U17 World Championships: USA v China (7/24/18)

[WLT1717]

I really like Van Lith. She has all the PG skills. Her head is always up and she's tough, plays her ass off every second.

Truth.

Earns everything she gets, takes nothing for granted.

Warrior.

 

[JordyG]

I've finally gotten to watch this game.

Everyone can say what they want. Horston is the baller on this team. She always seems to just want to make a play. The right pass, the timely rebound, the right cut, the right shot, tough defense. She's on the floor more than anyone and has the floor burns to show for it. I love Fudd and Jones and Bueckers and Boston and Hailey Van Lith, but man I want Horston. She's all about team. She just wants to win. She is just bound and determined to make everyone on the team better.

 

[Mdoggie]

I've finally gotten to watch this game.

Everyone can say what they want. Horston is the baller on this team. She always seems to just want to make a play. The right pass, the timely rebound, the right cut, the right shot, tough defense. She's on the floor more than anyone and has the floor burns to show for it. I love Fudd and Jones and Bueckers and Boston and Hailey Van Lith, but man I want Horston. She's all about team. She just wants to win. She is just bound and determined to make everyone on the team better.

I concur. As well as Jones and Hailey Van Lith. I'll take those 3 and SB and her friends can go to ND. I have to admit that I rated SB to high.

 

[JordyG]

Just finished watching the first half and Horston is the best player on the floor. Again. She just does everything. Need someone to bring the ball up? My speed and inside/out dribble are deadly. Need defense? Check. Need a three? Check. Need that entry pass? Gotcha. Need someone to block out? Here's me. Need a rebound? Me. Want someone who will mark anyone on the floor? That'll be me too. Want a steal? Who else? Also her demeanor is so matter of fact. No posturing or glad handing. She's workmanlike. She just seems to be a prototypical UConn player. Me likey this young woman the mostest.

 

[JordyG]

I concur. As well as Jones and Hailey Van Lith. I'll take those 3 and SB and her friends can go to ND. I have to admit that I rated SB to high.

Methinks some others here are noting that the kind of up tempo game Geno plays would not suit her as well.

 

[JordyG]

Anyone notice that Horston is consistent? It's the same game every night. The same effort, the same mindset. She's a bulldog.

Guys, I'm in love. If Geno let's this one get away I'm gonna be really peeved.

 

[Mdoggie]

Anyone notice that Horston is consistent? It's the same game every night. The same effort, the same mindset. She's a bulldog.

Guys, I'm in love. If Geno let's this one get away I'm gonna be really peeved.

He may do his best but it's all up to the kid and her family.

 

[Bronx23]

Truth.

Earns everything she gets, takes nothing for granted.

Warrior.

It's amazing that every comment in every thread about Hailey Van Lith is so positive. She's clearly a U Conn player in the Sue Bird, MJ, CD mold.
While we need to get our share of Jones, Horston, Boston, Bueckers, Fudd and maybe Brinks, Hailey Van Lith is a must have!
She developed over the last year from a very good player to an elite one.
Love her game!
Bronx23

 

[donalddoowop]

Anyone notice that Horston is consistent? It's the same game every night. The same effort, the same mindset. She's a bulldog.

Guys, I'm in love. If Geno let's this one get away I'm gonna be really peeved.

Even if UConn gets Jones, Amihere, Boston and Bueckers?

 

[Dillon77]

Saw most of the game (first one I actually saw from this tournament) and few thoughts:
a. The starting 5 are really really good and i can see all of them being College AA.
b. Love Hailey Van Lith! please have this kid come to UConn...
c. Brink needs to add strength as she was pushed around a lot.
d. Boston is the center UConn needs
e. If we get one of Horston or Jones we'll be in a real good place. If we get both, wow...
f. Don't like Cooks game...way too much one on one and as a point guard looks for her shot first...
g. Was interested to see SB play and my impressions form the last tournament (U16) didn't change...she is a stretch 4 (no way is she a 3 in college), very fundamentally sound but has issues with finishing around the basket.
h. Fudd is something else...the fact that she is the youngest on this team is ridicules when you see her play. She plays way way beyond her years.
I. it is interesting for me that Bueckers is playing the SG on this team while she is clearly one of the best (if not the best) passers on this team.

I agree with you that Sam is certainly not a 3 and I'm not even sure she's a stretch 4 in the way that say, Erin Boley, was/is. I've said this on this site and another but I think she's a 4 who is tailor-made for the high post role in ND's offense, which has been manned by the likes of Natalie Achonwa and, most recently, Katherine Westbeld. That role requires a fundamentally sound, basketball-smart player who knows where she is in the offense and on the floor. That person can then make decisions: keep the offense moving, dump it down low to the low post, drive or shoot the jumper from the foul line or elbow. I've seen Sam setting up outside the line and think she'd benefit from moving that shot more than a few feet towards the basket. As pointed out, this role is not the big point-producing one in ND's offense, but a very valuable one. Think its' a good match for both player and position.

