US/Aussie Game Thread

[easttexastrash]

I think Australia displays more confidence in playing the USA than any other country in the world and that is a big thing. I do think Spain will be at a disadvantage in the low post with Charles and Griner against Little and Nichols. Torrens is very good but I think a combination of Maya, Augustus, and maybe Angel and DT will end up causing her problems. And I don't think Spain is as deep as Australia.
And Australia was really hurt by Taylor's foul issues - I thought they were legit fouls, but also very unfortunate.

I agree. I would really like to have seen the US have to beat an Aussie team with Cambage and Jackson on the floor. However, I would also like to see Parker on the floor for the US. Her ability to rebound and then take the ball the length of the court is a hard match-up for any team. And the US could use Catching for her defense. So even though Australia can be better, so can the US.

 

[JoePgh]

Don't forget that the USA team is also missing Elena Della Donne and Sylvia Fowles. I think if the basketball gods put back all six players (Cambage and Jackson for Australia; Parker, Catchings, EDD and Fowles for the US), the USA would still have pretty much the same overall talent advantage.

Who do you think would have been left off the current team if those four players had been available?

 

[easttexastrash]

Don't forget that the USA team is also missing Elena Della Donne and Sylvia Fowles. I think if the basketball gods put back all six players (Cambage and Jackson for Australia; Parker, Catchings, EDD and Fowles for the US), the USA would still have pretty much the same overall talent advantage.

Who do you think would have been left off the current team if those four players had been available?

Since all of the players are 4s or 5s, I think that is where we see the changes. I am guessing that Stewart and Dupree would be replaced by Parker and EDD. The committee may decide not to keep Sims and replace her with one of those four, especially since she is getting so little playing time and doesn't seem to be a player that Geno thinks adds value. I am not convinced that Catching's body will be ready to go in international play again

Out: Stewart, Sims and Dupree
In: Parker, EDD and Fowles

 

[DavidinNaples]

Looking at the box score, Whalen and Bird had a combined zero assists and 3 TOs. How can the two PGs for a team with this many offensive weapons have zero assists?

ETT...you are just a bundle of negativity. Did you notice the post players coming out to the foul line and getting the first pass from Bird & Whelan? Much like Dolson did for UConn. USA ran much of the offense that way. Did you notice TIna, Griner and Nneka had 8 assists? Did you notice USA missed 30 shots? Hard to get an assist when the shooter misses after a nice pass. Maybe they get some assists if shots are made.

Do you know Bird and Whelan had 24 assists in the first four games? That is tied for 2nd and 3rd on he team. Clearly they are capable of getting assists on a team "with this many offensive weapons." Maybe it was just one of those statistical oddities that happens when you take stats from one game and try to make a big deal out it.

Why is 3 turnovers an issue w/ you? That is quite good for two guards who played 40 minutes combined in a high pressure game. Several players had 3 all by themselves. And finally, maybe, just maybe, Geno knows what he is doing. You're always "just wondering" why Geno did this or didn't do that..... Speaking just for myself, it's really tiresome.

Go Team USA..!!

 

[easttexastrash]

ETT...you are just a bundle of negativity. Did you notice the post players coming out to the foul line and getting the first pass from Bird & Whelan? Much like Dolson did for UConn. USA ran much of the offense that way. Did you notice TIna, Griner and Nneka had 8 assists? Did you notice USA missed 30 shots? Hard to get an assist when the shooter misses after a nice pass. Maybe they get some assists if shots are made.

Do you know Bird and Whelan had 24 assists in the first four games? That is tied for 2nd and 3rd on he team. Clearly they are capable of getting assists on a team "with this many offensive weapons." Maybe it was just one of those statistical oddities that happens when you take stats from one game and try to make a big deal out it.

Why is 3 turnovers an issue w/ you? That is quite good for two guards who played 40 minutes combined in a high pressure game. Several players had 3 all by themselves. And finally, maybe, just maybe, Geno knows what he is doing. You're always "just wondering" why Geno did this or didn't do that..... Speaking just for myself, it's really tiresome.

