No I'm not a doctor why do you ask? 
Let’s start with the basics. Paige stays in front of the player she’s guarding by moving her feet and keeping her hands up. That doesn’t make her a great defender, but it does allow everyone else to worry about their man without having to help out if Paige allows her man to go by her.
And yet, Nika started over Aaliyah, Aubrey & Anna. Here’s a novel idea. Stop bashing UConn players for whatever perceived shortcomings you observe. Try celebrating all of these remarkable young ladies, none of whom are perfect.
I have said this before. Paige is a great defender off the ball because she understands the concept of passing lanes. I believe every single steal last season was intercepting a pass. Nika is a tenacious defender on the ball; almost all of her steals came against the dribble.
You may be correct that Geno didn't say say the words "they were a better team with Nika", but in reading the quote you have shown, it certainly lends itself to be interpreted as the team is better with Nika out there ( my assertion) than that he had no better option (your assertion). It has been quite apparent (judging from your posts on her) since preseason last year that you don't value Nika Muhl and didn't see her as a significant piece in UCONN's success this past season or going forward. Over that same timeframe I and others on the Boneyard anticipated that she would be, feel she has been and believe she will continue to be a significant piece. No one has said they believe she is the best or most important player on the team so why you make comments like "Good effort to try and grow the legend of Nika-hype on." is beyond my ability to understand. Why so much animosity towards one of our players. Geno obviously values her as do those who have spoken positively about her. Your negative read on her imo is not going to dissuade any of the posters or Geno into believing Nika is not a valuable member of the Team.
Geno has been know to speak in hyperbole and he never said they were a better team with Nika. Geno full quote was:
“Since she has been in the starting lineup, there has been an incredible change in the look and feel of our team. How aggressive she is on defense. How hard she competes. How difficult she makes it for opposing point guards with her tenacity and grit. Then you throw in that she has become someone you have to guard on the 3-point line, because she is going to make just enough of them to make you disappointed you didn’t guard her. And she has a little bit of an attitude. She has a little bit of an edge. I’ve never seen a great player that didn’t have it. She has it, and I love that about her.”
Good effort to try and grow the legend of Nika-hype on.
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Agreed 100% Paige still has a lot of trouble when a player makes a move they blow by her cause she's just not fast enough to keep up. She also has shown to get outmuscled as included in some of those arz highlights. Again I don't think anything we've said is breaking news but one certain user had to insult my grammar cause of autocorrect
You certainly have got that right , about Geno discouraging "breaking down defenders". And it shows up very clearly at the next level, where UConn players appear to struggle with the dribble drive. It has become a big part of the game, and I have thought for awhile that UConn players are not well prepared to do the "one-on-one" stuff. Of course, I don't think Geno thinks that his job is to get them best prepared for the next level.
I think Geno does not mind the right players going 1-1 and breaking down a defense if the time on the shot clock is right and the player knows how to read the help defense.
Paige does , and will do, what she wants to do. She can certainly get to the basket. Crystal has definitely shown it at the next level, and I've loved seeing that part of her game, which she rarely showed at UConn. Moriah is healthy, is not getting much playing time, but when she does I don't see her breaking down defenders much. Your comment about forwards/wings and wild shots is silly. If a wing /forward is no threat to break down a defender, pretty tough to get shots off with the defender in your face. I've been very pleased to see Samuelson finally adding that to her game. But she has certainly been working from behind.
Several strong cautions here. You should try never to “judge” anyone from your personal interpretation of anything posted here. If anyone could be certain of what Geno thinks or values the BY would probably go out of business. You began your last post by stating that Geno apparent believes differently. My respond to that is “Duh” because Geno is not posting here-you are. Since this is me and you posting it would be literally impossible for me and you to value the players in the same way. There is never any animosity in my critique of any UCONN player. I value productivity that is backed up by statistic that are quantifiable. What Geno said was UCONN is a “different” team with Nika. I can certainly see how someone who values Nika more than I do would interpret that as UCONN being a better team or that Nika’s ascension into the starting lineup was not the result of an injury. The real dilemma is not having different values for the players it is failing to take into account the other perspective. A poster that values Nika will submit a narrative that Nika outworked everyone and “made” Geno put her in the starting lineup. A poster that values Aubrey will point out that Geno did not give her enough of an apportunity (2 games) to prove she can start. That was a real post by the way. During my tenure on the BY there has only been 1 UCONN player that I have not criticized that was Morgan Tuck.
