Time to force feed Jana

[HopJim]

Particularly in close games, teams need strong foul shooters and defenders that won't foul. While not surprising that a 6'5" frosh coming off an injury has issues with both, suspect Geno will want to see improvement before he trusts Jana in all game situations.

 

[CL82]

If Jana would slam dunk a few, that would take the pressure off her, and solve the frustration of missing the point blank shots...

I blame the point guards. Not one of them have ever thrown an ally-oop to her.

 

[boontonbomber]

When these posts discuss individual players they always go off the rails.
Geno will always assign more or less playing time based on one thing;
Who is making plays, baskets and defense. Do those things, you get minutes.
You don't , you sit. Simple.

Off what rails? I think the discussion has been very illuminating, especially re the comparative stats of Ice and Jana.

 

[my2cents]

Off what rails? I think the discussion has been very illuminating, especially re the comparative stats of Ice and Jana.

Ok, I will try again.
Geno is making decisions in the present. In the game he is in. Who is playing and contributing in that game. He doesn't give a rat's ass of who may have better stats before that game.

 

[boontonbomber]

Ok, I will try again.
Geno is making decisions in the present. In the game he is in. Who is playing and contributing in that game. He doesn't give a rat's ass of who may have better stats before that game.

Now who's off the rails?

 

[Alydar]

On the other hand, you know what they say… You can't teach height!

I think a lot of the preference for Jana is due to how good she looked before she got injured last summer and the tendency to assume that untried players will be able to play flawlessly. That happens pretty frequently on this board, and pretty much every other board. I think it's a human nature thing.

I feel like the lightbulb has gone on a little bit for Ice. She seems like she's playing more confidently, aggressive and physical, this year. Some of that no doubt is due to maturity and experience, but, I'm inclined to believe that some of it is also due to banging against Jana in practice.

Regardless "steel sharpens steel." I expect both of them to look pretty good by the end of the year.

Brady struggled last season coming off injury. El Alfy is coming off injury this season and some are just as impatiently unhappy with her play as they were with Brady last year.
It's more than 2 or 3 inches difference. ElAlfy isn't just tall like ONO, she's wide and strong. A mountain. She has soft hands and runs the floor better than what I saw from Betts. She is also adapting to US officiating.
Right now, if Geno started El Alfy, we'd see a repeat of Dolson's freshman (and sophomore) seasons where it seemed she picked up 2 fouls in the first 5 minutes game after game and sat a great deal. But Geno didn't want to mess with her aggressive attitude. She would miss a shot and then foul the player who got the rebound with a stupid reach-around foul. I think El Alfy is much better than Dolson was as a freshman. And having El Alfy in the 4th period against Miss was huge. The Miss. inside players couldn't move her. UConn hasn't had one of that type in a long time. She, Brady and Strong along with Malou-Mamel will dominate the paint for UConn for at least another 2 years.

Instead of listing her flaws I want to kiss the ground that she is at UConn.

 

[Alydar]

I disagree with the obsession being a guy thg bcus women obsess abt being a 6 or 12 In a pants suit or dress size. no offense....but I digress...I totally agree height doesn't really make you a great rebounder it's abt position and desire, a great example is Aneesah Morrow, who as a listed 6'1-6'2 player has never averaged less thn 10 rebounds per game with her highest average being 14 rbs per game and Dennis Rodman who at 6'7 led the NBA 7 straight years with desire and positioning.

True. Rebounding and height are only vaguely related. But when you are defending a top level player who is 6'6 your size (height/weight) becomes very related to your chances of success defending them. If UConn had a 6'3 post in 2000 against Tenn those 10* blocks would not have happened.

* my count

 

[Cuango]

Jana and Sarah have already changed this team’s former weakness in rebounding to, perhaps not a strength yet, but certainly much less of a weakness! Even Ice is rebounding better! When Yanna and Aubrey return to full strength we may actually become a good rebounding team! I believe Jana especially, has the potential of becoming a top tier rebounder. I do hope she can become a better free throw shooter as I see a lot of fouls in her future!

 

[CL82]

Ok, I will try again.
Geno is making decisions in the present. In the game he is in. Who is playing and contributing in that game. He doesn't give a rat's ass of who may have better stats before that game.

So the starting lineup is entirely random?

 

[Dogstar]

True. Rebounding and height are only vaguely related. But when you are defending a top level player who is 6'6 your size (height/weight) becomes very related to your chances of success defending them. If UConn had a 6'3 post in 2000 against Tenn those 10* blocks would not have happened.

* my count

Ahhhh...Kelly and Big Rig !!!

 

[my2cents]

So the starting lineup is entirely random?

The amount of time in the game is based on contributions during that game. A concept that is not hard to understand.

 

[Crossover]

Ok, I will try again.
Geno is making decisions in the present. In the game he is in. Who is playing and contributing in that game. He doesn't give a rat's ass of who may have better stats before that game.

Or who has a higher ceiling.

 

[CL82]

The amount of time in the game is based on contributions during that game. A concept that is not hard to understand.

But you said Geno didn't pay any attention to stats before the game and now you're saying, he assigns times solely based upon the performance in the game, so my question remains, under your theory how does he choose the starters?

 

[ConnecticutBB]

Having watched UCLA dominate SC, without having to rely very heavily on Betts, I believe Geno needs to force feed minutes for Jana as it doesn't seem, to me, that Ice can't be expected to give up 4 inches to a player like Betts as skilled as she is on both ends of the court.

Jana not only has more height. It seems to me, that with enough game action, the rust of 18 months will dissipate and her natural aggressiveness will result in both more points, rebounds and blocks.

With games with UCLA and USC forthcoming, I think the time has come for Jana's minutes to increase substantially.

She needs to learn how to stay out of foul trouble..

 

[ConnecticutBB]

She needs to learn how to stay out of foul trouble..

Plus she needs to be more proficient with her hook shot.

 

[PvP]

She needs to learn how to stay out of foul trouble..

If you look at the per 40 minutes analysis prepared by JRRRJ, you'll note that Jana is fouling less in comparable minutes than Ice.

Regarding her hook shot, I agree which is why I have been arguing for her to get more minutes so she can develop her shooting repertoire although, again on a per 40 minutes basis, she is already ahead of Ice and is among the leading scorers on the team.

 

[Skeets]

If you look at the per 40 minutes analysis prepared by JRRRJ, you'll note that Jana is fouling less in comparable minutes than Ice.

Regarding her hook shot, I agree which is why I have been arguing for her to get more minutes so she can develop her shooting repertoire although, again on a per 40 minutes basis, she is already ahead of Ice and is among the leading scorers on the team.

That kind of development is the reason why team's practice. Games develop other things that don't exist in a practice environment.