It's a very slow Friday at the office...!!! 
So here are my extended thoughts on Morgan & Pheesa:
Pheesa
- Pheesa has a bit of Gale Sayers in her overall movement that Morgan does not. This gives certain aspects of her development a pretty high long-term ceiling.
- Pheesa has better elevation which is obviously crucial in a lot of areas.
- Pheesa has a better natural shooting touch than Morgan, as evidenced by the multitude of mid- and short-range shots that Pheesa takes and hits on a regular basis. Morgan's natural touch is pretty good , but its just not at Pheesa's level, IMO. Think of that turnaround fadaeaway off glass from 12 feet that she converted the other day. (Texas? Baylor? I forget.) The smoothness and confidence she exhibited on that shot obscured the fact that it was truly a "Wow" shot and a portent of things to come. The fade serves her well against bigger defenders, now and in the future.
- Pheesa moves better without the ball than Morgan, especially off the curl because of her agility. She's like a gazelle. Pick and roll is closer as Morgan is very good here.
When on the move, Pheesa presents a somewhat larger target zone for the passer than Morgan. She plays a bit longer than Morgan, even though both are 6'1", and is more nimble.
- Pheesa's nose for the ball is at Maya's level, if the rest of her skillset is a bit short of that. This helps her get O-boards and putbacks at a somewhat higher rate than Morgan. Also her better vertical helps her finish better than Morgan.
- Pheesa is a better shot blocker and rebounder in traffic than Morgan was, although Morgan blocked WAY more shots than someone with her knees had a right to. Usually these blocks occurred in the trenches. Morgan's rebounding came more from physicality and putting a hip on people to block out and create space. Pheesa can rise up and through the mass of bodies and get her rebounds that way as well.
[Draw]
- Both have a pretty good if not great 3-point shot. Certainly enough to do damage and keep the defense honest. We'll see where Pheesa goes with this. Slight edge to Morgan here because we have seen her light it up from deep on occasion and her form is very good. Also Morgan has a quicker delivery while Pheesa appears (to me) to take a moment or two longer. On the flip side, Pheesa's hands are much higher when she shoots, while Morgan's are a bit lower and more out in front. Advantage Pheesa.
- Both use their off hands very well, both to dribble and to score.
Morgan
- Morgan's recognition and decision-making remain the gold standard for UCONN basketball. Pheesa is very good here and she understandably draws comparisons to Morgan with her court awareness, but Morgan was the best I have seen, period, and it's not close.
- Morgan sets a bit more physical and effective screens, IMO, and rolls (off the pick and roll) more effectively toward the rim with a bit more separation. (Pheesa still presents a bigger 'target' when she rolls, however.)
- Morgan is a more assertive player as far as using her body to post up own her area. Pheesa posts very well, but it's mostly as a result of sound positioning, technique and athleticism. Morgan has technique but is also more of a Jim Brown to Pheesa's Gale Sayers. (Though I'm giving this factor to Morgan, it's actually pretty close because Pheesa really knows how to seal her defender high.)
-On defense, Morgan is capable of putting a body on much bigger posts and rooting them out of their spot, fighting in the paint for position, and flat-out moving them, as Geno demands. Pheesa is very good but relies more on guile, skill, and lift in addition to sound post skills. Morgan could be a bull in a china shop if/when the situation called for it. Not sure Pheesa has that.
-Morgan's footwork also remains the gold standard for UCONN basketball, IMO. Pheesa's is excellent and again, apt comparisons are often drawn, but Morgan is the best and her footwork was constantly on display. The things she got done from 12 feet and in, 99% of players with balky knees could only dream of doing because they didn't have one iota of her footwork.
- I will probably get a lot of disagreement here, but Morgan's feet are quicker than Pheesa's. This is why she could flash out to guard the opponent's 2/3 players just fine. On defense, Pheesa compensates like Maya does, by keeping a very wide base, although her feet are quicker than Maya's. Just not quite as quick as Morgan's. I honestly think Morgan's quickness was vastly underrated during her UCONN career.
- Morgan's quicker feet and better (peerless) recognition allow her to penetrate and score from a standing stop on the perimeter better than Pheesa right now. Pheesa is better as a cutter on the move, but Morgan would see a gap and take you off the dribble in a heartbeat if she saw an open lane to the basket. Often.
-Morgan is a true born leader. Pheesa does not appear to be a shrinking violet by any means, but Morgan is Morgan. Morgan is an alpha. I think Gabby and Kia are the closest thing to alphas on this team. Lou might be a sleeper in this area and turn out to be the team's real leader by her senior year. She has a bit of an edge to her that has only begun to come out.
Verdict
Obviously Pheesa is a work in progress, whereas in hindsight we have the benefit of viewing Morgan as a finished (college) product. I think ultimately, Pheesa's natural scoring ability, offensive creativity and athletic gifts might ultimately give her the edge if she stays on her current path.
unfortunately we'll have to wait at least untill the end of next season to give a fair assessment.. Thanks for sharing your thoughts..
