Stokes presence in the paint | The Boneyard

Stokes presence in the paint

Status
Not open for further replies.
MilfordHusky said:
Kiah is a monster on the defensive side. She still needs to be more confident and aggressive on the offensive end, but she's coming along.
Expand ...
I think as Geno has noted, Stokes can be as good as she wants to be. It's pretty much up to her. And she's got a huge upside.
 
meyers7 said:
I think as Geno has noted, Stokes can be as good as she wants to be. It's pretty much up to her. And she's got a huge upside.
Expand ...
I agree. Kiah has AA potential. A really big upside.

I've seen some players who were really good rebounders, partly because of a huge backside. :)
 
Athletic, strong, physical, amazing how she runs the floor. A little confidence on offense and watch out.
 
I am going to rewatch the game just to count the number of times a Dukkie dribbled towards the basket, looked up, saw Kiah, and then beat a hasty retreat to think things over.

I watch these games with my sister in South Carolina (on the phone) and she kept asking me what I was giggling at from time to time. That was it.
 
.-.
RadyLady said:
I am going to rewatch the game just to count the number of times a Dukkie dribbled towards the basket, looked up, saw Kiah, and then beat a hasty retreat to think things over.

I watch these games with my sister in South Carolina (on the phone) and she kept asking me what I was giggling at from time to time. That was it.
Expand ...

I giggled at a lot of plays all through the 2nd half.

What a fun game it was to watch.
 
Kiah's effective wingspan is ridonkulous even for a 6'3" player. It's only because we have a player with an even more ridonkulous wingspan (Stewie) that we aren't constantly agog at Kiah's defensive swats. Not that we aren't occasionally agog :p

I loved having both of them on the floor at the same time for awhile last night. Pretty much like putting a sign out in the Lane that reads: "Closed for Business."
 
Olde Coach said:
I giggled at a lot of plays all through the 2nd half.

What a fun game it was to watch.
Expand ...

LOL - we were shouting our fool heads off - and I am supposed to be resting my voice. Watching that game was a real joy.
 
I was talking to Mil and Tony last night and the subject of Kiah came up. For all the accolades in this thread, she got exactly 6 minutes of playing time in a game we won by 30 going away. Even in the last 5 minutes with the game well in hand, he put Dolson back in and left Stokes on the bench. That she got almost no PT along with Jefferson and Tuck in a game that was a blowout with 10 minutes left in the game tells a story, I'm just not sure the story it tells.

I get that the freshmen are inconsistent, and Tuck didn't do anything during the 4-5 minute stretch she played in the first half, so that I understand. Jefferson - well she wasn't in long enough for me to see (to my untrained eye) what she did or didn't do that ended up earning her only 6 minutes as well. And it's clear, at least in that game, that Stokes is our #3 center on the depth chart behind Dolson and Stewart. But I'm not sure what's going on with Kiah. I hope she doesn't catch what Heather Buck had - lack of confidence which led to a complete inability to be offensive minded, even as a 5th year senior. I love watching Kiah on defense, but she's just not earning the PT we thought she would. Is it still the injury? If so, I wonder why they just don't keep her out till she's 100%.
 
I think your point is spot on Eric.
Let's not forget the wonderful reverse lay-up that MJ tossed in among the bigs.
And should we not include Brianna in this discussion; hit a three and made a terrif drive-in.
Is this all injury related?
Is it just their inexperience in knowing where to be in Geno's offense?
Was their a message being sent? to whom?
The kind of info that we are unlikely to ever know.
 
When I saw Stef go in late I thought to myself smart move...Why because Stokes is still having leg problems and to leave her in when the game was in hand to me was silly. Why take the chance. She got a few minutes and if she was healthly I think she wouldve gotten more, but she was doubltful earlier in the week and to play her last nite for a couple of minutes is fine. She needs to get better for later in the season when we really need her to play 10+ minutes a game. Shes not there yet. Either is Bria. It was nice to finally see everybody able to play last nite.
 