Also agree with your observation on Paige Bueckers. To some degree, that's one of her strengths...she can create her own shot (love her dribble to the pull-up jumper) or pass off. She also runs the break wonderfully.

If she works with a guard who is sympatico with her team-first-with-fundamental flair approach, it's a whole lot of fun. And efficient. While I've seen her work recently with Fudd and Hailey Van Lith, I loved the occasions when she was working with Clark. Fire and ice. And you can guess where I think they'd work best.

 

[victor64]

I agree with you that Sam is certainly not a 3 and I'm not even sure she's a stretch 4 in the way that say, Erin Boley, was/is. I've said this on this site and another but I think she's a 4 who is tailor-made for the high post role in ND's offense, which has been manned by the likes of Natalie Achonwa and, most recently, Katherine Westbeld. That role requires a fundamentally sound, basketball-smart player who knows where she is in the offense and on the floor. That person can then make decisions: keep the offense moving, dump it down low to the low post, drive or shoot the jumper from the foul line or elbow. I've seen Sam setting up outside the line and think she'd benefit from moving that shot more than a few feet towards the basket. As pointed out, this role is not the big point-producing one in ND's offense, but a very valuable one. Think its' a good match for both player and position.

Also agree with your observation on Paige Bueckers. To some degree, that's one of her strengths...she can create her own shot (love her dribble to the pull-up jumper) or pass off. She also runs the break wonderfully.

If she works with a guard who is sympatico with her team-first-with-fundamental flair approach, it's a whole lot of fun. And efficient. While I've seen her work recently with Fudd and Hailey Van Lith, I loved the occasions when she was working with Clark. Fire and ice. And you can guess where I think they'd work best.

Achonwa ad Westbeld both had a physicality that I don't think Brunelle has. Plus, I think Brunelle is better from three than those two. I think Sam has to commit to playing tough interior D and a willingness to hit the boards on both ends. In these games so far, she seems to float on the perimeter and launch threes whenever possible. Like most kids her size, guarding the dribbler on the perimeter is tough for her.

It sounds like I being critical. I am not. Sam is going to arguably one of the top two women's teams in the country. The standard of play is really high and the competition for time is intense at ND. I think she has the ability to be a star at 80% of the schools in the country (She would be a monster at UVa). I just think at ND you have to show more than what she has done so far in the U17 games.

 

[WLT1717]

I agree with you that Sam is certainly not a 3 and I'm not even sure she's a stretch 4 in the way that say, Erin Boley, was/is. I've said this on this site and another but I think she's a 4 who is tailor-made for the high post role in ND's offense, which has been manned by the likes of Natalie Achonwa and, most recently, Katherine Westbeld. That role requires a fundamentally sound, basketball-smart player who knows where she is in the offense and on the floor. That person can then make decisions: keep the offense moving, dump it down low to the low post, drive or shoot the jumper from the foul line or elbow. I've seen Sam setting up outside the line and think she'd benefit from moving that shot more than a few feet towards the basket. As pointed out, this role is not the big point-producing one in ND's offense, but a very valuable one. Think its' a good match for both player and position.

Also agree with your observation on Paige Bueckers. To some degree, that's one of her strengths...she can create her own shot (love her dribble to the pull-up jumper) or pass off. She also runs the break wonderfully.

If she works with a guard who is sympatico with her team-first-with-fundamental flair approach, it's a whole lot of fun. And efficient. While I've seen her work recently with Fudd and Hailey Van Lith, I loved the occasions when she was working with Clark. Fire and ice. And you can guess where I think they'd work best.

The comparison of Sam to Westbeld is very apt. Solid, high character, talented teammate who will flourish in the Irish system.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

The comparison of Sam to Westbeld is very apt. Solid, high character, talented teammate who will flourish the Irish system.

Westbeld ended up ranked 16th, 21st, 21st, and 34th.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

USA U17 Women Shatter China 107-50

“I was really pleased with the way we played tonight,” said Carla Berube, USA U17 and Tufts University head coach. “I loved how we started the game, and how we came out after halftime as well. We’re really doing a great job on the defensive end, and then getting out and making plays on the break. It’s fun watching them making plays for each other. When we needed to execute, we did a good job with that. We really crashed the boards hard. We had 30 offensive rebounds. Getting those second-chance opportunities are really big. When you’re not shooting the ball really well, those second-chance opportunities are always better shots underneath.”

