UConn Needs Forwards! | Page 7 | The Boneyard

UConn Needs Forwards!

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Charliebball said:
UConn has three of them but nobody other than Sarah to play against big athletic forwards with quickness.....
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sure would be nice to have that little shrimp called gabulous available to fill that spot, wouldn't it? i think she'd be boffo!

don't need a giant to do the job (although plenty of posters insist it's mandatory).
 
tower1 said:
I disagree, we lost Azzi's sharp shooting and Williams rebounding. We have two great players coming in but have not played college ball yet. We need a proven great shooter to replace Azzi and another Mobile athletic big. Some teams are loaded with athletic bigs.
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Geno couldn't even wait for the first commercial break to get Serah out of the game. I think they will survive.

I don't know how to tell you this, but Azzi's don't exactly grow on trees. She -- like Paige the year before -- was the #1 overall pick in the WNBA draft. You don't simply insert the next POY candidate sitting on the bench or out of the transfer portal.

Replacing Azzi is going to be a team effort. Hopefully we get lots of growth from Blanca and Allie. Getting Morgan back is big (if she didn't forget how to play basketball as some apparently think might happen). Potentially adding in actual center production might help quite a bit, too.
 
tower1 said:
I disagree, we lost Azzi's sharp shooting and Williams rebounding. We have two great players coming in but have not played college ball yet. We need a proven great shooter to replace Azzi and another Mobile athletic big. Some teams are loaded with athletic bigs.
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Other than Betts who I don't think is all that athletic, UCLA does not have athletic bigs. Every time a team gives UConn problems some posters say the team needs to get similar type players. UConn won it all last season without an athletic, dominant post player. SC has all those athletes, but their record for the last two years is not as good as this seasons' UConn or UCLA records. Sometimes some UConn fans get too enamored with SC and its athletes even after UConn blew them out twice last season and UCLA this season. Athletic players help but a team can win without having an athletic front court.
 
ec33 said:
The reason for a 15 player roster last season was because they knew 1/3 of the roster was going to mostly be unreliable going into the season.

Now that many of those players have removed themselves (or in Morgan's case recovered from injury) the pressing need for a 15 player roster no longer exists.

UConn lost Serah and Azzi. They are bringing in Olivia and Jovana plus getting Morgan back. Add in Kelis and Gandy being in their second years now and hopefully more integrated, then the current roster is already deeper than last.
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Good! So, there will be no twisted ankles, head colds, foul trouble or players simply having a bad day, right?

I don't know if UConn needs to push it all the way to 15, but having a couple of extra players for insurance purposes isn't bad.
 
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If we think Geno needs something we must be operating on some sort of forecast of the rotation in November. My forecast is as follows.
  • 5: Jana Olivia Gandy
  • 4: Sarah Blanca Olivia
  • 3: Blanca Allie Morgan Ash
  • 2: Ash Kayleigh Kelis Jovana
  • 1: KK Kayleigh Jovana
The repeats of some names just shows the inadequacy of the 1-5 position number system for describing Geno’s lineups. But what stands out to me in this rather generic sorting is that there are 12 players competing for rotation spots, all of them credible candidates. There are 4 unknowns, Morgan from rehab, and Gandy Olivia Jovana because of lack of D1 experience. It is not a stretch, however, to think all of them will see some minutes, at least until the end of February.

This is apart from whatever special insights any of us may think we have into individual players. The simple fact is that Geno has a lean 12 player roster heading into the summer. This is not an argument against adding a transfer or two. But it does suggest that the bar ought to be pretty high. Every potential transfer has to see the same thing, and it’s bound to make UConn a less attractive landing spot. The schools that were ravaged by graduation and outbound transfers are bound to look much more attractive in terms of potential playing time apart from any other considerations.

This leads me to believe that Geno is not likely to be looking for a guard, a small forward or a center. Is there a power forward available who could conceivably be interested in playing backup minutes? Someone who has a record of focusing on playing team defense? The field gets pretty thin after these considerations and even thinner if we ask if any of them are even willing to come to Storrs at all. The candidates that occur to me are Moore O’Neal and Brown, but I have no notion that any of them would even consider UConn.

This leads me to think Geno may end up adding no one. I’m happy to be surprised if he does find someone he wants to add. But I’m not expecting it.
 
hoophuskee said:
The many other teams you imply don't have LeBron James. And Sarah and Blanca to handle quickness is fine.
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UConn's lack of consistent rebounding at both ends of the court even against inferior teams says otherwise, especially when Sarah is on the bench........Olivia should help but I don't believe she can guard quicker forwards........and Blanca tends to get into foul trouble on occasion so who's filling her role when she's on the bench? Maybe Morgan to some degree but we won't know that for sure until she is 100% healthy.........another forward would be a worthy pick up........if Geno can find one that he likes.......
 