.-.
A couple of things in relation to playing time:
1. There was a quote somewhere about Shea saying that you get to many of the young uns on the floor at the same time a all hell breaks out, and her asking Geno 'we're not gong to do that again in the second half are we'. Not sure where that came from, but it sounded right (and funny!)
2. With Kiah specifically - stress reactions are really tough to manage - not a lot to see on scans and most of the diagnosis is based on the player's own nervous system - i.e. how does it feel. And they can go from fine to problem status in a minute. I think for the rest of the season the plan for Kiah is to limit her minutes to those that are necessary for the team, so once a game is won she will see little or no time.
3. With Morgan - the stated issue is a bone bruise, but one that required a brace suggesting the bruise is in her knee joint. I think this is less iffy than than Kiah's stress reaction but not dissimilar in terms of management of minutes.
4. With Moriah - was a little surprised with her limited second half minutes (2) but I think Geno was so happy with Bria (16) and CD (14) that he wanted them running the show and BB picked up most of the rest of the minutes (8).
Overall, I think the second half was a really important experience for the team as a whole and Geno recognized that. He wanted the team to play at that level throughout the half and was very selective in his substitutions till the very end. The score was not as important as getting and keeping that intensity and synchronization for a long stretch of time in a game.
 
UcMiami said:
4. With Moriah - was a little surprised with her limited second half minutes (2) but I think Geno was so happy with Bria (16) and CD (14) that he wanted them running the show and BB picked up most of the rest of the minutes (8).
Overall, I think the second half was a really important experience for the team as a whole and Geno recognized that. He wanted the team to play at that level throughout the half and was very selective in his substitutions till the very end. The score was not as important as getting and keeping that intensity and synchronization for a long stretch of time in a game.
Expand ...
I really agree with these thoughts. Said something similar in one of the other threads. (not as well though :cool:)
 
Interesting analysis UC, could very well be right in all respects.
Remember also that Steff had been rested for a long time due to her foul problems so was most fit to do the minutes.
I especially like your idea that Geno was keeping the pressure on, not because of poor Duke but as an educational experience for the team (and the young uns).
 
msf22b said:
Interesting analysis UC, could very well be right in all respects.
Remember also that Steff had been rested for a long time due to her foul problems so was most fit to do the minutes.
I especially like your idea that Geno was keeping the pressure on, not because of poor Duke but as an educational experience for the team (and the young uns).
Expand ...

All the games that UConn has lost in the past two years (including the recent ND game) have a common theme: The Huskies have been "lousy at finishing the deal."

My view is that Geno wanted the veteran starters to finish this game -- to sustain a very high level of play for all 20 minutes of the 2nd half. He didn't want the subs to "piss away" 8-10 points from a big lead. This may have been hard on Coach P and the Dukies. But it was exactly what Geno has to do in prep for Baylor and ND (at least 2 more times).
 
RadyLady said:
I am going to rewatch the game just to count the number of times a Dukkie dribbled towards the basket, looked up, saw Kiah, and then beat a hasty retreat to think things over.

I watch these games with my sister in South Carolina (on the phone) and she kept asking me what I was giggling at from time to time. That was it.
Expand ...

Well, especially when Stewart was in there with her. Dribble in, look up, and "Whoa! Long arms! Retreat! Retreat!"
 
I love Stokes, and I hope she feels fully healed and ready to go full out. I have a question - Duke's coach is McCallie right? and her first name is Joanne right? and they call her coach P?
 
.-.
Wikipedia has her full name as Joanne Palombo-McCallie
The Palombo being her maiden name.
 
Well that explains why Geno keeps playing them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OK, time to stoke a few flames.

I know the team has only one loss, murdered Duke, most likely final 4, But there are still questions

Why are the Freshmen not developing more quickly?
Seems more than just the injuries and illness'

They certainly seemed more than promising at the end of the summer
Geno said nice things pre-season about their development and prospects during the early going.
Why did the staff think that the best way to play them was 2/3 at a time?
Seems nuts to me, except if the staff had unusual confidence in their abilities and quickness to assimilate coaching.

