The Brilliance of Crystal

[oldude]

When you shine a light through crystal, it will refract in many directions, and it can be broken down by wavelength into the colors of the rainbow. In similar fashion, when Crystal leads a UConn fast break, with her teammates sprinting alongside, the ball can literally go in any direction, and some of the passes she dishes out are as spectacular as a rainbow after a July thunderstorm. I continue to marvel at Lou’s spot-on comment last season when she said of Crystal, “When she’s not looking at you is when you know she’s going to pass you the ball.”

Crystal was the #1 ranked HS pg in the nation when she showed up in Storrs in 2016. She may not be the #1 pg in WCBB right now, but I will argue that she is most definitely in the top 2. As a freshman, Crystal had some highs and lows like most UConn freshman. Leading up to her sophomore season, the praise for Crystal from both Geno and her teammates had UConn fans pumped up for the start of the season. Geno went as far as to suggest that Crystal had the potential to be the pg on the U.S. national team.

While Geno’s comment may have been tinged with a bit of hyperbole, Crystal started off the season in spectacular fashion, dishing out assists and knocking down shots from spots way beyond the 3-pt line. Unfortunately, early in the season Crystal suffered from painful shin splints, which plagued her for the entire season. She missed some PT and, more importantly, she was often unable to practice with her teammates, something that is critical for the timing of any pg. Despite the shin splints, Crystal played well. But I remain convinced that the injuries to Crystal and Lou last season were the most significant factors preventing the Huskies from winning their 12th championship.

As for this year, Crystal started a little slow, fighting the early shooting slump that infected much of the team and incurring a few more turnovers then expected. But over the past few months, Crystal’s play has been nothing short of spectacular. Her shot has returned, and her range appears to be almost unlimited. She is playing better defense and forcing more turnovers. But it is Crystal’s passing that sets her apart from every other point guard in the nation.

Crystal is among the top ten in WBB in both APG and A/TO. Her ability to fire pin point passes the length of the court hitting steaking teammates in stride for easy layups is a thing of beauty. But even more spectacular is when Crystal leads the break. Her ability to deliver perfect passes in any direction with either hand, whether or not she’s actually looking in that direction, is incredible. On Tuesday in Wichita, Crystal had 8 assists against only 2 turnovers. Several of the assists were spectacular. Her most spectacular pass was a no-look, backward, over-the-head pass to Lou who was trailing her down the court and ended up with a wide-open three that hung around the rim forever before falling off. I love Lou, but she clearly botched a “highlight reel” play by missing that shot.

Crystal is the WBB version of SHOWTIME! When Christyn Williams announced she was coming to Storrs, one of her stated reasons was that she wanted to play with Crystal. Can you blame her? With Lindsay Whalen retired, and Sue not too far behind her, I wouldn’t be surprised if some day, in the not-to-distant future, there are several US WBB team members who also want to play with Crystal.

 

[veryolddog]

Bottom line: Crystal is a very gifted basketball athlete. I am impressed by her speed, and her dexterity with the basketball. She seems to be able to pass the the ball to her teammates in the most extraordinary ways more times successful than not. And, just when you thought that it was safe to go back in the water again, she is able to sink 3 or 4 "3"s just at the right moment to take the air out of the opposing team.

I do not know how long that she will last in women's pro basketball, but she will make one outstanding coach.

 

[bbballfan23]

If Crystal Dangerfield is on her game, everything seems to flow smoothly. She’s played at an AA level the 2nd half of the season. Not many players I’d rather watch in the open court than her! Don’t be surprised if she’s in the running for NPOY next year.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Bottom line: Crystal is a very gifted basketball athlete. I am impressed by her speed, and her dexterity with the basketball. She seems to be able to pass the the ball to her teammates in the most extraordinary ways more times successful than not. And, just when you thought that it was safe to go back in the water again, she is able to sink 3 or 4 "3"s just at the right moment to take the air out of the opposing team.

I do not know how long that she will last in women's pro basketball, but she will make one outstanding coach.

Crystal may last a long time in the WNBA and abroad. She reminds me of this guy:

 

[oldude]

Bottom line: Crystal is a very gifted basketball athlete. I am impressed by her speed

Great point about Crystal’s speed. She is one of those rare players that can blow right by defenders in the open court while dribbling a basketball.

I would love to see a match race between Crystal & Mo dribbling the length of the court. I don’t know who would win, but I’d pay money to see it.

 

[huskyd]

Crystal is so good, so smooth, so efficient, so omnipresent that you barely notice her. Amazing.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

She is the type of player that epitomizes UConn-style basketball: grace, speed, teamwork, and flair. I should think that she's the top point guard in the nation, in the sense of controlling the offense, making the team work as a team, dishing assists, making three's when needed, and flashing to the basket at just the right time.

No wonder at all why Coach Geno wanted her for Connecticut. With Crystal at the helm the team plays a beautiful game of basketball. Unrivaled, unequaled.

Thanks for the post!

 

[eebmg]

Great point about Crystal’s speed. She is one of those rare players that can blow right by defenders in the open court while dribbling a basketball.

I would love to see a match race between Crystal & Mo dribbling the length of the court. I don’t know who would win, but I’d pay money to see it.