"Through three games the USA has averaged 95.0 points a game, yet Jones is the team’s leading scorer at 12.0 ppg. and Azzi Fudd (St. John’s College H.S., D.C./Arlington, Va.), at 10.7 ppg., is the only other USA athlete in double digits. The next seven on the well-balanced American squad average between 7.0 ppg. and 9.7 ppg."

 

[JordyG]

Even if UConn gets Jones, Amihere, Boston and Bueckers?

Yep. Even if.

 

[donalddoowop]

Yep. Even if.

I'm with you on that. I heard about many of the other highly ranked guards earlier this year and only within the past two or three months did I hear about Horston. Maybe she is a late bloomer. She is a must get, imo.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Jones is every bit the player Horston is, probably more so since she plays in the post. If the Huskies get some large combination of their desired targets but miss out on Horston they should shed no tears at all, especially since she won't be attending Notre Dame.

 

[donalddoowop]

Jones is every bit the player Horston is, probably more so since she plays in the post. If the Huskies get some large combination of their desired targets but miss out on Horston they should shed no tears at all, especially since she won't be attending Notre Dame.

Yes, but I have been hearing about Jones for quite some time. Not so with Horston. I am hoping UConn will be shedding no tears.

 

[JordyG]

Jones is every bit the player Horston is, probably more so since she plays in the post. If the Huskies get some large combination of their desired targets but miss out on Horston they should shed no tears at all, especially since she won't be attending Notre Dame.

What I like about Horston, and an ability she has over Jones, is a Draymond Green quality. Anything to win. Take the opening tip, make the slick pass, the easy pass, or the right pass (Yes, she's a better passer than Jones, and she passes off the break as well as any guard on the team), set the pick, roll well off the pick, play tough defense, bust through screens, jump the lanes, cover the perimeter, be a defensive disruptor, always in position on offense and defense, and more. With her, it's the same game every time out. The type of player that's a constant thorn in the other teams side. All without a change in demeanor. Jones would be the focal point on any offense, but to win championships you need a Swiss Army Knife like Horston. She is a prime example of the modern positionless player. For me, she is as much fun to watch as any freshman coming in this year.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

What I like about Horston, and an ability she has over Jones, is a Draymond Green quality. Anything to win. Take the opening tip, make the slick pass, the easy pass, or the right pass (Yes, she's a better passer than Jones, and she passes off the break as well as any guard on the team), set the pick, roll well off the pick, play tough defense, bust through screens, jump the lanes, cover the perimeter, be a defensive disruptor, always in position on offense and defense, and more. With her, it's the same game every time out. The type of player that's a constant thorn in the other teams side. All without a change in demeanor. Jones would be the focal point on any offense, but to win championships you need a Swiss Army Knife like Horston. She is a prime example of the modern positionless player. For me, she is as much fun to watch as any freshman coming in this year.

I respectfully disagree. Everything you said about Horston can be correlated to Jones. There really isn't anything Horston does batter than Jones who is essentially a point-forward.

 

[CocoHusky]

They (Jones and Horston) are both spectacular. Don't see why UCONN has to choose. Very slight edge to Jones at the basket in the post with the ball. A very slight edge to Horston in the open court, perimeter defense & athleticism (hops). Just about everything else is a pick em where you can't go wrong with either. If I had to pick one I would pick Jones & could easily see why someone would pick Horston.

 

[Mdoggie]

Let's just hope they pick UConn

 

[JordyG]

I respectfully disagree. Everything you said about Horston can be correlated to Jones. There really isn't anything Horston does batter than Jones who is essentially a point-forward.

I love Jones, wouldn't pick Horston over her, and with her bulk she can cover 4's and 5's. She has better footwork inside, a more consistent shot and is a beast inside. She's unafraid to body up her foe and push her off her mark. She's also covered in floor burns every game. But to my eyes Horston covers the perimeter far better than Jones, and Horston has the ability to cover 1's and 2's better. Horston is also more deceptive off the dribble going left or right, and passes in traffic or off the dribble better. That's what I see. Also if Horston continues to develop her outside shot I could see her at the 2 as a pro.

 

[JordyG]

They (Jones and Horston) are both spectacular. Don't see why UCONN has to choose. Very slight edge to Jones at the basket in the post with the ball. A very slight edge to Horston in the open court, perimeter defense & athleticism (hops). Just about everything else is a pick em where you can't go wrong with either. If I had to pick one I would pick Jones & could easily see why someone would pick Horston.

Well said. One is good. Both is better-er.