UConn: Accelerated development of key pieces amid chaos

[BlueSkyGLW]

Even with Paige the team started the season disjointed, a far cry of what they had become towards the end of last season. With Paige’s injury along with those of Nika and Azzi, things got much worse even with three seniors who contributed mightily last year and a Canadian Olympian, also a key player then. Then, the unexpected happened: the freshman Caroline began showing how she could contribute: as one of the pieces that Coach had been anticipating with these year’s freshmen…..an important element of the positionless basketball team he thought might come to pass. She became the team’s top scorer in the absence of the two expected to be. This was then followed by the graduate newcomer, Dorka, as she began to adjust to how the team plays.

On her return Nika helped restore the balance of the team and its play began to stabilize. Still even as Nika, then Azzi returned, misfortunes continued: last-minute scratch of Christyn at Oregon, followed by Caroline’s injury and then an even a later scratch of Olivia against Villanova kept the rotation short. This continued their prolonged crucible for mental growth even as they worked on team play. But I submit they suffered a collective depression just before the tipoff in the Villanova game and it took them three quarters to pull themselves together mentally. The absence of Caroline and Olivia put Azzi in a pressure situation, but as expected she has delivered magnificently. Then Dorka, also suffering from minor injury since the season began, joined the deliverance. The growing mental strength is becoming evident as well, even in the 4Q of the Villanova game.

On half-court offense, this still has no fluidity and lacking in motion offense. This is to be expected from the revolving door of players but there are little signs that these are coming. But the defense has been improving a lot in the last two games. Coaching? Attacking DePaul in the post from the beginning when UConn went small was excellent strategy. With only six in the rotation and Marquette being a bigger team with constant motion offense, Coach did not want them to be in foul trouble, so he waited for the 4Q to turn them loose on defense. Nika stuck to the PG like a glue and everyone was active. Marquette had no answer.

Paige, Olivia and Caroline will be back soon. I am not certain that there is enough time to become a well-oiled, positionless team but each of the 9 players that would be part of the rotation have now shown what they can do and are getting better. Together, I see them equipped to face any team without fear IF they continue in this current growth trend. They have looked that determined lately….determined not to lose any game. And, I can’t wait to see Paige and Azzi together at crunch time….Azzi is really, really good!

And so, I double down on my prediction that the misfortunes will lead to NC 12!!!

 

[Goodgood]

No prediction until everyone is back. Crazy season for all.

 

[CL82]

Even with Paige the team started the season disjointed, a far cry of what they had become towards the end of last season. With Paige’s injury along with those of Nika and Azzi, things got much worse even with three seniors who contributed mightily last year and a Canadian Olympian, also a key player then. Then, the unexpected happened: the freshman Caroline began showing how she could contribute: as one of the pieces that Coach had been anticipating with these year’s freshmen…..an important element of the positionless basketball team he thought might come to pass. She became the team’s top scorer in the absence of the two expected to be. This was then followed by the graduate newcomer, Dorka, as she began to adjust to how the team plays.

On her return Nika helped restore the balance of the team and its play began to stabilize. Still even as Nika, then Azzi returned, misfortunes continued: last-minute scratch of Christyn at Oregon, followed by Caroline’s injury and then an even a later scratch of Olivia against Villanova kept the rotation short. This continued their prolonged crucible for mental growth even as they worked on team play. But I submit they suffered a collective depression just before the tipoff in the Villanova game and it took them three quarters to pull themselves together mentally. The absence of Caroline and Olivia put Azzi in a pressure situation, but as expected she has delivered magnificently. Then Dorka, also suffering from minor injury since the season began, joined the deliverance. The growing mental strength is becoming evident as well, even in the 4Q of the Villanova game.

On half-court offense, this still has no fluidity and lacking in motion offense. This is to be expected from the revolving door of players but there are little signs that these are coming. But the defense has been improving a lot in the last two games. Coaching? Attacking DePaul in the post from the beginning when UConn went small was excellent strategy. With only six in the rotation and Marquette being a bigger team with constant motion offense, Coach did not want them to be in foul trouble, so he waited for the 4Q to turn them loose on defense. Nika stuck to the PG like a glue and everyone was active. Marquette had no answer.

