Stock watch: Who's up and who's down from UConn's summer workouts

[Zarathustra]

Lou, Ayanna and Ice might be exactly what the doctor ordered for this team.

Don't forget the return of Aubrey! Z

 

[JellyBean]

Daniel Connolly 13 hr ago

What we've learned about each (healthy) player on the Huskies' roster so far.​

"On Tuesday, UConn met with the media for the second and final time this summer before everyone heads home to enjoy the final two months before the school year, and preseason, begin. The quietest portion of the offseason will begin shortly.

This year, it’s been tough to get a clear picture of which players have impressed (and which haven’t) over the last few weeks. Geno Auriemma only addressed the public once and it came a little more than a week into the start of workouts. He was supposed to do so again on Tuesday at his annual Fore The Kids Charity Golf Tournament on Tuesday, but wasn’t feeling well and didn’t make it. It also doesn’t help that freshman Ice Brady was away from the team with USA Basketball and a majority of the roster hasn’t participated while recovering from injury.

Still, we heard enough from Auriemma and the players to cobble together our first stock watch of the 2022-23 season. Of course, it’s worth mentioning that most players look good during the summer and if they didn’t, their teammates likely wouldn’t say so publicly."

This body of this article is behind a pay wall for subscribers only, so we can't read its contents or comment on it. I'm hoping that someone in in the yard is a subscriber and can read the article and give us a synopsis of what was reported so that in turn we can comment on it. Since Geno was ill and could not appear at the tournament, it would have been nice if associate head coach Christine Dailey (CD) could have pinch hit for him and brought us up to date on the current state of the team (who is up and who is down).

I'm particularly interested in where Amari is and how our newbies Ayanna Patterson and Lou Lopez-Senechal are doing. It was reported that Patterson suffered a minor elbow injury last week. We know that several players are still rehabbing an injury from last season. What's their status? Will all of them be ready (in shape and cleared for full contact) come mid-October when official practice begins? Perhaps addressing the media during his golf tournament with respect to player status and development is something reserved only for Geno.

I know the title was a tease, but is the title of the article.

​

Such a tease. LOL!

 

[JellyBean]

I am so excited for the new season. Lost three solid players and major contributors to the program. Now we added some solid players to the mix of talented players we had, just a matter of them all blending, developing that chemistry, and staying healthy or being fully recovered from previous injuries.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Count me in the optimistic camp.

I’ve said before that I can’t wait to see Ice play for UConn. Seeing the recent games has only cemented that. She’s big and strong, has really good footwork for an incoming player, and she carves out her own space under the basket.

I was excited by Paige’s remark that Ayanna blows everyone away in the weight room.

That would give UConn two players off the bench to compete for rebounds with certain strong-rebounding teams. Ice has some range to her shot, Ayanna has the hops, and both can both handle the ball to give some versatility to the bigs.

It's like a critical mass/critical geometry thing: having the "youngster" showing the way to go in the weight room raises the bar and the veterans are motivated to do more, so they are not behind.

It then goes to energy, strength, endurance and "want to" in boxing out, rebounding (particularly on the offensive end to go right back up with contact and scoring), maintaining control and getting the outlet pass with control; being able to "push back" without creating a fouling event (or perception - so more fouls are called that are not fouls).

Strength and endurance to be that "pesky" lockdown defender that gets "under the skin" of the opponents [thinking Nika gets more of the team into her MO] and having the motor to do it all game [and into overtime if necessary].

Strength to set and hold the bone rattling screen [Ice "pick" and also thinking Steff Dolson...without extending the knee or outstretching the arm] because our quick guards can sharply cut at the pick knowing [confidence] the collision that is about to spring them will be devastating to the opponent and all offensive options open up at that point.

2022-2023 season will be a thing of beauty!!! Go Huskies!!!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Don't forget the return of Aubrey! Z

It is like getting two battle hardened veterans {Lou & AG] plus two skilled, strong, and athletic youngsters who had major success playing many minutes while the games were being decided for Team USA while earning the Gold [Ice on the U18 Americas & AP on the U18 3x3 World Cup; just a little clip of the "dunk contest" to keep the BY energy up: ]...

I would say Miss Patterson is definitely an UP!!!!

 

[Bone Dog]

It is like getting two battle hardened veterans {Lou & AG] plus two skilled, strong, and athletic youngsters who had major success playing many minutes while the games were being decided for Team USA while earning the Gold [Ice on the U18 Americas & AP on the U18 3x3 World Cup; just a little clip of the "dunk contest" to keep the BY energy up: ]...

I would say Miss Patterson is definitely an UP!!!!

I could watch that all day. She’s a leaper! What does everyone think the impact on team morale will be the day she does that in a game? My prediction is Aaliyah and Aubrey will try to match it.

 

[Zarathustra]

It's like a critical mass/critical geometry thing: having the "youngster" showing the way to go in the weight room raises the bar and the veterans are motivated to do more, so they are not behind.

It then goes to energy, strength, endurance and "want to" in boxing out, rebounding (particularly on the offensive end to go right back up with contact and scoring), maintaining control and getting the outlet pass with control; being able to "push back" without creating a fouling event (or perception - so more fouls are called that are not fouls).

Strength and endurance to be that "pesky" lockdown defender that gets "under the skin" of the opponents [thinking Nika gets more of the team into her MO] and having the motor to do it all game [and into overtime if necessary].

Strength to set and hold the bone rattling screen [Ice "pick" and also thinking Steff Dolson...without extending the knee or outstretching the arm] because our quick guards can sharply cut at the pick knowing [confidence] the collision that is about to spring them will be devastating to the opponent and all offensive options open up at that point.

2022-2023 season will be a thing of beauty!!! Go Huskies!!!

I love the "ICE PICK" (screen) comment. Did anyone hear the " Lou = two!" play by play
announcer's description of one of Lou Lopez Senechal's two point " makes" in her highlight
video? (This video is on a previous BY link)

 

[Zarathustra]

It is like getting two battle hardened veterans {Lou & AG] plus two skilled, strong, and athletic youngsters who had major success playing many minutes while the games were being decided for Team USA while earning the Gold [Ice on the U18 Americas & AP on the U18 3x3 World Cup; just a little clip of the "dunk contest" to keep the BY energy up: ]...

I would say Miss Patterson is definitely an UP!!!!

I did see the 3X3 dunk contest when it was live = NICE! There were also videos of Ms. Patterson
dunking during warmups at the 3X3 competition and the "psych-out"/ warning to the opposing
players while warming up under the same basket. Lastly, the massive, blocked shots by Yanna
in the actual competition. I believe if you take 20 minutes to watch the USA vs Russia 3X3 game
you will see two wonderful blocks by Yanna. Can't wait for the coming season!

 

[jdote33]

I'm higher on Lou than I was initially. I can imagine a lineup of Paige, Azzi, CD, Lou, and Dorka being real tough to stop defensively. Especially because off a miss they basically can all grab it and go and space the floor. I also think each of them are deceptively quick and can beat their defender in space

I'm still a bit concerned with all the injuries. I know it's only June. Still a lot of healing that needs to happen for the team to be at full strength. Potentially 3 of 5 starters.

 

[AmeriConn]

I think Paige Azzi Caroline Lou won’t have any off nights. They each have too many weapons in their arsenals. If they’re all on the floor together, they’ll find a way to dominate.

I like your positive vibes, but everyone has a bad night now and then.

 

[Bone Dog]

I was totally exaggerating. But at this level, short of an injury a “bad night” means an off shooting night -- which can be demoralizing and affect the rest of a player's game -- but these guys do so much more than just shoot. I don't think they'll be knocked off their game by an off-shooting night.