USA wins gold, plays lousy basketball...

[eebmg]

Here are Dawn's post game quote regarding strategy


We got off to a slow start. I thought we were forcing things a little bit. We played at Canada’s pace. Once we turned up our defense, got into transition and got some easy buckets, I thought we got into a better flow. So, we stopped trying to run sets and we just ran our transition stuff, where we got really good ball movement, really good shots. They didn’t all fall, but we created enough separation with our defense that it helped us win the game.

I interpret transition stuff to be. Run like the athletes you are?

 

[Carnac]

What boggles my brain, easy bobbled, is that USA citizen born as such Puerto Ricans, get to play as a separate nation. How come?
Oh, well, anytime Olivia/Liv/Olivia Nelson Ododa is my darling player for the year--more I hope. The kind of games play great, good, or poor is great for Olivia and Geno and Uconn. She is learning by leaps and bounds which only proves a very intelligent player will choose Uconn--they don't all go to Stanford. Wish CW had the same opportunity!..

Don't worry or be concerned about Christyn, she'll be fine. She played a lot of USA basketball this summer in 3-4 different places around the world. She's learned to play with other players of equal skill and ability against other world class competition, she'll be fine.

I'm going to borrow a phrase from Kia Nurse's dad here: for the next 3 years, Christyn is going to be "a nasty piece of business" to the rest of WCBB. She's well on her way. She wants to be great. She's nice and "cutesy" off the court and during media interviews. On the court, she's all business. I also believe that before she graduates, as she said this time last year, "people are going to feel UConn".

 

[Carnac]

If you will recall the final game of 2019 (so far) Olivia was a beast against 2 top experience, seniors players. Except for Frosh like fouls she was a beast and ND's bigs respected her abilities on defense. She was NOT playing against chopped liver few posts were more capable/experienced. Have no fear, ONO may be outsized but not out played or intelligenced

A year removed and a season under her belt along with the experience she gained with the USA team and the older players (who tutored her), I think the only resemblance she'll have to the ONO we saw last year is the same uniform number 20, and that smile. She's not a freshman anymore. She won't play like one. She starts the season with experience and understanding of the team plays, concepts and placement responsibilities (being where she's suppose to be on both ends of the court at any given time) she didn't have last year.

She'll also take the floor with a world of confidence she didn't have last year. I expect her to really settle down after the holiday break (9 games). She'll really get comfortable and mesh with the other starters during conference play.

I seriously look for her average a double-double this year, and the remainder of her time in UConn. She will get starter's minutes now. Liv can grab 10 rebounds in a half, let alone a game. We know she can get 5 points in each half, especially if they look for her on the low post block every once in awhile. Oh yeah, If you can't tell, I'm a BIG ONO fan too.

 

[Centerstream]

A year removed and a season under her belt along with the experience she gained with the USA team and the older players (who tutored her), I think the only resemblance she'll have to the ONO we saw last year is the same uniform and number 20. She's not a freshman anymore. She won't play like one. She starts the season with experience and understanding of the team plays and concepts she didn't have last year.

She'll also take the floor with a world of confidence she didn't have last year. I expect her to really settle down after the holiday break (9 games). She'll really get comfortable and mesh with the other starters during conference play.

I seriously look for her average a double-double this year, and the remainder of her time in UConn. She will get starter's minutes now. Liv can grab 10 rebounds in a half, let alone a game. We know she can get 5 points in each half, especially if they look for her on the low post block every once in awhile. Oh yeah, If you can't tell, I'm a BIG ONO fan too.

Certainly hope you are right. I think she could have been a force last year if she didn't have the foul trouble that she seemed to have. I believe that she was the victim of the "I think she committed a foul so I am going to blow my whistle" syndrome. Some calls were justified but I think some were not.

 

[oldude]

Certainly hope you are right. I think she could have been a force last year if she didn't have the foul trouble that she seemed to have. I believe that she was the victim of the "I think she committed a foul so I am going to blow my whistle" syndrome. Some calls were justified but I think some were not.