Go Team USA..!!

Thanks for the feedback. Go Team USA!

 

[RadyLady]

Am I the only one watching this? RadyLady, where you at?

sorry my friend - I was in Temple all day for Yom Kippur services
So far you're doing a great job

 

[RadyLady]

Maya and Charles showed great chemistry today.

Maya and Charles working together at UConn was a thing of beauty. It is a treat for the UConn fans to see them back together again

 

[RadyLady]

Well if anyone needed a reminder as to how Maya and Tina managed 78 college-level wins in a row together, they certainly got one today.

I can't wait to see the game when I get home I loved watching those two play together

 

[MilfordHusky]

Maya and Charles showed great chemistry today.

I believe they won a few games together. And some championships. And NPOY awards.

 

[easttexastrash]

They were switching on a ton of screens so he may have preferred to have a taller player with more experience to guard Taylor or other wind/forwards on the switches.
And for a lot of the second half he was harping on rebounding which I think is why Dupree played less than Nneka - though per minute in this game Dupree was more effective rebounding and much more effective scoring.
I thought the rookies that played in this game really struggled - Nneka - 1-5 and 3 rebounds and three turnovers and 2 fouls in 18 minutes; Griner 3-5 with 4 rebounds and three turnovers and five fouls in 17 minutes. They both had 3 assists but especially with Griner just never looked like she got into the game.

Both of Griner's second half fouls were bogus, but she certainly did have a sub-par game. She usually follows up a game like that with a dominant performance, like game 2 of the LA series in the playoffs.

 

[VAMike23]

Maya has gotten really good at attacking the lane and finding cutters or open players when the defense helps. She has always done if just not with the frequency or tenacity she does it with these days.

 

[easttexastrash]

Maya has gotten really good at attacking the lane and finding cutters or open players when the defense helps. She has always done if just not with the frequency or tenacity she does it with these days.

I agree. That is the biggest improvement since her college years. She has such a powerful and intimidating physique.

 

[caramel]

Since all of the players are 4s or 5s, I think that is where we see the changes. I am guessing that Stewart and Dupree would be replaced by Parker and EDD. The committee may decide not to keep Sims and replace her with one of those four, especially since she is getting so little playing time and doesn't seem to be a player that Geno thinks adds value. I am not convinced that Catching's body will be ready to go in international play again

Out: Stewart, Sims and Dupree
In: Parker, EDD and Fowles

Great players,often,rise to another level of play,when the competition for play time is exceptional.If Parker and EDD where available for a team spot,I wouldn't necessarily want the pleasure of picking who would play and whom would be sent home.Except for Stewart,because of her experience and youth,and maybe even Sims,along the same lines,as far as experience,we might have seen those women on the team now,even raise their game a bit,knowing how good Parker and EDD are.
No matter whether U.S.A. wins the gold or not,this is a team of tremendous talent,and I would not want to speculate,the what if idea.
I also would like to point out the growth as competitors that Tina and Maya have shown us,from when we had the joy of watching their respective college careers.
If they play along the level that they demonstrated,against Australia,it would be shocking,to me,to not see them win the gold.

 

[JoePgh]

Since all of the players are 4s or 5s, I think that is where we see the changes. I am guessing that Stewart and Dupree would be replaced by Parker and EDD. The committee may decide not to keep Sims and replace her with one of those four, especially since she is getting so little playing time and doesn't seem to be a player that Geno thinks adds value. I am not convinced that Catching's body will be ready to go in international play again

Out: Stewart, Sims and Dupree
In: Parker, EDD and Fowles

I think Sims would still be kept because they need to prepare a young point guard for 2016. I agree about Fowles and Parker replacing Dupree and Stewart. I think EDD might replace Augustus even though Augustus has played very effectively -- she can (if fully healthy) shoot from midrange just as well as Augustus and she adds 3 - point range, five inches of height, and five fewer years of age -- important for 2016 preparation.