I think Mo is a bit faster than Crystal but Crystal has better PG instincts as a pass first score second player.

 

[oldude]

I think Mo is a bit faster than Crystal but Crystal has better PG instincts as a pass first score second player.

Like I said. I want to see a match race.

 

[Hayven]

Love Crystal, she’s grown so much. But I’d like her to become better at stealing the ball. Crystal can become as great as MoJeff was, if she picked it up on the defensive end like Mo. Mo constantly pressured the ball up the court and you could count on a few steals.

 

[oldude]

Love Crystal, she’s grown so much. But I’d like her to become better at stealing the ball. Crystal can become as great as MoJeff was, if she picked it up on the defensive end like Mo. Mo constantly pressured the ball up the court and you could count on a few steals.

Crystal is not quite the theif that Mo was, but she does lead UConn with 44 steals ytd.

 

[cohenzone]

Great comment and poetic too.

 

[eebmg]

Mo had some big advantages that Crystal does not have regarding thievery

1) MJ is at least 1" and maybe 2" taller
2) I think MJ has a longer reach. (No evidence but it seems that way to me)
3) MJ had Stewie and Kiah who could clean up messes and since both were there, the backline could be more aggressive in help defense.

 

[UcMiami]

Love Crystal's offensive game but like Hayven I am a little disappointed by her defense because with her speed and quickness she should be more effective on that end.

NB Crystal should become the 5th member of the 200 assists in a season club. She will not challenge Sue's season mark of 231 but she is 31 short of 200 with a probable minimum of 7 games remaining and a maximum of 11.

NB2 - Crystal needs to average 2 FT per game to qualify her percentage for the records - she is below that average at the moment. At her current percentage she would be second to Sue's .942

 

[BroadwayVa]

When you shine a light through crystal, it will refract in many directions, and it can be broken down by wavelength into the colors of the rainbow. In similar fashion, when Crystal leads a UConn fast break, with her teammates sprinting alongside, the ball can literally go in any direction, and some of the passes she dishes out are as spectacular as a rainbow after a July thunderstorm. I continue to marvel at Lou’s spot-on comment last season when she said of Crystal, “When she’s not looking at you is when you know she’s going to pass you the ball.”

Crystal was the #1 ranked HS pg in the nation when she showed up in Storrs in 2016. She may not be the #1 pg in WCBB right now, but I will argue that she is most definitely in the top 2. As a freshman, Crystal had some highs and lows like most UConn freshman. Leading up to her sophomore season, the praise for Crystal from both Geno and her teammates had UConn fans pumped up for the start of the season. Geno went as far as to suggest that Crystal had the potential to be the pg on the U.S. national team.

While Geno’s comment may have been tinged with a bit of hyperbole, Crystal started off the season in spectacular fashion, dishing out assists and knocking down shots from spots way beyond the 3-pt line. Unfortunately, early in the season Crystal suffered from painful shin splints, which plagued her for the entire season. She missed some PT and, more importantly, she was often unable to practice with her teammates, something that is critical for the timing of any pg. Despite the shin splints, Crystal played well. But I remain convinced that the injuries to Crystal and Lou last season were the most significant factors preventing the Huskies from winning their 12th championship.

As for this year, Crystal started a little slow, fighting the early shooting slump that infected much of the team and incurring a few more turnovers then expected. But over the past few months, Crystal’s play has been nothing short of spectacular. Her shot has returned, and her range appears to be almost unlimited. She is playing better defense and forcing more turnovers. But it is Crystal’s passing that sets her apart from every other point guard in the nation.

Crystal is among the top ten in WBB in both APG and A/TO. Her ability to fire pin point passes the length of the court hitting steaking teammates in stride for easy layups is a thing of beauty. But even more spectacular is when Crystal leads the break. Her ability to deliver perfect passes in any direction with either hand, whether or not she’s actually looking in that direction, is incredible. On Tuesday in Wichita, Crystal had 8 assists against only 2 turnovers. Several of the assists were spectacular. Her most spectacular pass was a no-look, backward, over-the-head pass to Lou who was trailing her down the court and ended up with a wide-open three that hung around the rim forever before falling off. I love Lou, but she clearly botched a “highlight reel” play by missing that shot.

Crystal is the WBB version of SHOWTIME! When Christyn Williams announced she was coming to Storrs, one of her stated reasons was that she wanted to play with Crystal. Can you blame her? With Lindsay Whalen retired, and Sue not too far behind her, I wouldn’t be surprised if some day, in the not-to-distant future, there are several US WBB team members who also want to play with Crystal.

Nice tribute to a deserving woman. I disagree (not with you) that Danger is anything less than number ONE, she is to me. You have an EYE for guards. You assessment of Coombs is excellent and showing more each day. She too is passing more like Danger. When they are on the floor together you can see Danger instructing Coombs. Next year they will be a tough tandem. Danger, with her NO LOOK passes is amazing. I watch closely as she drives with the ball and no one can tell from where she is looking where that ball may go. Thanks

 

[MilfordHusky]

Mo had some big advantages that Crystal does not have regarding thievery

1) MJ is at least 1" and maybe 2" taller
2) I think MJ has a longer reach. (No evidence but it seems that way to me)
3) MJ had Stewie and Kiah who could clean up messes and since both were there, the backline could be more aggressive in help defense.

