When Crystal is On

[JamesinGR]

When Crystal fills up the stat sheet as she did v UCF, the whole team seems to play better. 17 pts, 9 ast and 5 boards are tremendous numbers. If she continues to perform at that level, I have much more confident in this teams’ ability to earn another banner.

 

[MD#12Fan]

Point guard is arguably the most difficult position to play in basketball. It’s not just a position of reflex and instinct. A point guard has to continually think about what they do not only from a personal standpoint but also how their actions affect the team. Is she the best point guard in basketball right now? Ask Kyrie about how hard point guard is. He’s a great scorer but still not a great point guard. You can tell by Geno’s reactions to questions that he really likes her.

 

[MD#12Fan]

I like when they outlet the ball to her in transition. I’m not a big fan of Katie Lou and/or Phees rebounding the ball and dribbling it up. They need to outlet and sprint to fill the lane. Worked with Magic, that’s it. Crystal is phenomenal in the open court. Her passing is sensational.
She’s also the best penetrator on the team, another reason I like the ball in her hands. Is she also the best on the team at creating her own shot?

 

[Carnac]

When Crystal fills up the stat sheet as she did v UCF, the whole team seems to play better. 17 pts, 9 ast and 5 boards are tremendous numbers. If she continues to perform at that level, I have much more confident in this teams’ ability to earn another banner.

When Crystal is on..................................she's unstoppable. She can give an opponent a migraine. She can hurt you with a no-look pass on a fast break or a 3 point dagger between the shoulder blades at the worse possible time.

She’s been unbelievable the last two games. She's on roll and in a groove. Let's hope she stays in whatever "zone" she's in the rest of the season. Would you all agree that Crystal has "settled in?"

 

[HuskylnSC]

The play that Crystal makes that I have not seen many point guards make is the two hander off the bounce from beyond mid court to a cutter that makes a no or one dribble layup. The speed of the ball and accuracy of presentation are incredible for a smaller person. I don't think of a point guard that can make that pass so frequently consistent. Perhaps D did it, but she is 6 feet tall with a 7 foot wing span.

 

[BostonCanuck]

UConn championship teams over the years are literally a showcase of the finest point guards ever to play the women's college game. Sue Bird, Moriah Jefferson, one or two others. Well make room for another, because I believe that Crystal's name will also become cemented in that conversation. So congratulations to this remarkable young woman, because that is the most rarified of air.

 

[EricLA]

One other thing about her that you gotta love is the quote about her hating to come off the court - whether in games OR at practice - was also awesome to hear/read. It's a testament to her mental AND physical strength. As several have pointed out, PG is the hardest position to play, more so for UCONN PG's.

Crystal doesn't HAVE to score 15+ PPG, but the fact that she's a really good 3-point shooter means players have to come out and guard her, and she's so quick that blow-by's happen all the time. Suddenly it's 5 on 4 as someone else needs to guard her and she's terrific at finding the open player. She's just really really really good (as Geno would say - with several "really's" for good measure!!)...

 

[j66kicker]

UConn championship teams over the years are literally a showcase of the finest point guards to ever play the women's college game. Sue Bird, Moriah Jefferson, one or two others. Well make room for another, because I believe that Crystal's name will also become cemented in that conversation. So congratulations to this remarkable young woman, because that is the most rarified of air.

I agree she can play great, but those other PGs you mentioned (plus Jen, Renee, DT [or Maria - whatever], etc.) all won NCs. Let's see Crystal lead us to a national championship before we 'cement' anything.

 

[Gus Mahler]

The play that Crystal makes that I have not seen many point guards make is the two hander off the bounce from beyond mid court to a cutter that makes a no or one dribble layup. The speed of the ball and accuracy of presentation are incredible for a smaller person. I don't think of a point guard that can make that pass so frequently consistent. Perhaps D did it, but she is 6 feet tall with a 7 foot wing span.

I'm with you. I was wondering yesterday whether Crystal is better with the long pass than Moriah. I think she is.