Paige, Olivia and Caroline will be back soon. I am not certain that there is enough time to become a well-oiled, positionless team but each of the 9 players that would be part of the rotation have now shown what they can do and are getting better. Together, I see them equipped to face any team without fear IF they continue in this current growth trend. They have looked that determined lately….determined not to lose any game. And, I can’t wait to see Paige and Azzi together at crunch time….Azzi is really, really good!

And so, I double down on my prediction that the misfortunes will lead to NC 12!!!

I didn’t know Tony had a burner account. In any event…

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

No prediction until everyone is back. Crazy season for all.

You must be superstitious. If you want to root for them, cheer them on as the develop and grow....and add your positive thoughts loudly as they work hard at it. Waiting to see what they are when they are all fully healthy is waiting for the highest probability of their chances.

Positives thoughts for them as they grow? That helps.....make no mistake: they want to win the NC this year, so let's think positively along with them, shall we? And say it out loud!

 

[Skeets]

Here's my concern and I'll probably explain it poorly. The healthy kids are all very talented. Let's say UConn gets Paige, Liv and Caroline back, also very talented. All this talent needs to mesh like the gears of a Rolex watch to win number 12. If it's disjointed like at the beginning of the year, raw talent alone may be good enough (with a little luck) to get to the FF. But if you want the NC, the gears have to mesh on offense and defense. While concerned, I think it can happen, if I didn't, I wouldn't be much of a fan...

 

[Millenial23]

Here's my concern and I'll probably explain it poorly. The healthy kids are all very talented. Let's say UConn gets Paige, Liv and Caroline back, also very talented. All this talent needs to mesh like the gears of a Rolex watch to win number 12. If it's disjointed like at the beginning of the year, raw talent alone may be good enough (with a little luck) to get to the FF. But if you want the NC, the gears have to mesh on offense and defense. While concerned, I think it can happen, if I didn't, I wouldn't be much of a fan...

I agree to some extent, but Caroline and especially Liv have already meshed with the team by playing a lot with all of them except Paige and Azzi, who are our two best ball handlers/passers. And honestly, I think Paige could fit in seamlessly to any team, it's just one of her magical basketball (and life) abilities - to fit in with any group. And you heard Geno - he doesn't worry about Azzi. So if all of them get better and back by tournament time, then we will be, as Azzi put it, a nasty team.

 

[Skeets]

I agree to some extent, but Caroline and especially Liv have already meshed with the team by playing a lot with all of them except Paige and Azzi, who are our two best ball handlers/passers. And honestly, I think Paige could fit in seamlessly to any team, it's just one of her magical basketball (and life) abilities - to fit in with any group. And you heard Geno - he doesn't worry about Azzi. So if all of them get better and back by tournament time, then we will be, as Azzi put it, a nasty team.

Your opinion is my hope, but they weren't meshing early in the season, and that is my concern. And yes, I want a nasty team.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Your opinion is my hope, but they weren't meshing early in the season, and that is my concern. And yes, I want a nasty team.

Do teams normally look really good in their first few games of the season or does it usually take a little time?

 

[eebmg]

Here's my concern and I'll probably explain it poorly. The healthy kids are all very talented. Let's say UConn gets Paige, Liv and Caroline back, also very talented. All this talent needs to mesh like the gears of a Rolex watch to win number 12. If it's disjointed like at the beginning of the year, raw talent alone may be good enough (with a little luck) to get to the FF. But if you want the NC, the gears have to mesh on offense and defense. While concerned, I think it can happen, if I didn't, I wouldn't be much of a fan...

In the beginning of the season, Caroline was not sure of herself and Azzi was unsure and dealing with a nagging injury. Paige was the only one out there that had any real confidence.

Now, alot of our big pieces have grown up and learned how to move the ball, set screens and play with confidence. I have no doubt we will mesh well

 

[my2cents]

We can't really be worried about "meshing" when Paige gets back, can we?
She brings so much more to the party than our current PG situation.
Two key points, one cold shooter will not effect our offense, as we will have so many more weapons than anyone we are playing.
Also, with everyone back we will be able to go to a full court defense, causing turnovers and easy baskets.

