them when I think they are doing so. I try to see things as objectively as possible, regardless of my university affiliation.

 

[doggydaddy]

I am not here with the intent to criticize but that does not mean that I will not call out others, much as you are doing with me. I make many positive comments about the UCONN program but I suspect that since I am a "guest" on the board that it is much easier to remember my posts that seem to be critical than it is to remember my positive comments.

I think the issue is "calling out others". Stating your opinion, be it different from a UConn fan seems very reasonable to me. Many UConn fans do it with each other. But "calling out" posters when you disagree is not something a "visitor" should do and I think that is what wbbfan1 has an issue with.

Like my momma said, it's not what you say, but how you say it.

 

[easttexastrash]

I think the issue is "calling out others". Stating your opinion, be it different from a UConn fan seems very reasonable to me. Many UConn fans do it with each other. But "calling out" posters when you disagree is not something a "visitor" should do and I think that is what wbbfan1 has an issue with.

Like my momma said, it's not what you say, but how you say it.

LOL...of all people to give me advice. Let's face it, we ALL challenge the opinions of others. Not one person on this board can say that they have ONLY stated their own opinion without ever challenging someone else's opinion.

But point taken. I'll seriously keep that in mind when posting.

 

[doggydaddy]

LOL...of all people to give me advice. Let's face it, we ALL challenge the opinions of others. Not one person on this board can say that they have ONLY stated their own opinion without ever challenging someone else's opinion.

But point taken. I'll seriously keep that in mind when posting.

I'm not a visitor here, bucko.

 

[easttexastrash]

I'm not a visitor here, bucko.

Like I said, point taken and I will seriously keep this in mind with my future posts. I am sure that at times I fall into the "guests are like fish" category. I don't want to stink.

 

[Kibitzer]

I'm not a visitor here, bucko.

DARN IT! I was just about to say, "Thank you for your interest in UConn basketball," then whack the ignore button.

You almost had me fooled.

 

[doggydaddy]

Like I said, point taken and I will seriously keep this in mind with my future posts. I am sure that at times I fall into the "guests are like fish" category. I don't want to stink.

No problem. I really don't have an issue with your posts, for the most part...lol.

I'd let you know if I did....right?

 

[easttexastrash]

No problem. I really don't have an issue with your posts, for the most part...lol.

I'd let you know if I did....right?

Yes, please do. And I feel confident that you will.

 

[easttexastrash]

I have the utmost respect for the UCONN program, players and fanbase, otherwise I wouldn't spend my time here discussing women's basketball. Thanks for tolerating my presence. I do wish that the Baylor board was as active.

Mulkey commented that when she first arrived at Baylor that the biggest fan reaction at games was during the free pizza portion of the games. And quite honestly, at times it still is. I wish the fans were as impassioned about wcbb as the UCONN fans.

 

[doggydaddy]

I have the utmost respect for the UCONN program, players and fanbase, otherwise I wouldn't spend my time here discussing women's basketball. Thanks for tolerating my presence. I do wish that the Baylor board was as active.

Mulkey commented that when she first arrived at Baylor that the biggest fan reaction at games was during the free pizza portion of the games. And quite honestly, at times it still is. I wish the fans were as impassioned about wcbb as the UCONN fans.

Why not grace the Summitt with your presence as well? I'm sure you would be greeted with welcome arms with your differing opinions. Their fans are also very impassioned.

Let me know how it goes.

 

[easttexastrash]

Do I get honorary citizenship after 1,500 posts? 2,000?

 

[easttexastrash]

Why not grace the Summitt with your presence as well? I'm sure you would be greeted with welcome arms with your differing opinions. Their fans are also very impassioned.

Let me know how it goes.

LOL. No thanks.

 

[doggydaddy]

Do I get honorary citizenship after 1,500 posts? 2,000?

You even have 249 likes! I didn't know DaddyChoc read you so often.

 

[easttexastrash]

You even have 249 likes! I didn't know DaddyChoc read you so often.

He's my biggest fan.

 

[easttexastrash]

You even have 249 likes! I didn't know DaddyChoc read you so often.

I'm just lucky there's not a "hated it" button.

 

[Alydar]

U-17 & U-18 play Brazil today on ESPN3.com 17's at 4pm 18's at 7pm.