Who is in next year's "Big 3?"

[Blond D.]

for all we know we could have a big 4. Azzi, Sarah, Ashlynn and KK if the last two's trajectory keeps going up like it did this year.

 

[From France]

Please don't get me wrong. I hope she is incredible.

I was just pushing back on some expectations that she a likely candidate to be the #3 scorer next year (at the D1 NCAA level -- that is why I've made that comparison) and trying to be fair to her. The Serie 1 Italian league is a "minor league" division of the Italian league (think AA if you know baseball or below the G league in the NBA --> which is effectively the NCAA) and the Italian league is not one of the top five women's professional leagues. She has played only an average of 25 games per year in this league. As I previously mentioned, she has averaged approx. 10 points/4 rebounds/1.5 assists/2.5 steals. I'm not trying to diminish her experience or ultimate potential. Just saying that some of the super-high expectations for her next year don't seem appropriate or fair.

I'm not gloomy and doomy about UConn's prospects. I think they have the best player of all time on the roster and I'd love them to be able to exploit it like the previous best player period (i.e., Breanna Stewart). To do that next year, I think they realistically need someone like a Serah Williams (big/scorer/rebounds/defense) and at least a combo guard that can help distribute the ball and hit the outside shot consistently (Kneepkins?). Our toughest competition just seems to be getting bigger and bigger and we can't expect Sarah do everything (and I think expectations for Jana are unfairly high too).

Wrong, serie A1 is the top league in Italy and Blanca played there since she was 14 (2020-21)

Then, Italy's Serie A1 is one of the top leagues in Europe. Turkey is #1 far above Spain, the you have a group including France, Italy and Czech leagues. Before the war in Ukraine, Russia was above Turkey, but the rest rankings was as it is now.

Seems like there are missed informations on Europe Basketball from your side of the world ....

 

[Bald Husky]

I read somewhere that Serah Williams is down to a top 3:
UConn, UNC, and LSU.

 

[oldude]

I read somewhere that Serah Williams is down to a top 3:
UConn, UNC, and LSU.

If her decision comes down to winning a championship and developing as a pro-ready player, there is only one choice among these 3 teams.

 

[MHD789]

Fair enough, but for the hidden agenda of claiming that a team that just marched to an NC without a big time post player suddenly needs one. We’ve heard this chorus all season long, and here it is again.

Similarly, your reservations about Blanca are reasonable enough. She may not pan out. The same could have been said, and often was, about Sarah last summer and fall. This notion that we need to be fair to Blanca by avoiding expressing any optimism about her prospects really sounds like a stalking horse for the hidden agenda.

No one’s opinion here has any influence on events outside this little forum. We have a long summer ahead of us. Speculating about the great things our favorite team could achieve is one of the few outlets we have.

If you think Geno needs transfers to keep up with the teams he just dominated, that’s fine. I have no objection to hearing this view even if I think it’s mistaken. I certainly won’t criticize a new recruit as cover for my views.

All's good.

Not sure I understand the "hidden agenda" references. All my opinions are in the context of losing the best player in the country and her ripple effect of making all the players around her better (and also I believe Chen similarly made everyone better -- prior year Ivy league player of the year?). And in the context of beating the top teams in the country -- the highest bar. Yes, we just dominated the best teams but that was with Page & Kaitlyn. Standing effectively pat in the context of these player losses just doesn't seem to be the best strategy while other teams are seeking impactful transfers.

I suspect we will see what Geno's thinking within the next couple of weeks!

 

[hookshot]

If her decision comes down to winning a championship and developing as a pro-ready player, there is only one choice among these 3 teams.

I can see where LSU might get a sniff (Money and Mulkey) but heavens-to-Betsy , she is a Brooklyn girl who headed North (Toronto) for HS and Mid-West for college, its time to come home to the Northeast.

 

[oldude]

I can see where LSU might get a sniff (Money and Mulkey) but heavens-to-Betsy , she is a Brooklyn girl who headed North (Toronto) for HS and Mid-West for college, its time to come home to the Northeast.

The most intriguing aspect to me is the Marisa Moseley connection. All indications are that Williams was close to Marisa, and her departure from WI coincided with Marisa leaving. Marisa spent 8 seasons with Geno who was instrumental in getting her the head job at BU, and will probably do everything he can to help Marisa line up her next coaching job, assuming she plans to continue as a coach.

