We Have Until Saturday For Our Next Game- What Do We Need To Work On? | Page 3 | The Boneyard

We Have Until Saturday For Our Next Game- What Do We Need To Work On?

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1. Play Nika off the ball as the shooting guard. She can also drive from this position as she is likely one on one to look for a pull-up shot or rim finish. We need double figures from her position every game and she can provide it.

2. More picks for our shooters. They are being forced to create too much offence on their own.

3. Continue to develop our post up game. Paige and Nika did this with great success in the NC game. Paige can often switch her defensive player, so she is against a smaller opponent.

4. Coaches need to keep the game simple for a while longer.

5. Encourage KK and Shade to penetrate. Both have great offensive abilities and are lock-down defenders. Play through mistakes.

6. Call fewer plays from the bench. Few players can match the game sense that Paige has on the court.
 
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I know this is a little off topic but figured this was a good thread to ask a question.
I'm thinking of getting a ticket to the game on Saturday. Where do people park? I'll be driving alone and would like an easy off/easy back on the highway spot. Thanks.
 

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Get off the Trumbull St exit and head up to the Civic Center. At the top of the hill make a left and on the left right after the light is a parking lot. The parking lot is on a corner before City Steam Bar. Park there and when you leave use the left exit if your facing the lot and make a right and a block down is I-91. The Civic Center is across and down the street.
 
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It appears that every game, the opposition has its best 3 point shooting of the year. Since every game so far we have recommended changes to the defense that have not worked, I am suggesting voodoo dolls and witchcraft!;)
 
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Get off the Trumbull St exit and head up to the Civic Center. At the top of the hill make a left and on the left right after the light is a parking lot. The parking lot is on a corner before City Steam Bar. Park there and when you leave use the left exit if your facing the lot and make a right and a block down is I-91. The Civic Center is across and down the street.
Will this work for 84 as well? I don't use 91.
 
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I wish I could agree with this but I can't. First off, there isn't one player in Div 1 that doesn’t have abilities. And more importantly, every player on the UCONN team has passing abilities.

Anyhow, she’s a reckless passer that doesn't see the floor well which is why .she has 30 assists vs 42 turnovers.

As far as UCONN's opponents playing her tight they are trying to pressure for a turnover. Tell me, with the number of turnovers she has had, why wouldn't some teams try to pressure her to force more turnover’s? If you were a defensive coach you wouldn’t pressure a player that has such a poor pass to assist number?

And if she has such a good shot as you claim, and she is being guarded by Ice can you explain why in Practices she hasn't been able to outplay her? After all, she is 6'6. But I don't believe they guard her that tough at all from the outside. Because why should they? Of the other 9 players on the team - 8 of them shoot better than her. Maybe you argue she shoots better than Ice. But if she among the worst on the team shooting the ball, then why would you want her taking 15 footers? Her fg numbers are that she is 33-87 from the floor (37.9%) while being 6'6. And she is 8-31 from 3. That's 25.8%. So if she can't shoot well vs Ice in practice. And if she can't shoot well whenever she does get minutes, why would you want her taking 15 footers? In fact she has shown that even when she shoots free throws she is bad - she is 9-18 at 50%. IS this another fault of Geno that Amari can't hit free throws?

There is just too much to have to ignore, - and at the expense of other players that are better than her. The better player’s deserve the opportunity.
She has a better assist-turnover ratio than Caroline, who in my opinion is a turnover machine. However what the statistics don't tell us is the nature of those TOs. Were they bad passes, traveling violations, etc? My point is if the team could use and make better use of high post action it's better to have someone with size in that spot rather than a 5'10" guard.

I also think Paige should be used more off the ball than at the point. Nika set assists records last year, is she suddenly incapable of delivering the ball to people? I don't think so. Paige should move to an Alex Karaban/Rip Hamilton/Ray Allen type position. I know this will be a controversial opinion on the board. Everyone wants the ball in Paige's hands but look at the last game, she had one assist while Nika had 6 and Ashlyn 5.
 
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1. Play Nika off the ball as the shooting guard. She can also drive from this position as she is likely one on one to look for a pull-up shot or rim finish. We need double figures from her position every game and she can provide it.

2. More picks for our shooters. They are being forced to create too much offence on their own.

3. Continue to develop our post up game. Paige and Nika did this with great success in the NC game. Paige can often switch her defensive player, so she is against a smaller opponent.

4. Coaches need to keep the game simple for a while longer.

5. Encourage KK and Shade to penetrate. Both have great offensive abilities and are lock-down defenders. Play through mistakes.