Skeets said:
Good! So, there will be no twisted ankles, head colds, foul trouble or players simply having a bad day, right?

I don't know if UConn needs to push it all the way to 15, but having a couple of extra players for insurance purposes isn't bad.
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There may be a warm body or two. An Ines Bettencourt-type opportunity.

But they are already 3 deeper than the number of players that saw competitive minutes last season. And when Blanca or KK were out, they did not go deeper down the bench.
 
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Charliebball said:
UConn's lack of consistent rebounding at both ends of the court even against inferior teams says otherwise, especially when Sarah is on the bench........Olivia should help but I don't believe she can guard quicker forwards........and Blanca tends to get into foul trouble on occasion so who's filling her role when she's on the bench? Maybe Morgan to some degree but we won't know that for sure until she is 100% healthy.........another forward would be a worthy pick up........if Geno can find one that he likes.......
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This is my concern. Rebounding and defending against teams like South Carolina when refs allow so-called "bully ball", as they did in the final four. Can Jana, Olivia and Gandy supply the necessary inside presence? Perhaps, but like you, I'd love for the team to pick up a strong power forward to take some weight off Sarah's shoulders.
 
Bone Dog said:
If we think Geno needs something we must be operating on some sort of forecast of the rotation in November. My forecast is as follows.
  • 5: Jana Olivia Gandy
  • 4: Sarah Blanca Olivia
  • 3: Blanca Allie Morgan Ash
  • 2: Ash Kayleigh Kelis Jovana
  • 1: KK Kayleigh Jovana
The repeats of some names just shows the inadequacy of the 1-5 position number system for describing Geno’s lineups. But what stands out to me in this rather generic sorting is that there are 12 players competing for rotation spots, all of them credible candidates. There are 4 unknowns, Morgan from rehab, and Gandy Olivia Jovana because of lack of D1 experience. It is not a stretch, however, to think all of them will see some minutes, at least until the end of February.

This is apart from whatever special insights any of us may think we have into individual players. The simple fact is that Geno has a lean 12 player roster heading into the summer. This is not an argument against adding a transfer or two. But it does suggest that the bar ought to be pretty high. Every potential transfer has to see the same thing, and it’s bound to make UConn a less attractive landing spot. The schools that were ravaged by graduation and outbound transfers are bound to look much more attractive in terms of potential playing time apart from any other considerations.

This leads me to believe that Geno is not likely to be looking for a guard, a small forward or a center. Is there a power forward available who could conceivably be interested in playing backup minutes? Someone who has a record of focusing on playing team defense? The field gets pretty thin after these considerations and even thinner if we ask if any of them are even willing to come to Storrs at all. The candidates that occur to me are Moore O’Neal and Brown, but I have no notion that any of them would even consider UConn.

This leads me to think Geno may end up adding no one. I’m happy to be surprised if he does find someone he wants to add. But I’m not expecting it.
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It's a big world out there. Maybe there is a good candidate lurking in another country. Of course, domestic or otherwise, it has to be a good fit for UConn.
 
Charliebball said:
UConn's lack of consistent rebounding at both ends of the court even against inferior teams says otherwise, especially when Sarah is on the bench........Olivia should help but I don't believe she can guard quicker forwards........and Blanca tends to get into foul trouble on occasion so who's filling her role when she's on the bench? Maybe Morgan to some degree but we won't know that for sure until she is 100% healthy.........another forward would be a worthy pick up........if Geno can find one that he likes.......
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Makes sense to me.
 
Skeets said:
It's a big world out there. Maybe there is a good candidate lurking in another country. Of course, domestic or otherwise, it has to be a good fit for UConn.
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Is Emma Cechova, 6' 5", from Chechia still a possibility? Born 12/7/2004.
When last I read something about her she was describe as on an
"ALL TOURNAMENT" team in Europe with EMMA MESSEMAN(SP) being
the MVP of the 5 member ALL STAR FIVE. EMMA CECHOIVA was
described in the article as "needing a little more" fine tuning, etc.
Come to Storrs, Emma!
 
Zarathustra said:
Is Emma Cechova, 6' 5", from Chechia still a possibility? Born 12/7/2004.
When last I read something about her she was describe as on an
"ALL TOURNAMENT" team in Europe with EMMA MESSEMAN(SP) being
the MVP of the 5 member ALL STAR FIVE. EMMA CECHOIVA was
described in the article as "needing a little more" fine tuning, etc.
Come to Storrs, Emma!
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Yeah, but isn't she a little too old? If she came, what would she have, 1 year? Not much time for a "little fine tuning".
 