 

[Molisanos]

Please don't get me wrong. I hope she is incredible.

I was just pushing back on some expectations that she a likely candidate to be the #3 scorer next year (at the D1 NCAA level -- that is why I've made that comparison) and trying to be fair to her. The Serie 1 Italian league is a "minor league" division of the Italian league (think AA if you know baseball or below the G league in the NBA --> which is effectively the NCAA) and the Italian league is not one of the top five women's professional leagues. She has played only an average of 25 games per year in this league. As I previously mentioned, she has averaged approx. 10 points/4 rebounds/1.5 assists/2.5 steals. I'm not trying to diminish her experience or ultimate potential. Just saying that some of the super-high expectations for her next year don't seem appropriate or fair.

I'm not gloomy and doomy about UConn's prospects. I think they have the best player of all time on the roster and I'd love them to be able to exploit it like the previous best player period (i.e., Breanna Stewart). To do that next year, I think they realistically need someone like a Serah Williams (big/scorer/rebounds/defense) and at least a combo guard that can help distribute the ball and hit the outside shot consistently (Kneepkins?). Our toughest competition just seems to be getting bigger and bigger and we can't expect Sarah do everything (and I think expectations for Jana are unfairly high too).

You're a guy that knows things of International basketball...

 

[Cuango]

Well, I’m not sure we really need anyone in order to be one of the top 3-4 teams in the country next season. However, assuming she is a good fit (I trust Geno to determine that) then clearly Serah is priority #1. Kneepkins is very tantalizing but my question regarding her is whether it could propel Allie to think about leaving? After all, she was clearly recruited to play behind, then take over from Azzi as our resident “gunner”. She did not get much time this year, probably not that big a surprise for a freshman on a team that had Paige and Azzi but might think differently about having to do so again behind yet another top shooter taking the minutes she thought would be hers. Allie is however, a tremendous shooter and someone I believe will be a good player for us so even though Kneepkens is a very attractive option, I just hope Allie doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.
Of course, as far as I know, there are no reports of interest between her (Kneepkens) and UConn so all of this may be moot anyway. She is a great shooter though!

 

[MHD789]

You're a guy that knows things of International basketball...

You clearly know more much more of the nuance of the Italian league play. I have a serious question for you.

With such small venues (1,300 capacity for Blanca's team -- like a US HS gym) and a relatively limited schedule (25-30 games), how do they financially entice top experienced players to join the the team. I think I saw one post that indicated that the teenagers are not compensated so that helps free-up money. How many euros for a ticket to one of her games? I suppose here a certain amount of concession revenue too. Just trying to understand. Thx.

 

[Hist-teacher]

Let me be a tad controversial: our real need is a Chen-type point guard as well as an experienced 5. The team roster is large, but most of the players aren't going to be of much help. No one can replace Paige, that's obvious, but we need someone more disciplined than KK, who should remain dynamic off the bench. Ash isn't a reliable enough scorer to start, IMO. Like KK, Ash is a disrupter, an avid rebounder. an occasional long-range shooter. Azzi won't bring the ball up regularly; her role is as shooting guard. She is also Buckets' heir apparent as the next authentic Husky star.
W/out steady guard play at the point and a big to share the under-the-basket duties with Sarah, the team will have shortcomings going forward. Hope, however, springs eternal.
Portal, portal, what do you got?
We need a little, not a lot.

I totally agree. KK has no mid-range game and shoots the 3 very poorly. And Ash is so very inconsistent shooting the ball. Love their energy, attitude and grit but until proven otherwise we need some help from the portal.

 

[Bone Dog]

I totally agree. KK has no mid-range game and shoots the 3 very poorly. And Ash is so very inconsistent shooting the ball. Love their energy, attitude and grit but until proven otherwise we need some help from the portal.

I don’t necessarily disagree. Just a word about Ash: I don’t think she’s inconsistent as a shooter. That’s not the right word for her difficulty. But she is defendable and that’s what disrupts her offense.

