Things I love about Aalyiah Edwards | The Boneyard

Things I love about Aalyiah Edwards

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jabstep

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She spreads herself on the zone and takes up lots of space. She is already very proficient at the jump switch to stop the pick and roll and then work back to her player. She rebounds and boxes well. She seems to have absorbed the defensive techniques quicker than some of the freshmen. I think her experience with the Canadian National team helped her a lot in the adjustments. The thing I love about the most is the way she runs the court. She sprints up on every fast break. She is also working on her foul line jumper which will make her a great forward for high low. She will be a Morgan Tuck type player before she is done.
 
jabstep said:
She spreads herself on the zone and takes up lots of space. She is already very proficient at the jump switch to stop the pick and roll and then work back to her player. She rebounds and boxes well. She seems to have absorbed the defensive techniques quicker than some of the freshmen. I think her experience with the Canadian National team helped her a lot in the adjustments. The thing I love about the most is the way she runs the court. She sprints up on every fast break. She is also working on her foul line jumper which will make her a great forward for high low. She will be a Morgan Tuck type player before she is done.
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She explodes to the hoop that is for sure! Needs to stop trying to break the backboard when she goes in for the layup. Consistent foul line jumper would make her lethal.
 
I'm smiling right now because I know this is the worse she'll ever play during her time at UConn. I'm betting she's going to make one heck of a sophomore jump, and add a little "swag" to her game. Remember all of the reports we were getting from Christyn and some of the other players (even some coaches) about how "tough" she is?

We're seeing it now, and I love it!! She backs down and yields to no one!!! :mad: She's only going to get tougher/better as she polishes and refines her game as she matriculates through the program. There is no substitute for experience. Come November, she will have gone around the block twice (played each conference team two times). She'll have a whole year of experience to draw upon. No surprises then. She'll know Geno's system and what's coming, what to look for, and how to get ready for it.

Not wanting to rush her by any means, I think she'll be a first round draft pick when she's ready to move on to the WNBA. She'll be mature, bigger, stronger, faster, and have a complete understanding of Geno's system, and UConn basketball. She'll have name recognition too. If the WNBA coaches and GM's don't know who she is now, they will by then. ;)
 
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Carnac said:
I'm smiling right now because I know this is the worse she'll ever play during her time at UConn. I'm betting she's going to make one heck of a sophomore jump. Remember all of the reports we were getting from Christyn and some of the other players (even some coaches) about how "tough" she is?

We're seeing it now, and I love it!! She backs down and yields to no one!!! :mad: She's only going to get tougher/better as she polishes and refines her game, as she matriculates through the program. Not wanting to rush her by any means, I think she'll be a first round draft pick when she's ready to move on to the WNBA. She'll nave name recognition. If the WNBA coaches and GM's don't know who she is now, they will by then. ;)
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UConns enforcer the next four years!
 
cbraarj said:
UConns enforcer the next four years!
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Like Rebecca Lobo said, "Aaliyah is not going to get bullied.".

Had the biggest smile on my face when I heard that line last night. I'm always going to be biased because I've been a fan of her game since she was in high school, but it's great to hear this from a legend like Lobo.
 
My favorite thing is there are going to be a few moments each game where while making herself big in the lane an opponent will run into her and just bounce off and hit the floor. She doesn't even move an inch. I chuckle every time.
 
Carnac said:
I'm smiling right now because I know this is the worse she'll ever play during her time at UConn. I'm betting she's going to make one heck of a sophomore jump. Remember all of the reports we were getting from Christyn and some of the other players (even some coaches) about how "tough" she is?

We're seeing it now, and I love it!! She backs down and yields to no one!!! :mad: She's only going to get tougher/better as she polishes and refines her game, as she matriculates through the program. Not wanting to rush her by any means, I think she'll be a first round draft pick when she's ready to move on to the WNBA. She'll nave name recognition. If the WNBA coaches and GM's don't know who she is now, they will by then. ;)
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Agree with all of this. The toughness is really appreciated as a change of pace. Yes she commits way to many fouls and turnovers but those are the things that almost always get better with experience. We have been using small forwards at the 4 way too much for my liking, and haven't had a true banger in the post for awhile. Now we do.
 
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Charliebball said:
needs to spend a few hours working with Napheesa Collier...........best touch I've seen around the basket........
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Excellent point Charlie. AE has a hard time converting herself from explosion to touch at the rim.
 
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Charliebball said:
needs to spend a few hours working with Napheesa Collier...........best touch I've seen around the basket........
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No doubt she would be a good player to model herself after. Learn some of her moves. Work all summer on them and come back and be a bigger stronger version of Pheesa. Wooooowwww
 
Carnac said:
I'm smiling right now because I know this is the worse she'll ever play during her time at UConn. I'm betting she's going to make one heck of a sophomore jump, and add a little "swag" to her game. Remember all of the reports we were getting from Christyn and some of the other players (even some coaches) about how "tough" she is?

We're seeing it now, and I love it!! She backs down and yields to no one!!! :mad: She's only going to get tougher/better as she polishes and refines her game as she matriculates through the program. There is no substitute for experience. Come November, she will have gone around the block twice (played each conference team two times). She'll have a whole year of experience to draw upon. No surprises then. She'll know Geno's system and what's coming, what to look for, and how to get ready for it.

