Stokes playing time? | The Boneyard

Stokes playing time?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Oct 14, 2013
Messages
1,888
Reaction Score
4,521
Does it seem as though Kia is getting less playing time? Could it be because Geno knows what she can do and has faith she will perform as needed, so he is using the minutes to develop Chong and Williams.
 
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Messages
11,827
Reaction Score
17,832
Does it seem as though Kia is getting less playing time? Could it be because Geno knows what she can do and has faith she will perform as needed, so he is using the minutes to develop Chong and Williams.
She's just not that useful unless you need a defensive stopper in there, and let's be honest, these AAC teams aren't going to require a defensive stop. What Kiah is today is what she will be come tourney time. Chong and Williams can really benefit from extra playing time, especially Williams who is making obvious strides. In the long run it's better for the team.
 

Geno-ista

Embracing the New Look!!!
Joined
Apr 12, 2013
Messages
2,467
Reaction Score
3,537
Let's face it- the hopes and predictions that Kiah would develop some offense from outside of 4-6' from the basket have not materialized. She has become a pretty good foul shooter- or better I think. So when she has the ball from the foul line or farther outside--- no one even comes out to front her- daring her to take the shot. It really clogs the paint and hinders our offense which is really really firing on all cylinders. I love Kiah. Glad we have her coming off the bench as needed for different match ups, etc... And I think she will have a long productive career in in the WNBA. If Morgan was not able to come back from injury and show the world what she is capable of- we would not be creaming teams by the figures that we are. And we would not be the big favorite to beat So Carolina and wind the NC. Morgan, like all our offensive weapons, make everyone on the court better because they are an offensive threat. Kiah gives great minutes to rest our starters as needed. She can usually neutralize the opposition in the paint- and that is great!
 

alexrgct

RIP, Alex
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
10,094
Reaction Score
15,650
At the business end of the season, Stokes is going to play very significant minutes. She was part of a six-woman rotation in last season's tourney, and her play was reliable and serviceable. Meanwhile, her play in South Bend last month was outstanding, and there's every reason to believe she'll produce defensive play akin to that against other key opponents. Even now in AAC play, her contributions are reliable and a joy to watch.

Kiah is going to continue to be a defensive force in her senior season and make a difference at times. The only question in my mind is whether she gets to go out on top.
 
Joined
Sep 11, 2013
Messages
801
Reaction Score
2,629
Geno will use Kiah when needed. he knows what she can do. Her offense has not
materialized as we all would have liked. He has to develop Gabby and do it as
quickly as he can. She will be needed down the road, especially if there is a
injury or we need additional scoring and rebounding. The development of
Gabby is very important to this team. I think she is doing very well considering
the adjustments she is making. She will continue to accumulate minutes.

Kiah will be a big factor against South Carolina and in the NCAA Tournament.
Kiah does what Kiah does. She is a very valuable contributor to this teams
success. I think this will be evident against South Carolina on Feb 9th.
 

Icebear

Andlig Ledare
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
18,785
Reaction Score
19,227
Let's see we have five players starting all capable of 15-20 any given night, none of whom can be ignored without risk. Kiah at most reduces that to four. Kiah has gone for solid numbers when left alone inside which means she cannot simply be ignored and if you foul her she makes her shots.
 
Joined
May 14, 2014
Messages
207
Reaction Score
1,090
At the business end of the season, Stokes is going to play very significant minutes. She was part of a six-woman rotation in last season's tourney, and her play was reliable and serviceable. Meanwhile, her play in South Bend last month was outstanding, and there's every reason to believe she'll produce defensive play akin to that against other key opponents. Even now in AAC play, her contributions are reliable and a joy to watch.

Kiah is going to continue to be a defensive force in her senior season and make a difference at times. The only question in my mind is whether she gets to go out on top.

Great post. I'm a big Kiah Stokes fan. If 50% of the game is putting the ball in the basket and 50% is stopping the other team from putting it in the basket, then Kiah, by definition, has a huge influence on the outcome of any given game. Her blocks and rebounds per minutes played are remarkable. No, she's not a great offensive weapon but her play is is solid and consistent. Her presence immediately changes an opponents' offensive flow. Kiah is a role player and role players are key to any great team.
 
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
8,022
Reaction Score
20,687
Just my opinion, but Kiah's minutes are very much determined by her intensity level and focus in practice, in addition to game situations.
 

EricLA

Cronus
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
14,944
Reaction Score
80,821
I'm going to take a slightly different view...