6. Call fewer plays from the bench. Few players can match the game sense that Paige has on the court.
#6. Drives me crazy that the guards are slow walking up the court looking for instructions. Either you covered it in practice or you didn’t. If you need a timeout to explain something, take it. Otherwise, just let them figure it out, just like practices are famous for.
 
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She has a better assist-turnover ratio than Caroline, who in my opinion is a turnover machine. However what the statistics don't tell us is the nature of those TOs. Were they bad passes, traveling violations, etc? My point is if the team could use and make better use of high post action it's better to have someone with size in that spot rather than a 5'10" guard.

I also think Paige should be used more off the ball than at the point. Nika set assists records last year, is she suddenly incapable of delivering the ball to people? I don't think so. Paige should move to an Alex Karaban/Rip Hamilton/Ray Allen type position. I know this will be a controversial opinion on the board. Everyone wants the ball in Paige's hands but look at the last game, she had one assist while Nika had 6 and Ashlyn 5.
1--- In regard to Caroline's assist to turnover ratio - yes Amari has a better numbers but it doesn't mean that Amari’s assist to turnover numbers aren't poor too.

2--- While Amaris a/t ratio is a bit better but we have to look at shooting numbers too, in which Caroline's shooting numbers across the board are far superior to Amari.
3-- Why does UCONN have to run high-low much? Amaris number’s across the board are terrible. So, who says UCONN needs to run a high-low that much? Why would you want to give a terrible shooter and a terrible passer an opportunity that she could possibly impact the offense (and the game) in a very negative way with impact type of responsibilities? Is it because she is "tall?"
4-- When you say "the nature of the TO's; that is relevant for players that handle the ball a lot that are known to be good passers but have to force the Offense or the Offense needs to be pushed/forced for a scorer that needs to force things. None of this is true with Amari. There is no reason overall to focus on "the nature of her turnovers" when we show data that identifies two plus years of poor data. Yet she shows to be reckless without the scoring attributes that someone like Ducharme possessed.

It seems like you are
1-- Wanting to disregard what the greatest coach ever in WCBB sees. (Which is fine in of itself).
2-- Disregard what overall the Asst Coaches must see. (Which is fine in of itself).
3-- Disregard what must be happening in Practices because if Amari is as good as you suggest then she would know she is better than Ice. If she had all these things you say it would have been showed head-to-head. Does she look like someone that is demanding to be put in if she were beating Ice in Practices then wouldn't it be obvious to the combo of Geno and the coaches and even the players that she needs to play? If she was as good as you suggest then she would have showed something in regard to this and we could call it "she demands to be played." Does it ever look like that she "demands" anything? Yet you're asking to ignore this ((Which is fine in of itself).
4-- Disregard the poor fg% plus disregard the poor 3pt % yet somehow keep claiming she can shoot. (Which is fine in of itself).
5-- Disregard the poor FT% and yet still claim she is a pretty good shooter. (Which is fine in of itself).
6--- Disregard what Iowa did last year in regard to high-low. How much High-Low did they do? So have some high-low with Ice (if she is better than Ice - sure play Amari) - but why so focused on high-low rather than playing your best? It's almost as if you are wanting to see the coach force his team to play to a system rather than play his best players. (Which is fine in of itself but imagine if he was playing to more of a system the criticism he would receive as well?).
7-- Disregard her passivity on Defense all because she would block an occasional shot now and then. (Which is fine in of itself).

With all this accumulation - you're asking too much to be ignored just on your personal "belief." This is all just too much to really believe that Amari is what you say while playing her would take time away from the better players that need as much time as they can get not only for themselves but learning to play with another.
 
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Louisville is big and mature. They start:

Olivia Cochran 6’3” (who looks very confident these days)
Nyla Harris 6’3”
Kiki Jefferson 6’1”
Nina Richard’s 5’9”
Sydney Taylor 5’9”

That’s 3 seniors a grad student and a sophomore

And they rotate in:

Eylia Love 6’1”
Merrisah Russell 6’1”
both seniors and

Jayda Curry 5’6 (a junior transfer)
And 6’5” Elif Istanbulogliu a freshman

All this means they often have a lineup on the floor all taller than 6’0” without giving up any experience. Or they can put a small speedy team out there also very experienced. What they aren’t is a great shooting team and they can suffer defensive lapses. But they can also play very tough.

My question is if we can keep our cool and play them tough. I know Paige Nika and Aaliyah can. Aubrey usually can. I suspect KK and Ashlynn can too. The question for me is if Ice and Qadence are ready for this sort of game yet. If they’re not, this means it will be that much easier for Louisville to rough up Paige. I don’t doubt Paige can beat them single-handedly. But how many of these games does she need?
 
