The improvement of Inês Bettencourt | Page 3 | The Boneyard

The improvement of Inês Bettencourt

HuskyNan

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She will get more flustered against top teams still probably right? I think she's quick, athletic, skilled and mainly just needs more experience.
I thought Ines did well against Maryland, on the road. In case you haven’t had a chance to see the game

 
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I thought Ines did well against Maryland, on the road. In case you haven’t had a chance to see the game

I think Ines has been fine overall. Just saying she, along with most other players, look better against lesser opponents. I support more playing time for her. I think she has potential. I also think it's going to get real crowded at some point next year but let's cross that bridge then. I think she definitely improved her game by coming to Uconn and will continue to do so.
 

BRS24

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She is a freshman rerouted from junior college in Florida to play college basketball here at the highest level against players sometimes 4 years older than her. Her poise, disposition and joy being on this team is very evident and highly commendable. I also think that her defense will catch up to her offense with more game experience.
Ines also missed the entire summer session, which is a chance for freshmen to acclimate, take some credits, work on preseason fitness, and bond with the team.
 

donalddoowop

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KK will be fine. It's not like she's a shooting egomaniac. She's the best shooter on her HS team and she's doing her job. She is also a creator. Love her penetration skills.

I'm fine with Ines playing more especially right now. She looks better after the last few games though partly because we were playing Xavier and Butler, two of our least competitive teams. She will get more flustered against top teams still probably right? I think she's quick, athletic, skilled and mainly just needs more experience.
Ines played against two quality teams and did well. One game she started.
 
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As Nan has pointed out, Ines did not turn 18 until September (Paige turned 19 on Oct 20 her freshman year and Azzi turned 19 on Nov 11 of her freshman year by comparison) and didn't arrive at UConn until late August missing the June/July acclimation practice time with the team. To literally see the game-to-game improvement before our eyes is a joy to watch.

I also want to caution those that continue to harp on the players to come theme that when Nika signed on, many questioned and stated she would ride the bench all 4 years yet she's proven to be an integral part. What does the future hold for Ines, who really knows but as she is proving worthy now, I give you the phrase, "a bird in the hand, is worth two in the bush" so I am will be happy if KK is all that is advertised but also know that Ines can handle the demands. :)
Love Inez, but not sure this comment does justice to Nika. As someone who criticized her during her frosh year, you always saw exceptional things she did-great defense, energy, etc. The main concern was on offense, which she has corrected. Inez has improved against low level teams and hopefully will reach Nika's level of play.
 

DefenseBB

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Love Inez, but not sure this comment does justice to Nika. As someone who criticized her during her frosh year, you always saw exceptional things she did-great defense, energy, etc. The main concern was on offense, which she has corrected. Inez has improved against low level teams and hopefully will reach Nika's level of play.
I don’t see where I did an injustice to Nika. My initial comparison was an age comp, showing that Ines was basically a year younger than other guards. Nika was a much more heralded player coming to UConn and did have a full summer period to work out with her “slime” and other teammates. She also wasn’t thrown into games out of necessity like Ines.

This is Nika’s 3 year and frankly the only that she is showing any inclination to shoot whereas the Freshman Nika did not (but also didn’t have too). Give the young kid a break as she has played what the schedule has offered MD, Princeton and Seton Hall are all probable NCAAT teams in which she played and contributed. No need to be a tad dismissive and conspiracy looking.
 
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Ines also missed the entire summer session, which is a chance for freshmen to acclimate, take some credits, work on preseason fitness, and bond with the team.
Good point. We saw what a summer with the team did for Aaliyah.
 

JordyG

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I first noticed her ability to learn our defensive switching on screens in her previous game. Now she has been observing how even the bigs cheat on the passing lanes. Dorka is starting to do it as well and then driving full court for a layup. Ines has perfect form on her 3 pointers. Until Azzi get back and with Caroline out we need another shooter. I think she can do the job. She is gaining confidence of her teamates as well.
As I noted before, the team can jump the passing lanes, but for the most part, only when AG is on the floor, and that's because of AG's quick recovery and ability to press and switch coverage. I've been complaining all year about UConn's inability to get TO's and their inability to get into transition even though they're out rebounding the other team. It's TO's that get you easy baskets and the Butler game was the first where UConn had as many TO's as steals and it showed in their pace of play and their number of transition baskets. I have also complained that although AG has great recovery she gets caught inside, and its her mark that is hitting open 3's. By my count she gave up 3 against Butler.
 

Bigboote

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As I noted before, the team can jump the passing lanes, but for the most part, only when AG is on the floor, and that's because of AG's quick recovery and ability to press and switch coverage. I've been complaining all year about UConn's inability to get TO's . . .
UConn missed Aubrey in that regard last year and misses Paige in that regard this year. Paige has preternatural anticipation. If Caroline is ever truly healthy, she'll be good too due to her length and obsessive scouting of opponents. She's shown flashes.
 
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I’ve wondered about how the guard situation will look next year. Playing time will be hard to come by and the competition will be interesting. Paige Azzi Nika Caroline Inês KK Ashlyn — that’s 7 not counting Qadence. I suppose we could think of Q and Caroline as wings or something not quite a guard, but it’s still going to be a crowded bench, and even the wing category will be crowded if Aubrey returns. And the front court will also be well stocked with Aaliyah Ice Ayanna Jana and Amari. We’re not used to seeing such a full roster at UConn. It’s a little disorienting.

There’s a place for Inês in this group, but she will have to compete for it. I look forward to seeing it.
I don't think we should assume that Ines will have to compete to get time from the incoming guards. It is just the opposite, the incoming freshmen will have to compete to earn minutes. Ines is already proving her worth and earning her spot.
 