Kiah IMHO has the capability of being an offensive force HOWEVER... as a few have pointed out, our entire starting 5 averages double figures. It's not like we have Kelly Faris as a starter, who was a tad offensively challenged. We have 3 players who shoot the 3 close to 50% (Nurse, Jefferson, KML), and we have 2 players who can go off and get 25+ at any given moment (Stewie and Tuck). Stewie averages about 17 PPG and Jefferson about 12 PPG.

Both Chong and Williams are scoring more PPG than Kiah, but look at the rest of her stats. She leads the team in rebounds per game and has more blocks than the rest of the team combined. She sets screens and spends time out on the perimeter on offense - more than I would like, but she's so strong and seems to relish working for rebounds and blocking shots that I have no criticism at all. People probably ask why Gabby averages more PPG in less time. I ask the same question, but Gabby is VERY offensive minded, and she's MUCH better at putting the ball on the floor 10-15 feet from the basket and driving around (or through!) people.

I also think that with so much offense coming from so many other places, the players don't necessarily "look" for Kiah, and when they do, often they are a few seconds too late in getting her the ball so she can go up instantly to score. She's capable of using both hands, and doing it well. I hope she's happy with the time she gets on the court and her contributions to the team because I'm thrilled (and I hope Geno and the staff are happy too). I love Kiah and her game, and her demeanor. I've never seen her get riled up or pissed - she's so steady. Morgan is the same way. Leave it to Nurse to be the emotional leader on the team (getting feisty and fired up).
 
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
1,283
Reaction Score
1,578
I'm looking forward very much to her play in the SoCar game. One of SC's better, underpublicized players is a very strong post, Alaina Coates, who has a heck of an offensive game. As a defender, Kiah hasn't seen many players every bit as strong as she is. Kiah covering Coates will be one of the very interesting and probably decisive matchups in the game. Should make for great watching.
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2014
Messages
9,874
Reaction Score
29,425
I love Kiah and her game, and her demeanor. I've never seen her get riled up or pissed - she's so steady. Morgan is the same way. Leave it to Nurse to be the emotional leader on the team (getting feisty and fired up).
I want to see Kiah get riled up and pissed sometime :D
 

cabbie191

Jonathan Husky on a date with Holi
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
1,531
Reaction Score
3,710
First, can any of our stat wonks verify that Kiah is in fact getting fewer minutes as we hit the AAC schedule?

If it is true, I understand the perspective that giving Kiah fewer minutes allows Geno more time to develop Chong & Williams. I'm not certain, however, that this is the reason why she would be playing less. That just doesn't seem to be Geno's way - I think Stinger is correct that this likely reflects practice effort.

Regarding Kiah's offense, gosh but it is frustrating that she misses so many close-in shots. On the other hand, it seems she is taking more shots than during her first three years and that is very positive, and better yet, she is making some from a greater distance. That is absolutely pleasing to me.
 
Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
395
Reaction Score
1,132
Just my opinion, but Kiah's minutes are very much determined by her intensity level and focus in practice, in addition to game situations.

eh, think coach is past that point.. he knows for sure what Kiah is going to give him... does he need it at that moment? She goes in... doesn't need it? she doesn't go in..
 
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
424
Reaction Score
1,322
Just my opinion, but Kiah's minutes are very much determined by her intensity level and focus in practice, in addition to game situations.
At this stage of Kiah's career, I suspect her playing in any given game is completely dependent on what Geno feels the team needs. If she is not completely focused in a game, he will make a change.
 

JoePgh

Cranky pants and wise acre
Joined
Aug 30, 2011
Messages
3,624
Reaction Score
21,046
I am pretty sure that Kiah is getting more minutes recently than Saniya, and roughly the same as Gabby. When Gabby is really "hot" (scoring at will), she will get more time than the other two.

The fact that Kiah is not a big scorer doesn't mean that people don't have to guard her (as was the case with Kelly), since anyone of that size standing in the paint has to be guarded.

I really wish she could be relied on for putbacks. Her shooting percentage on putbacks must be 20% or less. I think her jump shoots from 10-12 feet are actually more accurate than her putbacks.
 

Aluminny69

Old Timer
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
8,440
Reaction Score
22,232
Kiah has been averaging 20 minutes per game, I don't see that changing.
 
Joined
Sep 2, 2011
Messages
1,694
Reaction Score
1,378
Too happy go lucky...........No mean streak in her.............
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Online statistics

Members online
488
Guests online
3,158
Total visitors
3,646

Forum statistics

Threads
155,760
Messages
4,030,601
Members
9,864
Latest member
leepaul


Top Bottom