 

[bbballfan23]

Crystal passing the way she has opened up our entire offense. We’ve seen Pheesa take her game to a POY level because of it. Walker playing like an All-Conference player now because of it. Just wait until Lou & CW start hitting again

 

[shinobimono]

I love this thread! In praise of Crystal...yeah, I like that!

 

[FanHam]

I used to think Sue Bird was the best point guard I ever saw. Years later, I thought the same thing about Moriah Jefferson.

I'm not a capricious person, but I now think Crystal is the best I've seen. She operates on a different level. She's an ankle-breaking water bug with the ball, she's an almost NBA-level passer, has a variety of pull-up jumpers and drives and hits threes few others would even attempt.

 

[DeeHusky]

Crystal is one very the best lead guards in the country. The team can go as far as she takes them. I hope she can have some takeover mentatily like Renee did in her junior and senior years. She was an exceptional defender and that jump shot with a defender’s hand in her face was lethal and also could finish very well in traffic.

 

[jaundicedeye]

I used to think Sue Bird was the best point guard I ever saw. Years later, I thought the same thing about Moriah Jefferson.

I'm not a capricious person, but I now think Crystal is the best I've seen. She operates on a different level. She's an ankle-breaking water bug with the ball, she's an almost NBA-level passer, has a variety of pull-up jumpers and drives and hits threes few others would even attempt.

Liking your post for your enthusiasm and effusive praise of Crystal but am not yet in agreement. I will need to wait and see how this year and next year play out. In the meantime I will be cheering for her to finish as the best!

 

[FanFromMaine]

During Crystal’s first year, she was playing with 4 all stars and was not ready for prime time. And even when Saniya left last year, she still was the plus one to the Big Four.

But there was one quarter of one game last year that showed how her style of play could work. With Lou and Gabby both on the sideline against ND at home, Crystal upped the pace with Kia, Z, Megan and Pheese and ran the Irish off the floor. I especially remember her drive down the left of the lane where she drew the defense and lobbed a nice pass to Z for a layup.

This year it seems to me that it has still been a struggle for the team to adjust to Crystal’s pace. But in the last 4 games I’ve noticed a change. She has taken control and the elder players are letting her do so.

Here’s one example:

During the Temple game, Crystal made a zip pass to Olivia in the post. Megan Coumo noted that Gene pulled Crystal over to indicate that Liv isn’t ready yet to make that play. Megan also noted that he is doing this with Crystal because he wants her to be his messenger on the court. Fast forward to the UCF game about midway through the first half. There was a conversation between Crystal and Napheesa after Pheese had tried to make a sinilar pass to Olivia. If my lip reading is accurate, Crystal was telling Pheese that Liv can’t handle that play now.

It has seemed to me and maybe to others as well that this year’s team really has three new starters. And the rocky adjustment to the newcomers has surely been painful to watch. But, as Geno said in today’s Courant, if the team keeps coming together, UConn is going to be well prepared come tournament time.

 

[hoophuskee]

Mostly everything comes down to how well this team can shoot the ball. The inside game can be stopped by very good teams. No matter how well CD passes, if players can't hit shots from 3 at a good level, they won't win 6 in a row. And that goes for CD too. You need games in which you get easy baskets. Against very good teams the only way that's going to happen is if they shoot well enough from the outside.

Heck, even Dt and Bird threw up bricks in 2002 championship game. This team doesn't have the inside game.

 

[hoophuskee]

I used to think Sue Bird was the best point guard I ever saw. Years later, I thought the same thing about Moriah Jefferson.

I'm not a capricious person, but I now think Crystal is the best I've seen. She operates on a different level. She's an ankle-breaking water bug with the ball, she's an almost NBA-level passer, has a variety of pull-up jumpers and drives and hits threes few others would even attempt.

Not for me. She is definitely super exciting but in NCAA tourney needs to take over to win a title or be unstoppable or be player of the year or runner-up etc. She is the most gifted passer in the open court. She doesn't shoot the ball as well as the other 2 thus she has yet to show she is the better scorer.

Her defense isn't that good. It's not bad. But it is not MJ's defense nor does she have SB's offensive precision with shooting. Let's see her get around top 3 in POY.