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Bone Dog said:
If we think Geno needs something we must be operating on some sort of forecast of the rotation in November. My forecast is as follows.
  • 5: Jana Olivia Gandy
  • 4: Sarah Blanca Olivia
  • 3: Blanca Allie Morgan Ash
  • 2: Ash Kayleigh Kelis Jovana
  • 1: KK Kayleigh Jovana
The repeats of some names just shows the inadequacy of the 1-5 position number system for describing Geno’s lineups. But what stands out to me in this rather generic sorting is that there are 12 players competing for rotation spots, all of them credible candidates. There are 4 unknowns, Morgan from rehab, and Gandy Olivia Jovana because of lack of D1 experience. It is not a stretch, however, to think all of them will see some minutes, at least until the end of February.

This is apart from whatever special insights any of us may think we have into individual players. The simple fact is that Geno has a lean 12 player roster heading into the summer. This is not an argument against adding a transfer or two. But it does suggest that the bar ought to be pretty high. Every potential transfer has to see the same thing, and it’s bound to make UConn a less attractive landing spot. The schools that were ravaged by graduation and outbound transfers are bound to look much more attractive in terms of potential playing time apart from any other considerations.

This leads me to believe that Geno is not likely to be looking for a guard, a small forward or a center. Is there a power forward available who could conceivably be interested in playing backup minutes? Someone who has a record of focusing on playing team defense? The field gets pretty thin after these considerations and even thinner if we ask if any of them are even willing to come to Storrs at all. The candidates that occur to me are Moore O’Neal and Brown, but I have no notion that any of them would even consider UConn.

This leads me to think Geno may end up adding no one. I’m happy to be surprised if he does find someone he wants to add. But I’m not expecting it.
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I think the bar should be high, particularly if looking for a rotation worthy player. There is a natural vacancy at the backup 4, which we didn't use last year, but that doesn't mean if we get just a pretty good player that they make the rotation.

As you point out above, Blanca can move up one position, or maybe Olivia down to the 4. The small ball route is an option that is pretty good, but it involves more than just Blanca moving up one spot beyond her best one, but also then involves a guard having to play the 3 when Blanca moves over.

The possibility of getting nothing is real even if we are looking seriously for an addition. Potential 4's might love the concept of getting to play for Uconn, but be scared off by how much time they would get being Sarah's backup on the depth chart. I presume a topic that would come up with a potential addition, is how Geno envisions Sarah being used if that player comes. To the extent the potential addition allows Sarah to play significant minutes at the 3 and maybe some still at the 5, the possible minutes jump substantially.

I imagine a player of Brown's or O'Neal's ability would have to expect that to want to come here. Someone a clear notch or two down from that, might be willing to come here for a minimum role in the rotation or even as just injury insurance, which I still think we should pursue, even if that player is unlikely to crack the rotation.
 
Charliebball said:
With the loss of Caroline Ducharme to graduation and Ayanna Patterson and Ice Brady to transfers, UConn really needs at least one more forward. Since Laura Somfai signed with TCU in supersonic time, who's the best forward for UConn to offer in the transfer portal?
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I would like to see Geno take a look at Grace Oliver from Wake Forest. She 6'1", shot over 60% from the field and over 38% from 3. She rebounds, blocks and gets steals and, from what I saw in the various highlights, passes well. She's from Massachusetts so she would be close to home. Watching her reminded me of Caroline Ducharme.
 
oldhusky said:
I think the bar should be high, particularly if looking for a rotation worthy player. There is a natural vacancy at the backup 4, which we didn't use last year, but that doesn't mean if we get just a pretty good player that they make the rotation.

As you point out above, Blanca can move up one position, or maybe Olivia down to the 4. The small ball route is an option that is pretty good, but it involves more than just Blanca moving up one spot beyond her best one, but also then involves a guard having to play the 3 when Blanca moves over.

The possibility of getting nothing is real even if we are looking seriously for an addition. Potential 4's might love the concept of getting to play for Uconn, but be scared off by how much time they would get being Sarah's backup on the depth chart. I presume a topic that would come up with a potential addition, is how Geno envisions Sarah being used if that player comes. To the extent the potential addition allows Sarah to play significant minutes at the 3 and maybe some still at the 5, the possible minutes jump substantially.

I imagine a player of Brown's or O'Neal's ability would have to expect that to want to come here. Someone a clear notch or two down from that, might be willing to come here for a minimum role in the rotation or even as just injury insurance, which I still think we should pursue, even if that player is unlikely to crack the rotation.
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Brown is a one year rental, has a do not contact flag and visits to Oklahoma, Vanderbilt, and ND. And O'Neal has a no contact and is likely following her father to LSU.
 
