Stokes

[Zorro]

I think what we need to do is get together on a set of suggestions to Geno and the staff as to what they need to do to improve this team. It is obvious that something needs to be done before absolute disaster strikes. I am sure that the coaching staff will be very grateful for any help we give them. Let me start the process with one humble suggestion; I think they need to make the players practice 3-point shots until they are so good that they can't possibly miss one. I have other suggestions, of course, but I don't want to hog the show, so......

 

[Zorro]

So I can have my own opinion that I don't need to justify and no matter how wrong everyone thinks it is, they won't throw stones at me on the Boneyard?

72 TO GO​

But they may throw bones.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I think what we need to do is get together on a set of suggestions to Geno and the staff as to what they need to do to improve this team. It is obvious that something needs to be done before absolute disaster strikes. I am sure that the coaching staff will be very grateful for any help we give them. Let me start the process with one humble suggestion; I think they need to make the players practice 3-point shots until they are so good that they can't possibly miss one. I have other suggestions, of course, but I don't want to hog the show, so......

They should be required to play perfect, tight, aggressive defense w/o fouling, and under no circumstances, to ever get frustrated or show other questionable human emotions. It is amazing that some Boneyarders picked this up, while players and coaches seem clueless.

 

[jsloanjr]

Kiah is an up and down player and she might need to be the 1st sub in the game to get her feet wet and get her the ball to score.....If not, she does not play with the same confidence......She is old enough to know what is expected and bring it every night...Her fellow players need to get in her grill before the game and that is the team leaders out of the public eye.......WE need KS too be successful this season......No more turn back to the old ways.............2014 needs to be her breakout year.

 

[reno tony]

I believe Geno likes Kiah. How else would she be able to frustrate him the way she does. I like her a lot but she made some pretty poor plays..... like most did last night. She missed two layups and she was out of position on a back door pass. She may have missed an opportunity for a block. But Stewie missed four shots within arm reach for her so maybe the rims were at the wrong height or something weird was going on. I don't think Geno will give up on her as long as she shows some desire.

 

[RadyLady]

good point but I dont think he said she "loves" Geno...although I could be wrong.

For Pete's sake! What is the matter with you people? Do you not listen when people speak? Do you not know how things work at UConn?

• Playing time is earned at UConn.
• Geno does not let anyone cheat their talent.

Did you not watch the latest Geno show when something of this nature was discussed? Geno said that he may have upwards of 7 personalities on a team - and he cannot spend practices trying to deal with those personalities because if he does, nothing will get done. What he does is tell the players what his expectations are, and then proceeds to coach the players to meet those expectations.

And between Geno and Chris, practices are managed such that if one of them is after a player to get things done right, the other will back off so that the player does not feel that they are (forgot the exact language, so forgive me) being picked upon.

And, if a player needs some one on one, his door is always open - they can come in, ask for help, for advice on their careers, or to just shoot the breeze.

The focus is for the players to be prepared for life outside of UConn once they graduate, for the student to realize and be the best they can be.

Now - Kiah doesn't like Geno? Geno doesn't like Kiah? What a load of crap! You have no proof whatsoever to substantiate these statements. What you do know, as I said before, is that playing time is earned in practice, and that Geno will not let a player cheat her talent. Kiah is very talented, and Geno certainly will work to get her to realize this on a consistent basis which in turn will boost her confidence and performances in games. Some of this is on Kiah's shoulders, too. She has to take ownership of her game, her playing, and her commitment. The coaches cannot do it all. Some of this comes with maturity as well, and some players mature later than others.

I love Kiah, I love her game. I look forward to each time she gets on the floor, I have faith that she will be the great player we know, and Geno knows, that she can be. She will realize this and then world, look out!

But this speculation about this player and Geno, and about any player and Geno, is just inappropriate in my opinion. Seriously

 

[RadyLady]

I believe Geno likes Kiah. How else would she be able to frustrate him the way she does. I like her a lot but she made some pretty poor plays..... like most did last night. She missed two layups and she was out of position on a back door pass. She may have missed an opportunity for a block. But Stewie missed four shots within arm reach for her so maybe the rims were at the wrong height or something weird was going on. I don't think Geno will give up on her as long as she shows some desire.

or they could be rusty....I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Better now, I say, then March.

Go UConn!!!!!

 

[Sonny44]

Thanks for sharing.

Sometimes it's fun when posters explain why that is their opinion.