 

[oldude]

Sometimes it appears we tend to forget who the coach is. No one does a better job of preparing his team for the Big Dance than Geno. If everyone is healthy, I have no doubt the Huskies will be firing on all cylinders in March.

For Paige in particular, playing basketball is like riding a bicycle. I have been dreaming about Paige carving up opposing defenses with Azzi & Caroline all alone on the wings ready to bomb away as she drops one dime after another on her teammates.

 

[BBallF]

Even with Paige the team started the season disjointed, a far cry of what they had become towards the end of last season. With Paige’s injury along with those of Nika and Azzi, things got much worse even with three seniors who contributed mightily last year and a Canadian Olympian, also a key player then. Then, the unexpected happened: the freshman Caroline began showing how she could contribute: as one of the pieces that Coach had been anticipating with these year’s freshmen…..an important element of the positionless basketball team he thought might come to pass. She became the team’s top scorer in the absence of the two expected to be. This was then followed by the graduate newcomer, Dorka, as she began to adjust to how the team plays.

On her return Nika helped restore the balance of the team and its play began to stabilize. Still even as Nika, then Azzi returned, misfortunes continued: last-minute scratch of Christyn at Oregon, followed by Caroline’s injury and then an even a later scratch of Olivia against Villanova kept the rotation short. This continued their prolonged crucible for mental growth even as they worked on team play. But I submit they suffered a collective depression just before the tipoff in the Villanova game and it took them three quarters to pull themselves together mentally. The absence of Caroline and Olivia put Azzi in a pressure situation, but as expected she has delivered magnificently. Then Dorka, also suffering from minor injury since the season began, joined the deliverance. The growing mental strength is becoming evident as well, even in the 4Q of the Villanova game.

On half-court offense, this still has no fluidity and lacking in motion offense. This is to be expected from the revolving door of players but there are little signs that these are coming. But the defense has been improving a lot in the last two games. Coaching? Attacking DePaul in the post from the beginning when UConn went small was excellent strategy. With only six in the rotation and Marquette being a bigger team with constant motion offense, Coach did not want them to be in foul trouble, so he waited for the 4Q to turn them loose on defense. Nika stuck to the PG like a glue and everyone was active. Marquette had no answer.

Paige, Olivia and Caroline will be back soon. I am not certain that there is enough time to become a well-oiled, positionless team but each of the 9 players that would be part of the rotation have now shown what they can do and are getting better. Together, I see them equipped to face any team without fear IF they continue in this current growth trend. They have looked that determined lately….determined not to lose any game. And, I can’t wait to see Paige and Azzi together at crunch time….Azzi is really, really good!

And so, I double down on my prediction that the misfortunes will lead to NC 12!!!

Love your optimism but there are several issues that have to be resolved favorably for that to happen. First, how strong will Paige be when she returns? Second, how will Caroline and Liv be? Third, who starts and how do the pieces fit together? One thing is for sure and that is that Caroline and Azzi are not freshmen anymore. They have both had to put the team on their backs in order to win games and that is just big time growth and confidence for freshmen to do that. That has been the silver lining in this black cloud of almost Biblical proportions. I also think Evina has finally started to show who she is. I hope the Marquette game was not just part of a one great game-one invisible game trend. She was masterful in that game on both ends of the court. Of course, no Liv meant more touches and shots for Dorka and we saw how that worked out. What happens to all of these developments when everyone returns? Does the Oracle at Delphi do WCBB?

 

[CL82]

.make no mistake: they want to win the NC this year, so let's think positively along with them, shall we? And say it out loud!

 

[my2cents]

Sometimes it appears we tend to forget who the coach is. No one does a better job of preparing his team for the Big Dance than Geno. If everyone is healthy, I have no doubt the Huskies will be firing on all cylinders in March.

For Paige in particular, playing basketball is like riding a bicycle. I have been dreaming about Paige carving up opposing defenses with Azzi & Caroline all alone on the wings ready to bomb away as she drops one dime after another on her teammates.