If Tamika Catchings can pick up a basketball and wants to play, it would be politically impossible to leave her off the team. Who would she replace? Probably Nneka even though that would be unfortunate.

By the way, I think that the reason why Sims did not enter the Australia game is probably that she did something to displease Geno at the last practice, and he is sending a message. That would be consistent with the modus operandi of both him and her. If she absorbs the message, it won't have any carryover beyond this one game.

 

[HuskyNan]

Both of Griner's second half fouls were bogus, but she certainly did have a sub-par game. She usually follows up a game like that with a dominant performance, like game 2 of the LA series in the playoffs.

She's a rookie - she'll learn and do better next time. BG will eventually be a key player for the US but she doesn't need to be just yet. It's all good.

 

[Waquoit]

I was just wondering why Geno would put Stewart in for the last 50 seconds and leave Sims as the only player not to get into the game.

I'm pretty sure it's because he hates Baylor.

 

[UcMiami]

Sims and Stewart are on this team for the experience of being on the team and it really has almost nothing to do with whether they get 10 minutes, 2 minutes or zero minutes in the actual games. It is all about the practices and the experience of getting to know the other national team members and the atmosphere of an WC/Olympic competition and what a USA jersey on the National team means. No idea why Sims did not come in with Stewart for the last 50 seconds, but I suspect it had nothing to do with how she performed in the earlier walk through practice or Geno not appreciating her game. Sometimes s__t just happens.
I think USA is going to have an issue for the Olympics - mentioned above are the missing players: Parker, Fowles, Catch, and EDD - add in the age of Bird, Whalen, DT, Augustus and the pressure of rising talent on the team and waiting in the wings - Stewart Sims Diggins KML to name some and the committee is going to make some hard choices if everyone is healthy. I do believe they will want to keep some of the younger players on the team which means telling some of the older players 'thank you for your service' - the alternative is having a lot of new faces on the 2018 WC.

Of the current team 2018 certainties (health permitting and continued play assumed) are Charles, Griner, Moore, Nneka. And assuming they continue their current path - Stewart and Sims. Possible but less likely because of age/age and injury history are DT, Whalen, Dupree, Augustus, Fowles, Angel, and maybe Parker. Gone because of age - Bird, Catchings. By 2020 all of the 'possibles will be gone.
With a new coach taking over (because I am pretty sure that Geno was serious last time and was convinced otherwise, but will be firm this time) I don't think the committee will want to saddle the new coach with a team of possibly six rookies, which means some of the current team plus injured will be passed over for 2016.
The obvious ones are Angel and Dupree because of age and competition and Bird and Catchings who I suspect will still be playing good basketball but are the oldest at the positions of greatest age on the national team - Guard/Wing
This is not dissimilar to Lawson's being cut in 2010 - she was great in China on 2008 and was still playing very good basketball (and is still) but Whalen was a younger option that forced her way onto the team.

 

[RadyLady]

"You’re right. She’s been playing exceptionally well the entire tournament. But when Brittney Griner’s in the building, that’s where all the focus is going to be from everyone. Tonight we kind of had an idea of how physical Australia was going to be with Brittney, and this is her first time through g this. So, I’m not sure she’s had enough experience playing against these kinds of players on a regular basis, and Tina has. So, tonight you saw the experience that Tina has, and she played a lot of minutes, too. She played 31 minutes. Tina’s doing a lot of little things that maybe don’t even show on the boxscore. Some of the little things that she’s doing, whether it’s getting through a screen or making a pass to somebody, tipping the ball, kind of like Nneka (Ogwumike). Sometimes these guys do things that don’t end up big on the stat sheet, but they keep possessions alive, they get big buckets when the other guys are making a run. I’m not surprised, but I couldn’t be happier for Tina."

