Where is Piath Gabriel? She transferred to where?

[SVCBeercats]

Where is Piath Gabriel? She transferred to where? Is she still in the transfer portal?

 

[Geew1992]

Hasn't been announced

 

[Bone Dog]

UConn has no further obligation to Piath. If she doesn't get picked up somewhere else,
--she could continue as a student at UConn without a scholarship,
--or she could persuade Geno to take her back as a walk-on without scholarship,
--or she might persuade him to take her back as a scholarship athlete.

Anything is possible, but not everything is equally likely.

 

[oldude]

As I said in another thread, while Piath is something of a project, there are lots of programs around the country that would welcome a 6’5” player who works hard and runs the court. The fact that we have heard nothing about Piath since her decision to enter the transfer portal leads me to believe there is something else going on here.

 

[Stymie]

I believe that with her physical attributes as well as her familiarity with the UCONN program, she has value to the team by staying.
We have a short bench as it is, and unless there are academic factors of which we are unaware-bring her back.
JMHO

 

[oldude]

I believe that with her physical attributes as well as her familiarity with the UCONN program, she has value to the team by staying.
We have a short bench as it is, and unless there are academic factors of which we are unaware-bring her back.
JMHO

I think that ship has sailed.

 

[eebmg]

I think that ship has sailed.

I thought that was reserved for Saylor.

 

[Lawrence]

Wherever she is, I want the best for her. Best of luck Piath.

 

[Centerstream]

I believe that with her physical attributes as well as her familiarity with the UCONN program, she has value to the team by staying.
We have a short bench as it is, and unless there are academic factors of which we are unaware-bring her back.
JMHO

Playing the devil's advocate here...why would a team bring back any player that has decided to leave your program, no matter the reason for her departure? We don't know the reason for her transfer but I would question her commitment to the school, team and fans if she returned.
I am expecting someone to post some scenarios where players entered the portal but ended up returning to their school but I would still have the same question.
And this is not anything negative towards Piath, I would have the same question for anyone who entered the portal...

 

[Blakeon18]

Geno and the team might want her back due to the positives she has brought to the team the past 2 years.
My sense is she was an excellent teammate bringing energy to the team's performances [granted from the bench].
She seemed very popular with her teammates. I would think Geno would certainly understand Piath wanting to play more...and she might well think that another school would provide that opportunity. Was he disappointed to hear she wished to go elsewhere [if she found the right spot?]. Was he happy to see her leave? I do not know.

Would he have a heart-to-heart talk with her about returning? I would assume 'yes'. Of course we know that he was delighted to welcome Dorka and Lou to our team....probably after heart-to-hearts with them. Did he think less of them for their 'possible' lack of committment to their old schools? Doubt it.

Wherever she winds up...some 'there' place...'here'...best of luck to her.

 

[oldude]

Geno and the team might want her back due to the positives she has brought to the team the past 2 years.
My sense is she was an excellent teammate bringing energy to the team's performances [granted from the bench].
She seemed very popular with her teammates. I would think Geno would certainly understand Piath wanting to play more...and she might well think that another school would provide that opportunity. Was he disappointed to hear she wished to go elsewhere [if she found the right spot?]. Was he happy to see her leave? I do not know.

Would he have a heart-to-heart talk with her about returning? I would assume 'yes'. Of course we know that he was delighted to welcome Dorka and Lou to our team....probably after heart-to-hearts with them. Did he think less of them for their 'possible' lack of committment to their old schools? Doubt it.

Wherever she winds up...some 'there' place...'here'...best of luck to her.

Considering that everyone except Ice, playing in the U18 tournament in Argentina, is on campus taking classes, working out and practicing with the team, it really is highly improbable that Piath has any opportunity to return to the team.

 

[Tonyc]

UConn has a bunch of highly ranked players who are going to play. Piath is a project and if she stayed or comes back to UConn her playtime will be very limited. Just being 6'5 will find her a place to play perhaps a DII program or a lower D1 program. UConn is loaded with talent and IMO the top talent will play minutes. I recall over the past few seasons there were teams with several kids over 6'4 and they didnt see many minutes which resulted in transferring. There is a commitment by players as well as coaches to top players.

 

[Zinethar]

It is also possible that there was reasons unknown to us why Piath was not coming back that had nothing to do with her dissatisfaction with the program. UConn just might not have been the perfect fit. I certainly hope she gets a chance to play elsewhere in her future.

 

[EricLA]

I never thought Piath's decision to leave had anything to do with a "poor" fit - like some players who were not great with effort or camaraderie, or wanting/being able to play team UCONN basketball. I didn't get any inkling that she was exiting on bad terms at all, either with her teammates or coach.

I don't blame her for wanting more PT. A lower level D1 program, or DII program would be perfect for her. I'm not sure why it's taking her so long (there were issues with her grades IIRC - maybe that's the bugaboo now) - but there are still lots of players in the portal who have not found new homes yet. I don't expect her back - there are no reports she's on campus, BUT I hope that if she did come back and say "I changed my mind", I would hope she'd be welcomed back with open arms. By all accounts she was a great teammate and supporter from the bench.

Anyway, there is so much talent on the team in the post - we've been able to see Ice doing all kinds of great things for Team USA (yeah it's against average and smaller competition, but still, she has to perform), and I think we are all hopeful that Amari has an impressive sophomore leap. Add in Ayanna, and then Dorka/Liya, and there is/was no place for Piath except for the very end of the bench.

I will be rooting for her big time, tho. She's one of my favorite players who has left the program - a great kid, great teammate, and easy to root for. Once and forever a Husky! Go get 'em Piath!

 

[HopJim]

We don't know why Paith left. Could be playing time related or not. Just hope she gets connected with a program that supports both her basketball and professional goals.