Actually, last year Liv really did foul a lot initially because she didn’t move her feet and she swung down when attempting to block shots. As the season went along, working with CD, Liv significantly improved her footwork as well as her body position and shot blocking technique. In the last 3rd of the season, Liv became a much better defender without fouling excessively. This year I expect Liv to be a defensive force.

 

[Carnac]

Actually, last year Liv really did foul a lot initially because she didn’t move her feet and she swung down when attempting to block shots. As the season went along, working with CD, Liv significantly improved her footwork as well as her body position and shot blocking technique. In the last 3rd of the season, Liv became a much better defender without fouling excessively. This year I expect Liv to be a defensive force.

That action is called "fly swatting". She MUST unlearn that technique. The best shot blocking technique is to time your jump so that your hand is where the ball will be when it leaves the opponent's hand, NOT while it's still in her hand. The only thing should move is the wrist. The arm stays straight. This way, if you miss the shot, you don't foul the shooter.

When I played, my coach used to instruct me to fly swat (goal tend) the first shot/lay up that was taken by the other team under or near the basket into the stands to let the other team know what they were dealing with that night.

No one likes getting their shot blocked, especially guards. Most of the trash talk I got while playing was from guards. Even though we both knew neither one of us could guard the other.

Psychological warfare. That block into the stands (for effect) gave them something to think about when they thought about driving the lane. I was a rim protector. Even if they beat their man, they still had to deal with me, especially if we were in zone defense. I always timed my jump and extended my hand to where the ball would be AFTER it left their hand. I seldom fouled out once I mastered that technique. If she can do that, she'll be fine.

 

[oldude]

When I played, my coach used to instruct me to fly swat (goal tend) the first shot/lay up that was taken by the other team under or near the basket into the stands to let the other team know what they were dealing with that night.

I never could jump high enough to goal tend....

 

[DaBball]

If you will recall the final game of 2019 (so far) Olivia was a beast against 2 top experience, seniors players. Except for Frosh like fouls she was a beast and ND's bigs respected her abilities on defense. She was NOT playing against chopped liver few posts were more capable/experienced. Have no fear, ONO may be outsized but not out played or intelligenced

She had 4 points and 5 rebounds. Shepard had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Turner had 15 points and 15 rebounds. Sorry to toot your horn, but that isn’t the stat line of a “beast.” She played very well though.

 

[ochoopsfan]

She had 4 points and 5 rebounds. Shepard had 20 points and 13 rebounds and Turner had 15 points and 15 rebounds. Sorry to toot your horn, but that isn’t the stat line of a “beast.” She played very well though.

During the time Liv was in the Semi Final vs ND, approx 15 minutes, Shephard and Turner had a combined one field goal,( by Shepherd) Turner had 4 FGM and Shepherd had 9 FGM when Liv wasnt in the game. Is that a beast mode on defense?, maybe,

 

[Carnac]

During the time Liv was in the Semi Final vs ND, approx 15 minutes, Shephard and Turner had a combined one field goal,( by Shepherd) Turner had 4 FGM and Shepherd had 9 FGM when Liv wasnt in the game. Is that a beast mode on defense?, maybe,

Liv will still be one of the younger players on the floor. Dangerfield and Walker will constantly be talking to her and encouraging her to get after it and make plays. Liv will have to find and define her own identity. No one can do that for her. Maybe she can adopt a “beast mode” persona during games, maybe not. We’ll see.

I’m guessing she find out once practice begins. If she can dominate there, she can do it in games. She’s already shown that she has the physical ability, she just needs the confidence.

That is what she’ll be doing those first 9 games before the holiday break. Learning what she can and cannot do. What works for her and what doesn’t. I say again, she’ll be fine.

 

[willtalk]

I think the fact that she was still growing works in her favor. Players usually do not develop strength until they reach their full height. Some players mature physically earlier than others. If they mature later it means they still have a lot of physical upside left.

 

[Carnac]

I think the fact that she was still growing works in her favor. Players usually do not develop strength until they reach their full height. Some players mature physically earlier than others. If they mature later it means they still have a lot of physical upside left.

Good point. Liv turned 19 last month (Aug 19). She should be done growing.