Agreed on all 3 points. Mo may have better elevation too, though Crystal can leap. See the difference in their layup form. Mo extends a la Maya. I think Mo's reach may be 3" more than Crystal's. Geno wanted Crystal to gamble a little more on defense this year, and the result is more steals. Your 3rd point is very valid--having Kiah or Stewie or Stef as a backstop makes gambling less of a risk.

Moriah was often guilty of petit larceny!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Love Crystal's offensive game but like Hayven I am a little disappointed by her defense because with her speed and quickness she should be more effective on that end.

NB Crystal should become the 5th member of the 200 assists in a season club. She will not challenge Sue's season mark of 231 but she is 31 short of 200 with a probable minimum of 7 games remaining and a maximum of 11.

NB2 - Crystal needs to average 2 FT per game to qualify her percentage for the records - she is below that average at the moment. At her current percentage she would be second to Sue's .942

Crystal is on track to pass Mo's career assist total, possibly by a wide margin. She will need good health and solid finishers next year.

 

[EricLA]

Love Crystal, she’s grown so much. But I’d like her to become better at stealing the ball. Crystal can become as great as MoJeff was, if she picked it up on the defensive end like Mo. Mo constantly pressured the ball up the court and you could count on a few steals.

One thing to keep in mind is that while Mo was "only" an inch or 2 taller, her reach is substantially longer than Crystal's, so it was easier for her to get into passing lanes and disrupt/steal slow/errant passes. I'm not sure we will ever see Crystal put up Mo kind of numbers (steals-wise), but you are right IMHO - I'd love to see her get even better, I'm just not sure she physically can...

 

[cohenzone]

Crystal may last a long time in the WNBA and abroad. She reminds me of this guy:

If Crystal dunks,Mugsy will become known as the male Crystal. He was a true freak of nature in terms of jumping ability in addition to being a terrific player.

 

[FanFromMaine]

Because the UConn offense was so uncertain earlier in the season, Crystal was tagged with an inordinate number of turnovers. Her assist/turnover ratio now is recovering from that period.

 

[CL82]

When you shine a light through crystal, it will refract in many directions, and it can be broken down by wavelength into the colors of the rainbow. In similar fashion, when Crystal leads a UConn fast break, with her teammates sprinting alongside, the ball can literally go in any direction, and some of the passes she dishes out are as spectacular as a rainbow after a July thunderstorm. I continue to marvel at Lou’s spot-on comment last season when she said of Crystal, “When she’s not looking at you is when you know she’s going to pass you the ball.”

Crystal was the #1 ranked HS pg in the nation when she showed up in Storrs in 2016. She may not be the #1 pg in WCBB right now, but I will argue that she is most definitely in the top 2. As a freshman, Crystal had some highs and lows like most UConn freshman. Leading up to her sophomore season, the praise for Crystal from both Geno and her teammates had UConn fans pumped up for the start of the season. Geno went as far as to suggest that Crystal had the potential to be the pg on the U.S. national team.

While Geno’s comment may have been tinged with a bit of hyperbole, Crystal started off the season in spectacular fashion, dishing out assists and knocking down shots from spots way beyond the 3-pt line. Unfortunately, early in the season Crystal suffered from painful shin splints, which plagued her for the entire season. She missed some PT and, more importantly, she was often unable to practice with her teammates, something that is critical for the timing of any pg. Despite the shin splints, Crystal played well. But I remain convinced that the injuries to Crystal and Lou last season were the most significant factors preventing the Huskies from winning their 12th championship.

As for this year, Crystal started a little slow, fighting the early shooting slump that infected much of the team and incurring a few more turnovers then expected. But over the past few months, Crystal’s play has been nothing short of spectacular. Her shot has returned, and her range appears to be almost unlimited. She is playing better defense and forcing more turnovers. But it is Crystal’s passing that sets her apart from every other point guard in the nation.

Crystal is among the top ten in WBB in both APG and A/TO. Her ability to fire pin point passes the length of the court hitting steaking teammates in stride for easy layups is a thing of beauty. But even more spectacular is when Crystal leads the break. Her ability to deliver perfect passes in any direction with either hand, whether or not she’s actually looking in that direction, is incredible. On Tuesday in Wichita, Crystal had 8 assists against only 2 turnovers. Several of the assists were spectacular. Her most spectacular pass was a no-look, backward, over-the-head pass to Lou who was trailing her down the court and ended up with a wide-open three that hung around the rim forever before falling off. I love Lou, but she clearly botched a “highlight reel” play by missing that shot.

Crystal is the WBB version of SHOWTIME! When Christyn Williams announced she was coming to Storrs, one of her stated reasons was that she wanted to play with Crystal. Can you blame her? With Lindsay Whalen retired, and Sue not too far behind her, I wouldn’t be surprised if some day, in the not-to-distant future, there are several US WBB team members who also want to play with Crystal.

Liked this for the thread title. I'll read the rest later.