The question was to Geno, probably about Tina Charles and her performance tonight. I thought she was tremendous, and, despite the box score, I thought that Nneka played exceptionally well, and Geno appears to concur. It makes a difference, watching the game and seeing what players do off the ball and on defense. She got a lot of good minutes, even though she didn't score as some would expect, heck, as we have come to expect at this level. I believe that she has solidified her place on this tea, for 2016.

Brit has some good moments - loved her reverse layup, but as Geno again indicated, this is one of the first times she had to deal with such pressure from post players. They challenged her and took her out of her game a bit. Yet it has been said that she is smart and picks things up fast and she will learn. At the end of the game, you saw Dee having a little chat with her probably about the same thing. Brit will be fine.

Australia is a great team. there is no way that they were going to let USA have a blow-out win. USA won a great, physical game by double digits...and now we are on to the gold medal game - a game that, again, I am going to miss....dammit.

 

[UcMiami]

Rady - nice and I have to say my impression from watching was different - I thought Nneka did not have as good a game as you thought - I wonder if when he watches the tape (because a coaches view is actually pretty crappy) will feel she played quite as well as he obviously did after the game. This is of course against the backdrop of some really great play she has had in this tournament so I am not knocking her game - just that I thought she was not as strong today and made a number of mistakes including watching a wide open drive from a few feet away without making a move to provide help.

 

[easttexastrash]

She's a rookie - she'll learn and do better next time. BG will eventually be a key player for the US but she doesn't need to be just yet. It's all good.

I would consider her stats as qualifying as a key player.

• 1st in blocks
• 1st in FT attempts (although she had a bad game from the FT line against France)
• 1st in FTs made (tied with Nneka)
  
• 2nd in FG % at 67.6% (behind only Sims)
• 2nd in scoring at 12.6 (behind only Maya at 14.8)
• 2nd rebounding (behind only Tina)

 

[UConnCat]

Nneka was the first post player off the bench in the 2nd half, ahead of Dupree who played very little if at all in the 2nd half. Nneka brought great energy and made several hustle plays which Geno obviously loved since she played a lot in the 2nd half. As a USA fan sitting in the stands I was sure glad she was in the game doing her thing.

 

[UConnCat]

Probably. I don't think it was an intentional diss, unless something happened in practice. In checking the number of games played by Bird I realized that she must have been held out of two of 2002 WC games so maybe it is a guard thing?!

Nothing intentional. I think Stewie replaced Tina and my sense at the game was that Geno wanted Tina to get some applause for a job well-done. Tina was terrific and Geno wanted to honor her efforts. Of all the things to be discussed about last night's game I did not expect we'd be talking about Odyssey somehow being dissed because Stewie played 39 secs and Odyssey didn't.

 

[RadyLady]

Rady - nice and I have to say my impression from watching was different - I thought Nneka did not have as good a game as you thought - I wonder if when he watches the tape (because a coaches view is actually pretty crappy) will feel she played quite as well as he obviously did after the game. This is of course against the backdrop of some really great play she has had in this tournament so I am not knocking her game - just that I thought she was not as strong today and made a number of mistakes including watching a wide open drive from a few feet away without making a move to provide help.

Well it's a darn good thing I didn't say she was best ever
Yes I saw that error when she failed to cover her player who went up for that layup but I don't remember that happening all too often in this game. she made a mistake yes, and even the announcers made the observation that Geno was barking at her asking her why she didn't cover that player or why she was out of position. apparently she listened, and played really well the rest of the game.

 

[DavidinNaples]

Gold medal game looks like it will start at 2 pm on ESPN2......

Go Team USA..!!

 

[UcMiami]

I have been annoyed that NBA TV has had the same halftime fill piece each game - the men's WC journey. Kept hoping they might have had some footage of the women at the naval academy. Glad they telecast the games, just was hoping for a little variety. Maybe ESPN has something different?!