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in reality, with 8 guards next year, something will have to give but we've found that with injuries and such opportunities are eventually created.
 

Gus Mahler

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HMMM...“Be quick, don’t be fast”...wasn't that Wooden? Nonetheless, its important!
Wooden said "Be quick, but don't hurry." Pretty much the same thing!
 
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I don't think we should assume that Ines will have to compete to get time from the incoming guards. It is just the opposite, the incoming freshmen will have to compete to earn minutes. Ines is already proving her worth and earning her spot.
I'm pretty sure this is not how Geno thinks about it, though I could be wrong. He often says everyone earns their playing time by their work in practice. And we all saw that he put Anna (and even Christyn occasionally) behind freshmen Paige and Nika in starts and playing time two years ago. Of course, he also joked about this last year as the time of Paige's return approached. He said something like, "We'll have to see if she can earn some minutes," and then he laughed.

But perhaps you meant that Inês would already know the system after a year of playing with the team, and that would give her a head start over KK and Ashlynn.That's probably true. But I think Geno is really open to the idea of a freshman coming in and outcompeting a veteran.
 
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I'm pretty sure this is not how Geno thinks about it, though I could be wrong. He often says everyone earns their playing time by their work in practice. And we all saw that he put Anna (and even Christyn occasionally) behind freshmen Paige and Nika in starts and playing time two years ago. Of course, he also joked about this last year as the time of Paige's return approached. He said something like, "We'll have to see if she can earn some minutes," and then he laughed.

But perhaps you meant that Inês would already know the system after a year of playing with the team, and that would give her a head start over KK and Ashlynn.That's probably true. But I think Geno is really open to the idea of a freshman coming in and outcompeting a veteran.
All true but I meant that, from day one, we should not think that-- highly regarded as they are-- the two freshmen guards will have a pass to the front of the line and Ines will have to displace them from that somehow to get on the court. That appears to be the way people are thinking. As you say, Ines will have a grasp of the system, she will be up to speed on the velocity of the D1 game, will have a working chemistry with the seniors and juniors, will have competed in the NCAA tournament. In short, will be a long stride ahead of the freshmen. In won't be easy to displace her.
 
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All true but I meant that, from day one, we should not think that-- highly regarded as they are-- the two freshmen guards will have a pass to the front of the line and Ines will have to displace them from that somehow to get on the court. That appears to be the way people are thinking. As you say, Ines will have a grasp of the system, she will be up to speed on the velocity of the D1 game, will have a working chemistry with the seniors and juniors, will have competed in the NCAA tournament. In short, will be a long stride ahead of the freshmen. In won't be easy to displace her.
I completely agree with your analysis, and I am rooting for Inês to hold her own on the team. But I am also curious about what KK will bring to the team. It may not reach "full expression" in her first year. But she has an explosive (overused adjective) first step, and finishes at the rim through contact really well. I think she may have more offensive weapons than Inês does, or at least than high school Inês did. Next year, Inês will probably have a leg up over KK in experience, but she may also have to develop her game to sustain that advantage... and I'm really looking forward to watching it happen!
 
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Yes, but she’ll be a freshman. She could need a year to feel comfortable in a new system while going through the normal stuff all college freshmen have to adapt to.
I hope KK explodes to be somewhere near the expectations here on the BY. But, Inês will have 1 year of experience, and you can't teach experience. Yes there will be a lot of competition for minutes with Nika, Paige, Azzi and maybe KK once she gets used to the water. (I'm thinking mainly PG competition here.)
 
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I wish Ines would have a conversation with Patterson about confidence. While I would rate Ines's first games as a bit bumpy, she has shown improvement every game since and her confidence appears to be growing. Becoming more fluid and reacting faster to the game. Patterson still seems to be thinking too much and at times seems out of sync with normal game speed. Wouldn't normally think a 17-year-old from Portugal would have advice to offer a former US high school all-star but I suspect she could provide a few nuggets of gold.
 
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As Nan has pointed out, Ines did not turn 18 until September (Paige turned 19 on Oct 20 her freshman year and Azzi turned 19 on Nov 11 of her freshman year by comparison) and didn't arrive at UConn until late August missing the June/July acclimation practice time with the team. To literally see the game-to-game improvement before our eyes is a joy to watch.

I also want to caution those that continue to harp on the players to come theme that when Nika signed on, many questioned and stated she would ride the bench all 4 years yet she's proven to be an integral part. What does the future hold for Ines, who really knows but as she is proving worthy now, I give you the phrase, "a bird in the hand, is worth two in the bush" so I am will be happy if KK is all that is advertised but also know that Ines can handle the demands. :)
I don’t remember that people thought Nika wouldn’t play at all. I believe it was more hat people thought she would be a useful backup but not the driver of the bus. Yes, Nika is great, she’s doing a fine job. However, let’s not kid ourselves that she isn’t where she is largely because of injuries to superior players.
To her credit, she has taken that ball and run with it but let’s face it, if Paige, Caroline, and Azzi had never been injured she would have a very different role on this team. Perhaps, she may have bulled her way into getting good minutes as a pg backup for Paige but even so, her minutes would have been greatly reduced. This, of course, is a very common scenario in life. Starter/lead/boss gets
injured/sick and backup/understudy/assistant becomes a star!
I too think Ines is capable of being much more than a benchwarmer for this team. She is going to have a tough time getting minutes though. KK, Ashlynn, and (the following year) Allie are all better players that she will have to beat out for her minutes and that’s not even mentioning Nika, Paige, and Azzi! UConn is a tough gig.
 
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Gus Mahler

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I'll just say for now that Ines has far exceeded my expectations of her. I am most impressed by her poise.

I could enumerate some specific plays but mostly I'm convinced this youngster has something special about her. I'm a forever fan.
 

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