Not wanting to rush her by any means, I think she'll be a first round draft pick when she's ready to move on to the WNBA. She'll be mature, bigger, stronger, faster, and have a complete understanding of Geno's system, and UConn basketball. She'll have name recognition too. If the WNBA coaches and GM's don't know who she is now, they will by then. ;)
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What I love about Edwards is that I get the "no-more" attitude feeling with her. What I mean by that is the year before Tina Charles came to UCONN - one game I think in Big East - I think a January 2005 game Pittsburg completely wiped out UCONN on the glass. UCONN was getting wiped regularly. And then the infamous NC Game at HCC in which NC wiped out UCONN in all phases.

The very next year UCONN played NC at NC and you could SEE Tina Charles competing with the NC bigs. AT that point I can recall saying "no more" in terms of ANY TEAM able to wipe out UCONN on the inside. OFC an occasional elite team can but no more "knowing" that UCONN would so easily get pushed around.

I got that same feeling when Edwards entered the game vs Tenn. And she lived up to it! I thought the moment she stepped on the court- she wasn't going to be pushed around or overwhelmed. They were muscling UCONN around quite a bit but her presence and physicality fit right in as an "easy/natural" counter to what Tenn was trying to do. If the game was to be phycical then she won't get into foul trouble and just would compete in a natural manner. She allows UCONN to co0mepte in a very physical manner if game goes that way.

This was the same feeling I had many years ago when UCONN had Jake Voskuhl and Kevin Freeman as freshmen going against Georgetown. UCONN was always finesse vs GTOWN prior to Jake and Kevin. The had a certain intimidation about them. But their style you could see in early minutes right away vs Jake and Kevin was no longer going to work. Jake and Kevin WANTED to play physical. At the same time Edwards WANTS to play physical. - As a result "NO MORE!"

**It's a pity Paige and Anna are hurt though. Edwards game fits nicely as a counter to excellent passers that can also shoot. She's big so after receiving a pass she can't get bumped off her spot so she can finish in the paint without having to put the ball on the floor.
 
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jabstep said:
She spreads herself on the zone and takes up lots of space. She is already very proficient at the jump switch to stop the pick and roll and then work back to her player. She rebounds and boxes well. She seems to have absorbed the defensive techniques quicker than some of the freshmen. I think her experience with the Canadian National team helped her a lot in the adjustments. The thing I love about the most is the way she runs the court. She sprints up on every fast break. She is also working on her foul line jumper which will make her a great forward for high low. She will be a Morgan Tuck type player before she is done.
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She's an unusual Connecticut big very powerful physically, plays strong under the basket, and not at all about finesse. I can't recall a post player like her at Connecticut since perhaps Lobo?

Wonder how she will blend with DeBerry in the lane, and later, with Ice? Could be devastating. Could be the first such big ruling triumvirate of the lane ever.
 
No attack here @ Fairfield Fan but I strongly disagree. From what I have seen so far AE has demonstrated power strength and finesse. Again no slander here but you use a word like triumvirate to describe one person. Then mention Rebecca Lobo being in the same ilk, she was not.

I love and respect everything Rebecca has accomplished and for coming to UConn. She is and always will be a great ambassador for the UConn Women. Go back to the 1995 championship team and you will find what you can't remember. She is back on our bench now, nobody came down the lane when Jamelle was in the game! ;)

​

 
Fairfield Fan said:
She's an unusual Connecticut big very powerful physically, plays strong under the basket, and not at all about finesse. I can't recall a post player like her at Connecticut since perhaps Lobo?
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dolson
 
HuskeyinSC said:
two more things - She finishes at the rim and isn't knocked off her shot. She makes free throws.
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But..................do NOT put the ball on the floor when getting it down low. Straight up to the hole.
 
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Viet Vet said:
But..................do NOT put the ball on the floor when getting it down low. Straight up to the hole.
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There is a court awareness issue. I don't think she has acclimated to the quickness of the opposition.
 
HuskeyinSC said:
dolson
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You know, I think Dolson was a finesse player. Excellent outside shooting touch, and tremendous passer. But she was never the bull dog under the basket. I think AE is that power pack, and Coach Geno earlier in the season in a post game remark said precisely that: she brings the power in the post that UConn needs to win a national championship. Tina certainly had the under-the-basket power as well. Kiah Stokes- sometimes. But her game as well was not an offensive game, and she used finesse to block shots.
 
Will be a great match up problem for teams with strong bigs such as South Carolina. Running the court on Boston a great strategy and her knowledge of when to pick and roll and generally cut into open lanes works well everywhere.
 
Fairfield Fan said:
You know, I think Dolson was a finesse player. Excellent outside shooting touch, and tremendous passer. But she was never the bull dog under the basket. I think AE is that power pack, and Coach Geno earlier in the season in a post game remark said precisely that: she brings the power in the post that UConn needs to win a national championship. Tina certainly had the under-the-basket power as well. Kiah Stokes- sometimes. But her game as well was not an offensive game, and she used finesse to block shots.
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Dolson and Charles were finesse players?:confused:
 
I’ll add one, her smile. When there’s a break in the action after a good play whether by her or one of her teammates she smiles. Sometimes I think that’s one of the hardest things for freshman to remember. You play this game because you love it. It’s fun. When players play with joy in the moment, they are just better.
 
HopJim said:
Dolson and Charles were finesse players?:confused:
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Not Tina. She was a powerhouse! She's developed the outside touch in the WNBA, likely as a result of getting double- and triple-teamed even in the WNBA every time she touched the ball. But at UConn she was a classic back to the basket post player with great strength- and explosive quickness. She was an exception. Breanna I don't consider a "post player" per se, because she did everything: brought the ball up the court, shot the three, drove to the basket, pull up in the lane and shoot, set screens. Everything!!! She could rebound and shoot inside, but she was never limited to the roll of a set-up post.
 
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