It seems many on this board think that one of the best reasons for choosing UConn is because Geno prepares his players for the next level better than most.
Supporting that position, UConn WBB has generated 25 first round draft picks in the WNBA, 10 more than TN, the next closest program.
Nah I don’t think that at all. Geno definitely thinks it is part of his job to get players prepared for the next level and the results have been outstanding. Geno also could not make an effective recruiting pitch without accepting that responsibility. Every recent UCONN recruit has stated that preparation for the next level is the reason they chose UCONN. This is just a Geno philosophical difference. There is a great clip on the internet somewhere of Geno conducting a practice prior to the London olympics. Geno was instructing Seimone Augustus who is probably one of the best ever at taking people off the bounce. Geno instruction to her was telling. Paraphrased Geno told Seimone when coming off the screen that the dribble is always going to be there and to use it as a last resort after you have exhausted all the other options.
Brutally honest about last year's team defense, especially in the first half of the year....they did improve to be a very good, not lock down defense. But it's more than a little harsh for a team that only had four (two in the starting five) who had enough experience with the read and react switching defense. 8 first-timers on the team makes it virtually impossible to get them to be a coordinated defensive unit quickly - and one of the newcomer, starting fiver was not fully recovered from surgeries. That they eventually became one is a credit to the coaching staff and the team's willingness to work at it until they get it.
not only that players like Faris were tough as nails, this team I've said it before physicality is the biggest issue. Are they going to rise up to the challenge if they get in those type of games or will they fold?
As long as we are all pre-judging and fantasizing...
Geno will put out what he feels are the best 5 at the beginning and try to ground the opponent into the mud in the first 5 minutes in order to develop the best habits and continuity. Something we did not always do last year. Changes would only come if things change in practice. I hope our depth manifests itself with a higher pace throughout the game and more all out defensive pressure.
EW was not consistently that type of a guard last year although she did do it occasionally especially when she was on the right side of the court and crossed over to her left. We have had lengthy posts about the 2 year turn around for a knee injury so I am hopeful that you will see more drives and finishes and more drives and pull up Js from her this year. That will really help this team because she will likely have a taller and not as quick defender on her so that will create an additional match up problem.
I would also add that she was by far the best on ball defender at the point position, especially after she figured out the refereeing here in America. If she didn't steal or deflect it she slowed down the offensive set by the opposing team.
I forgot to add that I hope the FIBA games for Azzi were the result of the other team members and the offense used. Not a lot of sharing going on from certain players. I don't know how much we will need her to drive and finish this year as opposed to spot up or one or two dribbles and pop. Don't get me wrong, it is always a benefit however. If PB or CW or Evina gets by their man and Azzi is open, she can make it from anywhere on the court. The same actually is true for CD III also except for the dribble part based upon my limited viewing of her so far. No matter what, this is going to be a very exciting team and I think a very cohesive and close bunch as well. And I think one that is generally pissed off about last year.
Also.. don't forget that AZZI did a very nice job shutting down Australia's
You don't see anyone on this team with that kind of toughness? In all the teams that Faris was a member of, how many team members were as tough as she was, as you put it? The whole team? If you say so, then we don't remember the same teams.
In agree 100% about her. I watched her defense very carefully in FIBA. She is smart, sees the whole floor, but is a "sticky" on ball and on player defender. That will get her a lot of minutes in addition to her shooting skills which are top shelf.
Kelly Faris shared the court with some Major Major defensive Dawgs in both the front court and the back- what are we even talking about here! In the interest of saving you some time here is a list of defensive Stallworths who were teammates of Faris and not on the Huskies Wall of Honor.
Kalana Greene, Kia Stokes & Brianna Banks. Keep in mind that these were the role players on Faris' UCONN teams. This current version of the Huskies does not have a single post defender with the chops of a Stokes or the perimeter defense of a Greene or Banks.
Yes.