 

[Carnac]

UConn has a bunch of highly ranked players who are going to play. Piath is a project and if she stayed or comes back to UConn her playtime will be very limited. Just being 6'5 will find her a place to play perhaps a DII program or a lower D1 program. UConn is loaded with talent and IMO the top talent will play minutes. I recall over the past few seasons there were teams with several kids over 6'4 and they didnt see many minutes which resulted in transferring. There is a commitment by players as well as coaches to top players.

Oregon State was one of those schools. They had 4 players 6'6" and taller with various degrees of skills on their 2019-2020 roster (Sebrina Ionescu's senior year). Most of them saw little to no playing time and subsequently transferred. Head coach Scott Rueck could only put one of them on the floor at a time.

 

[CL82]

Where’s Piath?

I was half expecting to see one of these:

 

[Carnac]

UConn has a bunch of highly ranked players who are going to play. Piath is a project and if she stayed or comes back to UConn her playtime will be very limited. Just being 6'5 will find her a place to play perhaps a DII program or a lower D1 program. UConn is loaded with talent and IMO the top talent will play minutes. I recall over the past few seasons there were teams with several kids over 6'4 and they didnt see many minutes which resulted in transferring. There is a commitment by players as well as coaches to top players.

With only 11 players on roster, this year's team has no room for projects or cheerleaders. All 11 players will be called on and counted on to play and contribute something in every game this season.

I can't put my finger on it, but I have a feeling that the Brady/Patterson era will be a good one for us. Both players have a little "Pitbull" in them. I like that. They're self motivated and don't need to be prodded.

They appear to be cut from the same cloth as NaLyssa Smith, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Rhyne Howard, Ari McDonald, Allisha Gray, Kaliah Copper, Courtney Williams, and Nneka Ogwumike. These players have a high motor, play hard ALL THE TIME, and need no external motivation. Just give them the ball and get out of their way.

 

[Carnac]

I never thought Piath's decision to leave had anything to do with a "poor" fit - like some players who were not great with effort or camaraderie, or wanting/being able to play team UCONN basketball. I didn't get any inkling that she was exiting on bad terms at all, either with her teammates or coach.

I don't blame her for wanting more PT. A lower level D1 program, or DII program would be perfect for her. I'm not sure why it's taking her so long (there were issues with her grades IIRC - maybe that's the bugaboo now) - but there are still lots of players in the portal who have not found new homes yet. I don't expect her back - there are no reports she's on campus, BUT I hope that if she did come back and say "I changed my mind", I would hope she'd be welcomed back with open arms. By all accounts she was a great teammate and supporter from the bench.

Anyway, there is so much talent on the team in the post - we've been able to see Ice doing all kinds of great things for Team USA (yeah it's against average and smaller competition, but still, she has to perform), and I think we are all hopeful that Amari has an impressive sophomore leap. Add in Ayanna, and then Dorka/Liya, and there is/was no place for Piath except for the very end of the bench.

I will be rooting for her big time, tho. She's one of my favorite players who has left the program - a great kid, great teammate, and easy to root for. Once and forever a Husky! Go get 'em Piath!

Eric, I agree 1000% with this post. You mentioned EVERYTHING about Piath I was thinking. Regardless of her skillset or promise, she wants to play!!! That was not going to happen at UConn. She spent 2 years at UConn she won't get back.

 

[Goodgood]

Eric, I agree 1000% with this post. You mentioned EVERYTHING about Piath I was thinking. Regardless of her skillset or promise, she wants to play!!! That was not going to happen at UConn. She spent 2 years at UConn she won't get back.

Why? She probably learned more in her 2 years at UConn than anywhere else. She might not get to play as much as she'd like to but she certainly got a great view all year. She will eventually enroll somewhere and be happy. She is not ready for high level D1 or she wouldn't still be in the portal...

 

[Geew1992]

Eric, I agree 1000% with this post. You mentioned EVERYTHING about Piath I was thinking. Regardless of her skillset or promise, she wants to play!!! That was not going to happen at UConn. She spent 2 years at UConn she won't get back.

Pretty sure she can play for 3 more years

 

[jchusky]

she has bigger issues than playing, academically this season she was not allowed to travel or play due to academics. That's why I thought Kentucky would be an option, also where Wayne played.

 

[Carnac]

Pretty sure she can play for 3 more years

That's right. Lou Lopez-Senechal is....... playing for 5 years.

 

[Carnac]

Why? She probably learned more in her 2 years at UConn than anywhere else. She might not get to play as much as she'd like to but she certainly got a great view all year. She will eventually enroll somewhere and be happy. She is not ready for high level D1 or she wouldn't still be in the portal...

No argument Goodgood, but you can learn and play at the same time. I don't believe she was happy or content watching other players play while she was seldom ever able to get in, even in some blowouts. I steadfastly maintain that players want to play.

They (her and Mir) practiced hard everyday and made all of the sacrifices that the other players did. Sitting on the end of the bench gets old after awhile. What’s the glory, notoriety or satisfaction of playing for UConn if you can’t get off the bench? If they were happy, they would still be there.

If I’m a coach, I don't want any player that is satisfied sitting on the bench. I’m happy for Mir in that she was able to find a better fit and play right away. I hope Piath does also. Everybody eats.

 

[caseyb7]

she has bigger issues than playing, academically this season she was not allowed to travel or play due to academics. That's why I thought Kentucky would be an option, also where Wayne played.

I too had understood her issue to be academic eligibility.

If so, can someone in the know elaborate on what that means and if/how it can be remedied?

For example if it is grade point, can she retake a course over the summer and substitute the - hopefully - higher grade to raise her GPA to a satisfactory level?

If it is minimum number of completed credits per term - that might be harder, but again would summer school potentially bring her back into compliance?

Or - has this violated her scholarship guidelines and is she toast?