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Skeets said:
Yeah, but isn't she a little too old? If she came, what would she have, 1 year? Not much time for a "little fine tuning".
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I agree that it would be for one year. My decision to add Emma to the
list was in answer to a previous Boneyard post of "WHO ELSE?". Cechova is
my "WHO ELSE". See the FIBA webpage and insert Emma's name and
read the article and see the Highlights. The "little too old" has been
discussed elsewhere. The answer is that she may just want one year
of USA style WBB before going to the WNBA. One year for her to
her benefit and one year to GENO to give Olivia Vukoso a "FRESHMAN
Year" to learn the system, get into optimal shape, and play whatever
minutes Geno decides. I think that Vukoso does play a fair number of
minutes next year, but Emma C has size, EXPERIENCE! (read: "talent" per
the FIBA page), and quickness.As I think I mentioned EMMA reminds me of O. N-O. Remember Serah Williams was a one-year player and she did not play many
minutes either. So... I agree with your concern... But to my way of
thinking an offer to EMMA will take the form of still another one of "GENO SURPRISES". Time will tell. Z
 
Zarathustra said:
I agree that it would be for one year. My decision to add Emma to the
list was in answer to a previous Boneyard post of "WHO ELSE?". Cechova is
my "WHO ELSE". See the FIBA webpage and insert Emma's name and
read the article and see the Highlights. The "little too old" has been
discussed elsewhere. The answer is that she may just want one year
of USA style WBB before going to the WNBA. One year for her to
her benefit and one year to GENO to give Olivia Vukoso a "FRESHMAN
Year" to learn the system, get into optimal shape, and play whatever
minutes Geno decides. I think that Vukoso does play a fair number of
minutes next year, but Emma C has size, EXPERIENCE! (read: "talent" per
the FIBA page), and quickness.As I think I mentioned EMMA reminds me of O. N-O. Remember Serah Williams was a one-year player and she did not play many
minutes either. So... I agree with your concern... But to my way of
thinking an offer to EMMA will take the form of still another one of "GENO SURPRISES". Time will tell. Z
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Didn't that earlier post say that she just signed a training camp contract with the Lynx? If she doesn't make the team, can she still sign to play in college next season?
 
I think some of you are too high on Olivia for now. Your expectations may be more than she can produce early in the season. Once she experiences UConn practices and finds out just what it takes to please the coaches, she will prosper.
 
Charliebball said:
UConn's lack of consistent rebounding at both ends of the court even against inferior teams says otherwise, especially when Sarah is on the bench........Olivia should help but I don't believe she can guard quicker forwards........and Blanca tends to get into foul trouble on occasion so who's filling her role when she's on the bench? Maybe Morgan to some degree but we won't know that for sure until she is 100% healthy.........another forward would be a worthy pick up........if Geno can find one that he likes.......
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IMO what Geno has “told us” in the game and through much of his career says otherwise. What he tell us about rebounding is that it takes a backseat to scoring. For a point of reference, anyone can go back to Maya Moore’s sr year, UCONN playing Baylor. At the end of the half . Geno was asked what’s the key to the outcome of the 2nd half of that defensive type of game; He said the team that find ways to score will win. When Mulkey was asked, she was told Geno said it’s the offense, she looked at her like she had 3 heads and said it would be the defense that determines the outcome.

And what did Dawn say to her team last year vs UCONN? She told her team; “They want to play pretty basketball.” That’s not rebounding. Geno gets number 1 recruits, and they certainly haven’t been know for their rebounding. It’s the style Geno coaches, he wants to play with pace which is a huge reason he plays small. He is “telling us” that he’s fine giving up the rebounding game by playing small. That’s what a team that plays small is willing to do, isn’t it?

And what did Geno “tell us” during the game? That his team was “getting mugged.” What did he say about Sarah in that his team got 6 calls against them while SoCar got zero all-the-while he said he made it a special point to get Sarah the ball in the 3rd qtr,and yet didn’t even get 1 call. These have either nothing or little to do with rebounding. Then he went on to complain to the NCAA about the game. He wouldn’t waste his time unless he felt the game was extreme. Yet you are making it mostly abut rebounding? Something that he accepts by playing small ball? Combine all of this is what he's "telling us."

Secondly, your point about the bench. So, teams frequently play their superstars in big games near 40 minutes unless a center. How often does a non-center that has been NPOY not played near 40 minutes in tight NCAA games? So, we're worrieed about those 2 minutes that Sarah will rest in which our sub goes against thiris? That sub won't be "LeBron James." Add that to saying Blanca is going to have a foul issues? It seems every other top team improves a lot while Blanca won’t get better at committing less fouls in her 2nd year? I agree if they find a player they like get that player. Are we on the same page? It’s just that your title says “need.” That I don’t agree with.
 
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