Not ganging up on you. Please don't dial 1-800-moderator.

No, everyone is entitled to an opinion based on something real and even then not all opinions need to be voiced nor are those voiced necessarily valid.

I guess you don't believe in "Women's Intuition"?

 

[pap49cba]

I sincerely hope that Kiah and/or her parents don't read the BY because if I was in their shoes I'd be really p1ssed about this senseless thread.

Kid messed up, got benched, and then played great in the 2nd half. Oh, BTW, no one mentioned Geno clapping after Kiah made a hustle play and hoop at one point in the 2nd half. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Icebear]

I guess you don't believe in "Women's Intuition"?

No. I do believe in reading psychological cues and emotional intelligence which most often can be the basis for intuition.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

. . . This is somewhat academic this year, but becomes really important next year. I would love for UConn to get Wilson, but I have a gut feeling -- based on nothing beyond an intimate acquaintance with Murphy (you know, the guy who discovered Murphy's Law) -- that Wilson will go elsewhere. . . .

Even if we get Wilson, Kiah will be our only true center next year. The others who
might play that position would be better described as power forwards.

Kiah got 4 boards and 3 blocks in 9 minutes yesterday. If she can add 8 - 10 points
per game to that kind of defensive production, she'll be fine.

 

[Sonny44]

No. I do believe in reading psychological cues and emotional intelligence which most often can be the basis for intuition.

Where does instinct figure in?

 

[Sonny44]

Even if we get Wilson, Kiah will be our only true center next year. The others who
might play that position would be better described as power forwards.

Kiah got 4 boards and 3 blocks in 9 minutes yesterday. If she can add 8 - 10 points
per game to that kind of defensive production, she'll be fine.

Easier said than done.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Easier said than done.

Actually, she's averaging 6.3 ppg in about 20 minutes this season, so 8 - 10
points per game doesn't sound out of reach. With all the fire power around
her, 6 - 8 ppg from her would be good enough.

 

[Icebear]

Where does instinct figure in?

I think awareness of these clues and cues consciously or subconsciously is often attributed to being "instinct or intuition." It is possible to be trained in them.

 

[HuskyNan]

In Kiah's words:

“Once you get down, it’s hard to pick yourself back up during the season,” Stokes said. “I thought I was working hard. When you get tired, you need to go that extra step. I didn’t realize that.

“Doing it my way didn’t work.”

Kiah knows what she needs to do. (So does Breanna, who's gotten the hook a couple times already this season for playing like a lunatic. A talented lunatic, but a lunatic nonetheless.)

Stokes re-emerging for UConn, Iowa Gazette

 

[Forty_four]

Actually, she's averaging 6.3 ppg in about 20 minutes this season, so 8 - 10
points per game doesn't sound out of reach. With all the fire power around
her, 6 - 8 ppg from her would be good enough.

Why don't you let her do it before predicting that she can do it.

 

[doggydaddy]

Why don't you let her do it before predicting that she can do it.

Huh?????

I think I will wait until Uconn wins the national champion before predicting they will win the national championship.

 

[DaddyChoc]

I sincerely hope that Kiah and/or her parents don't read the BY because if I was in their shoes I'd be really p1ssed about this senseless thread.

Kid messed up, got benched, and then played great in the 2nd half. Oh, BTW, no one mentioned Geno clapping after Kiah made a hustle play and hoop at one point in the 2nd half. Just my 2 cents.

this thread was started at the half... soooooo, she adjusted in the 2nd half as people noted.

its not the "start" of the thread its some of the content within the thread.

 

[stamfordhusky]

Kiah is an up and down player and she might need to be the 1st sub in the game to get her feet wet and get her the ball to score.....If not, she does not play with the same confidence..

do you have any evidence at all for this statement?

 

[Forty_four]

Huh?????

I think I will wait until Uconn wins the national champion before predicting they will win the national championship.

Keep raising the bar for Kiah, and when she does not achieve the expected bar then the critical comments start, which you abhor. So in her case let her achieve it before increasing her expectations.

 

[doggydaddy]

Keep raising the bar for Kiah, and when she does not achieve the expected bar then the critical comments start, which you abhor. So in her case let her achieve it before increasing her expectations.

The post you replied to said "Actually, she's averaging 6.3 ppg in about 20 minutes this season, so 8 - 10 points per game doesn't sound out of reach. With all the fire power around her, 6 - 8 ppg from her would be good enough."