Is the coaching staff in a slump?
Geno in two interviews of late, has spoken about the adjustment back from the Olympics and a different coaching philosophy. I always thought that the transition back might hit a few speed bumps and so posted (to the usual distain).
I've even worried to myself that he's not handling Stewart correctly.
It would be completely human for Geno and the staff (who mostly assisted him in Europe) to be a little burned out, to have a wee bit of difficulty readjusting.

I don't see this season as a coaching masterpiece yet.
Kelly almost single-handedly bailed the team out and turned around the Dukees.
There's a lot of young talent on this team, I'd like to see it develop some confidence and consistency.
 
msf22b said:
I know the team has only one loss, murdered Duke, most likely final 4, But there are still questions
Expand ...
There will always be questions.

msf22b said:
Why are the Freshmen not developing more quickly?
Seems more than just the injuries and illness'
Expand ...
I think they are coming along nicely.

msf22b said:
They certainly seemed more than promising at the end of the summer
Expand ...
I think they still are very promising. Very.

msf22b said:
Is the coaching staff in a slump?
Expand ...
Slump? Nah, but they can always improve.

msf22b said:
I've even worried to myself that he's not handling Stewart correctly.
Expand ...
I wouldn't worry if I were you. She seems to be doing quite well.

msf22b said:
I don't see this season as a coaching masterpiece yet.
Expand ...
I wasn't expecting one. And even if I was, I wouldn't be expecting to see if it was one or not until the end of the year. See how it turns out. A little premature right now.
 
msf22b said:
OK, time to stoke a few flames.

I know the team has only one loss, murdered Duke, most likely final 4, But there are still questions

Why are the Freshmen not developing more quickly?
Seems more than just the injuries and illness'

They certainly seemed more than promising at the end of the summer
Geno said nice things pre-season about their development and prospects during the early going.
Why did the staff think that the best way to play them was 2/3 at a time?
Seems nuts to me, except if the staff had unusual confidence in their abilities and quickness to assimilate coaching.

Is the coaching staff in a slump?
Geno in two interviews of late, has spoken about the adjustment back from the Olympics and a different coaching philosophy. I always thought that the transition back might hit a few speed bumps and so posted (to the usual distain).
I've even worried to myself that he's not handling Stewart correctly.
It would be completely human for Geno and the staff (who mostly assisted him in Europe) to be a little burned out, to have a wee bit of difficulty readjusting.

I don't see this season as a coaching masterpiece yet.
Kelly almost single-handedly bailed the team out and turned around the Dukees.
There's a lot of young talent on this team, I'd like to see it develop some confidence and consistency.
Expand ...
single handed Kelly ? Tell KML and the rest of the team that.
The freshman are being handled just fine, they play according to their talent level,how they practic among other things
 
"Kelly almost single-handedly bailed the team out "

Amazes me how you can turn a positive into a negative....
 
.-.
msf22b said:
OK, time to stoke a few flames.

I know the team has only one loss, murdered Duke, most likely final 4, But there are still questions

Nope, I have no questions.

Why are the Freshmen not developing more quickly?
Seems more than just the injuries and illness'

No, I think is is exactly, injuries and the diminished practice and game time they have been able to log.

They certainly seemed more than promising at the end of the summer
Geno said nice things pre-season about their development and prospects during the early going.

Inappropriate expectations of kids who have tremendous adjustments both as students and athletes.

Why did the staff think that the best way to play them was 2/3 at a time?
Seems nuts to me, except if the staff had unusual confidence in their abilities and quickness to assimilate coaching.



Is the coaching staff in a slump?

Not at all. They have had huge pressured this past year with the Olympics on top of UCONN commitments and have been exemplary in all.

Geno in two interviews of late, has spoken about the adjustment back from the Olympics and a different coaching philosophy. I always thought that the transition back might hit a few speed bumps and so posted (to the usual distain).

Adjustments in expectations and attitude are not the same as not managing or coaching a team well.