Hey oldude, remember the days when our "dreams" were a tad more exciting?

 

[Goodgood]

You must be superstitious. If you want to root for them, cheer them on as the develop and grow....and add your positive thoughts loudly as they work hard at it. Waiting to see what they are when they are all fully healthy is waiting for the highest probability of their chances.

Positives thoughts for them as they grow? That helps.....make no mistake: they want to win the NC this year, so let's think positively along with them, shall we? And say it out loud!

I agrre about cheering and supporting the team, but can't buy a product sight unseen...Enough surprises, and bad ones for the season.

 

[BBallF]

Me too. I don’t understand the inconsistency either. It may just be an energy issue or she doesn’t feel she has to do certain things, like score, in certain games.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I love the well-worded subject line!

 

[LoboDays]

At full strength, this team chances to win the NC are as good as any team’s chances. They either get it done or they don’t. No excuses.

 

[SallyH]

I don't post much but since this thread is about pure speculation I'll join. I cannot imagine this team with everybody healthy. They'll be a matchup nightmare for any team. Every talks about Boston, and she is amazing. But Liv no longer has to carry the whole defensive load and among Liv, Dorka and EA Boston should worry about UConn. The tandem points of Paige and Azzi and Williams on the wing? Good grief - E and Ducharme and Muhl subbing off the bench? Bruno is right. No one is going to want to play UConn if everybody's healthy and playing.

 

[oldude]

There are 31 days to the Big Dance for Paige to work her way back from surgery, a process that’s already begun. I refuse to accept that it’s unrealistic to believe that she can make it back and lead the Huskies in the postseason until I hear otherwise from Paige and/or Geno.

 

[itsasport]

I think that UConn, if everyone else is healthy, could win the national championship without Paige.

By that time, Azzi could be the best player in the country, as was Paige last year also as a freshman. Caroline will not be far behind her. Dorka is playing great, as is Ono, All the rest of the players have their important moments on offense and combine into a great defensive team. There will be a solid 8 played rotation that will have player together for enough time to settle into their roles.

This year could be "We have Azzi and you don't."
And if Paige can play, "It's over."

 

[PAHuskeyFan]

There are 31 days to the Big Dance for Paige to work her way back from surgery, a process that’s already begun. I refuse to accept that it’s unrealistic to believe that she can make it back and lead the Huskies in the postseason until I hear otherwise from Paige and/or Geno.

FOX showed some video of Paige moving around during the Team's warm ups for the game vs Marquette. Yes, she had the brace on, and Yes, she was not playing/cutting/max jumping/getting banged around... but she was moving herself around, putting up shots and so on... AND she was doing it with ease and no obvious limp or other issue regarding the left knee... other than... again... she was wearing the brace. (at this point I think the Brace is to protect her from others during bench celebrations...)
Geno said she is doing more in practice, shooting drills, running, etc, every practice...and I am confident she is going through a daily (maybe more than once daily) regime with the UCONN Therapists and that she is getting stronger every day, gaining more and more function ability to push the knee more and more. She is probably even doing things on her own between practices and therapy sessions.
Based on what has been posted regarding her injury and what was done... admittedly, some of it vague... it appears there is no reason to believe the injury is going to linger. The meniscus repair was not a graft or anything close to an ACL repair... so the 8 weeks quoted recovery time from her surgery date is looking real accurate.
We can be sure She is working hard. We can be sure that all involved are doing everything to make sure they are careful and not doing things too fast or pushing her back.
PAIGE will make the final call on IF and WHEN she returns. I believe a measured return with a limited minutes in a few games near the end of the regular BE season gives her and the team time to "get to know each other" again... and prep everyone for the BE and NCAA Tournaments. The future is bright. AND, I agree with @oldude that it is FULLY within the realm of possibility... or should I say probability... that Paige WILL return.... with or without her Captain Marvel, Super Woman, or Wonder Women suit on.

I FULLY INTEND TO ENJOY THE RIDE!!!

GO HUSKIES

 

[CL82]

. (at this point I think the Brace is to protect her from others during bench celebrations…)

It’s probably there to protect her from Nika. That woman is a menace, or so I’ve heard.