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Jump. I don't see too many female players jump. Paige is the only one who consistently jumps on the team. The reason how she got 4 blocks. Most of the times everyone else is flat footed.

As others, box out. More so, box your opponent out wherever they are, outside, inside, etc. Find a body, put your backside to them, and move them out. Boxing out in the paint isn't going to work if you're 6' and your opponent is 6'5" with long arms, and you don't JUMP. (See the above.)
Hear what you’re saying about jumping, but the old adage “the bigger they are the harder they fall” applies here. Paige is lean and wiry, she falls after some blocks but gets right back up and maybe she has a couple bruises the next day but that’s it, a bigger player like Ice, Aubrey, or Edwards might not get back up and could be seriously injured. Completely agree with boxing out, but a big heavy kid jumping to make a flying block might not be advisable in certain cases.
 
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I think Amari has shown time and time again through her performance in games, which is all we see, that she can't be or is unwilling to be"coached up". I can't imagine that significant time wasn't spent with her by Jamelle and others trying to get her to a place where she could be a regular contributor. It is not always the fault of a coach if a player does not develop. The light simply hasn't gone on for her and I don't know if it ever will. We would all love that not to be the case,

You have to win the game and to do that you have to play your best players. Against an inferior team with a very large lead, I have no problems with PT for her, even extended minutes. Against a pressing UNC team that already came back from 11 in the first half to tie it, not so much, in fact, not at all.
Well I'm not speaking to 20 minutes a game and I'm not talking long extended periods of time on the court either.

Again we are talking small sampled size for our critique. There is no way my UCONN faithful are telling me they don't notice other programs using their big bodies up and down the bench. What part of Geno's coaching, has said Amari we believe in you this is your role for this team?
Watching the UCLA game with Amari on the court, the complexion of the game changed without her getting a rebound assist or a basket. That resulted into no minutes in the second half. It's about a presence and resting the ones you need down the stretch.
Geno should be pass the "it's about wins approach". This team should be about steps. Steps needed to win big games and not make excuses as to why they don't win. Reliance on small ball and lack of maturation for the post game is evident and it's caught up to the program. Baylor SC ND should be healthy reminders of how long we struggled with post the last 8 years.
 
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She needs to move rather than stand on one spot and wait for the ball. She’s a smart player, I have no doubt that problem will disappear by the end of the regular season
Geno wouldn't be playing her if she wasn't doing what she is instructed to do. When she is in the corner, it does open the lane for others to drive.

But I do hear what you're saying about on court movement.

Geno and staff will figure out how to get the best out of each student athlete. I have no doubt.
 
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Well I'm not speaking to 20 minutes a game and I'm not talking long extended periods of time on the court either.

Again we are talking small sampled size for our critique. There is no way my UCONN faithful are telling me they don't notice other programs using their big bodies up and down the bench. What part of Geno's coaching, has said Amari we believe in you this is your role for this team?
Watching the UCLA game with Amari on the court, the complexion of the game changed without her getting a rebound assist or a basket. That resulted into no minutes in the second half. It's about a presence and resting the ones you need down the stretch.
Geno should be pass the "it's about wins approach". This team should be about steps. Steps needed to win big games and not make excuses as to why they don't win. Reliance on small ball and lack of maturation for the post game is evident and it's caught up to the program. Baylor SC ND should be healthy reminders of how long we struggled with post the last 8 years.
In 24 minutes of total playing time she has 5 turnovers, 5 fouls, and 2 rebounds at 6'6". We all want her to be a solid contributor and really could use that but she hasn't been. Geno is big on "as you practice, so you will play" and apparently she doesn't pass that test. Everyone thinks it is all about her not playing. It isn't . It's simply about the way she plays.
 
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We have a stretch of 3 games coming up in a span of 5 days after this mini break. We need rest but we also are going to be working on several areas, to be sure, in our game. What do you think they will be? Here are mine:

1) Syncopation between Nika and the freshmen in passes. Always look for the ball and don't pass it unless there are eyes your way and it is not being forced.

2) Boxing out by everyone.

3) Switching by everyone on defense especially by the freshmen.

4) Movement in the half court offense.

5) Beating a full court or 3/4 court press.

These are my top team areas. What are yours for the team and/or individual players?

We need to get bigger !!!!!!!
 
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There is no way my UCONN faithful are telling me they don't notice other programs using their big bodies up and down the bench. What part of Geno's coaching, has said Amari we believe in you this is your role for this team?
1--- Last year Iowa beat The Big Tree team and they were't big. All the UCONN faithful know this.
2-- As far as we believe in you-- this isn't pre-grammar school in which everyone gets hugs and trophies.
 
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