I've even worried to myself that he's not handling Stewart correctly.

It's useless to worry about what one can have no impact on. See the Serenity Prayer of R. Neibuhr.

It would be completely human for Geno and the staff (who mostly assisted him in Europe) to be a little burned out, to have a wee bit of difficulty readjusting.

True, but the passion Geno showed against Duke in the second half stands against that likelihood.

I don't see this season as a coaching masterpiece yet.
Kelly almost single-handedly bailed the team out and turned around the Dukees.

Kelly was not even the leading scorer. She had a magnificent night but so did KML.

There's a lot of young talent on this team, I'd like to see it develop some confidence and consistency.
Expand ...
 
In retrospect, I agree that my comment re: Kelly was an exaggeration and misleading.

In other posts, I noted the reemergence of Bria; Stewie had a fine 2nd half and KLM was...well KLM.
and one can point to a fine game by Caroline, solid work from BB, the amazing under the basket reverse from the diminutive MJ, Stoke's D, Big Mamma's D and 2nd half O, et al.

So, let's take that one off the table

I stand by my other concerns and inquiries.
 
msf22b said:
Why are the Freshmen not developing more quickly?
Seems more than just the injuries and illness'

They certainly seemed more than promising at the end of the summer
Expand ...

I think sometimes the Boneyard in general forgets that these are freshman. They are 18 years old. They've never worked so hard at school, never worked so hard in basketball, and probably never been away from home so much for so long.
I'm a graduate student now, but I was teaching this past semester and I had many freshman in my lab. They were freaking out over finals week. "I have so much to do. I have not slept. I have something due in three hours and haven't finished. I haven't studied for my final at all. The end is nigh, woe is me." This is all people who don't have athletic responsibilities.
I was trying very hard not to laugh at them, because of course they're freaking out. They're freshman! They haven't done this before. By the time they're seniors, it's all been there, done that. Pound out 2 pages in an hour. Finish up that lab report. Sleep after it's all finished. No worries. It'll get done.

Now throw that on top of Division I basketball responsibilities and the pressure of a national spotlight. It's a wonder the freshman aren't just puddles of sleep-deprived goo by the end of the season.
 
msf22b said:
In retrospect, I agree that my comment re: Kelly was an exaggeration and misleading.

In other posts, I noted the reemergence of Bria; Stewie had a fine 2nd half and KLM was...well KLM.
and one can point to a fine game by Caroline, solid work from BB, the amazing under the basket reverse from the diminutive MJ, Stoke's D, Big Mamma's D and 2nd half O, et al.

So, let's take that one off the table

I stand by my other concerns and inquiries.
Expand ...

KLM was...KML, not KLM. If you are going to stand by your concerns, you have to get the names right
 
msf22b said:
OK, time to stoke a few flames.


Why are the Freshmen not developing more quickly?
Seems more than just the injuries and illness'

They certainly seemed more than promising at the end of the summer
Geno said nice things pre-season about their development and prospects during the early going.

I've even worried to myself that he's not handling Stewart correctly.
It would be completely human for Geno and the staff (who mostly assisted him in Europe) to be a little burned out, to have a wee bit of difficulty readjusting.

I don't see this season as a coaching masterpiece yet.
Expand ...
When you're watching the freshmen on the court, remember to whom you're contrasting them. People on the Wooden list - the best there is. Certainly they are not going to look good in that comparison. How good did Samarie Walker look at UConn? Now, with Kentucky, she's a comparative star. Put the Frosh on most any other team and they would be perceived as shining.

Regarding coaching, who in all of Div 1 has a better record? No one. Kudos to the staff for that. What's the ultimate goal? A National Championship - and those aren't won half-way through the season. The momentum is building, the coaches have the team well on track for the final stretch. So, what I'm not, is worried. What I am, is proud of what the team and coaches have accomplished so far, the bench included, and I don't anticipate changing my opinion as the season progresses.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Forum statistics

Threads
168,372
Messages
4,568,864
Members
10,474
Latest member
MyStore24


Top Bottom