I don't see how this is raising the bar to something unreasonable.

Some might think you took a shot at me, but I am proud to have the backs of the players from what I see as unreasonable comments.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Huh?????

I think I will wait until Uconn wins the national champion before predicting they will win the national championship.

But Doggy, if you predict a national championship and UConn doesn't win the national
championship, then the critical comments will start (which you abhor).

 

[pinotbear]

But Doggy, if you predict a national championship and UConn doesn't win the national
championship, then the critical comments will start (which you abhor).

Honestly, ed4, if you've followed DD through the years, he does not - not even remotely - abhor critical comments. What he objects to are unsupported or ill-thought-out comments, critical or otherwise. If you have a good argument, DD's your man. If you have an argument, but it's superficial or knee-jerk, or (frankly) mindless, well then, he's gonna call you on it. So, if you've got "the goods", then, fire away!

 

[HoopsFan21]

Stokes is a good kid. Unfortunately (for some) she is more concerned about her grades than how many points, rebounds or blocked shots she is credited with.

 

[pinotbear]

Stokes is a good kid. Unfortunately (for some) she is more concerned about her grades than how many points, rebounds or blocked shots she is credited with.

Well, I've got two problems with this post, Hoops: first of all, you seem to be taking a shot at some fans by insinuating that there are fans who care about Kiah's stats more than her academic progress - and, I've seen absolutely nothing in any fan posts that would support that. Now, if you're saying that Kiah's practice performance (that seems to be occasionally in question) is due to her focus on academics, then, say that plainly. Don't take swipes at the seemingly imaginary fans who are clamoring for her to forsake her grades for stats.

Second, if you are saying that Kiah's focus on academics adversely affects her basketball, then please substantiate that. Otherwise, as far as the rest of us know, you're just throwing stuff against the wall to see if it sticks. All student athletes, regardless of gender and sport, have to balance academics and athletics. Some kids have tougher loads than others - Cassie Kerns artistic load, Heather Buck's nursing load, Emeka Okafor's challenge to graduate, with honors, in 3 years. If you can truly make a case for Stokes' class load harming her basketball, and make a case that some fans don't like it, make it. Otherwise, knock it off.

 

[Forty_four]

The post you replied to said "Actually, she's averaging 6.3 ppg in about 20 minutes this season, so 8 - 10 points per game doesn't sound out of reach. With all the fire power around her, 6 - 8 ppg from her would be good enough."

I don't see how this is raising the bar to something unreasonable.

Some might think you took a shot at me, but I am proud to have the backs of the players from what I see as unreasonable comments.

It may not be unreasonable but it is unrealistic. In the 5 games in Dec her scoring output is 4pts; DNP; 0; 0; and 2. A grand total of 6 pts and you think she will average 10 pts per game?

 

[doggydaddy]

It may not be unreasonable but it is unrealistic. In the 5 games in Dec her scoring output is 4pts; DNP; 0; 0; and 2. A grand total of 6 pts and you think she will average 10 pts per game?

So, we should use her worst games to pick to predict her future output? Looks to me you are the one with unreasonable expectations. Yours are just negative expectations.

Her average right now is her average. I doubt it will go up or down much this season. She is mostly in there for rebounding and defense.

With the weak upcoming schedule, she will get plenty of minutes. 6-8 ppg even for the rest of the season is not unreasonable.

And I doubt that any boneyard expectations impact her performance in any way.

 

[pvdoggy]

With the weak upcoming schedule, she will get plenty of minutes. 6-8 ppg even for the rest of the season is not unreasonable.

In a 33 pts win against Cincinnati, she only got 9 min of playing time, the least of anybody (except of TL) by
five minutes. If that does not change (and hopefully it will), I don't see how she can score 6-8 ppg especially
as you indicated, she is usually in there mostly for defense and rebound. Since the return of KML/Tuck in
the last 3 games, Kiah has pretty much gotten the least amount of min on the team.

 

[doggydaddy]

In a 33 pts win against Cincinnati, she only got 9 min of playing time, the least of anybody (except of TL) by
five minutes. If that does not change (and hopefully it will), I don't see how she can score 6-8 ppg especially
as you indicated, she is usually in there mostly for defense and rebound. Since the return of KML/Tuck in
the last 3 games, Kiah has pretty much gotten the least amount of min on the team.

And as we all know, whatever minutes she played in the last game, or even the last three games is how many she will play going forward.