Her shot profile is a tad rigid even if her mechanics are excellent. If she finds her spot she is money. But she’s not yet great at creating a midrange shot for herself. She needs more agility and flexibility, for example in developing a step back jumper. Paige could always get that midrange jumper off even without a screen, because her step back was really fluid. There’s some wonderful highlights of it circulating online right now. That is not a defendable shot.

Ash needs to develop moves like that, find ways to create openings for herself. Until then, she is a great secondary option who benefits from the attention opposing teams pay to the primary scorers. Without that, she can’t be a primary scorer next to Azzi and Sarah. I imagine she’ll be working on stuff like this all summer long.

 

[Molisanos]

You clearly know more much more of the nuance of the Italian league play. I have a serious question for you.

With such small venues (1,300 capacity for Blanca's team -- like a US HS gym) and a relatively limited schedule (25-30 games), how do they financially entice top experienced players to join the the team. I think I saw one post that indicated that the teenagers are not compensated so that helps free-up money. How many euros for a ticket to one of her games? I suppose here a certain amount of concession revenue too. Just trying to understand. Thx.

La Molisana is a prominent Italian pasta manufacturer based in Campobasso, Molise. Founded in 1912, it has evolved from a local mill into one of Italy's leading pasta producers. Since being acquired by the Ferro family in 2011, the company has experienced significant growth, expanding its presence both domestically and internationally.
As of 2023, La Molisana ranks as the fifth-largest pasta brand in Italy, sharing a 10.2% market share with competitors like Divella and De Cecco. Only Barilla surpasses them with a 20.2% share. The company exports its products to over 120 countries, with international sales accounting for approximately 39% of its revenue. In 2023, export revenue exceeded €110 million, reflecting a 25% year-over-year growth.

 

[Stagnant]

I totally agree. KK has no mid-range game and shoots the 3 very poorly. And Ash is so very inconsistent shooting the ball. Love their energy, attitude and grit but until proven otherwise we need some help from the portal.

I agree with this. I am not sure how good Ash and KK will be without Paige on the floor. Just the gravity she provides. Shade was probably generally an afterthought on opposition scouting reports. What happens when teams focus on stopping her? I Like both players a lot. But I think another guard out of the portal would help cover some flaws.

I stand with my earlier opinion. We won primarily because of guards. And we are going from 5 we trust to 3 we trust.

 

[oldude]

I totally agree. KK has no mid-range game and shoots the 3 very poorly. And Ash is so very inconsistent shooting the ball. Love their energy, attitude and grit but until proven otherwise we need some help from the portal.

It amazes me how quickly some BY’ers are ready to dump the players who were instrumental in bringing UConn a 12th national championship for some unnamed player in the transfer portal.

Let’s flash back to last season when Ash & KK were forced to start as freshmen due to all the injuries UConn had to deal with. Ash was the runaway CFOY and KK shot a very respectable 33% from the arc.

With Kaitlyn coming in and Azzi eventually back healthy, first KK and then Ash ended up not only coming off the bench, but actually embraced their roles as “super subs” who’s energy off the bench often lead to UConn steamrolling their opponents.

One of the hardest things to do in basketball is come in off the bench and knock down shots. Yes Ash was inconsistent at times. But consider her performance vs Iowa State when she was still a starter, torching the Cyclones by going 7/10 from the arc, or how about the huge game in Columbia against SC, when Ash took the lid off the basket for UConn, hitting her first 3 shots from the arc.

As for KK, she has one of the highest A/TO ratios in the nation, attacks the basket as well as any player UConn has and is the toughest on ball defender on the team. Who exactly is UConn going to bring in from the portal who can provide anything close to what KK does?

Finally, do you think Ash and KK will not get any better heading into their junior season, particularly if they get starter’s minutes? If Geno brings in another guard from the portal, it’s because he sees the opportunity to enhance his already deep and talented roster. But if he decides to rely on Azzi, KK, Ash, Allie and Kellis to handle the guard duties next season, I am absolutely fine with that.

 

[Bone Dog]

Finally, do you think Ash and KK will not get any better heading into their junior season, particularly if they get starter’s minutes? If Geno brings in another guard from the portal, it’s because he sees the opportunity to enhance his already deep and talented roster. But if he decides to rely on Azzi, KK, Ash, Allie and Kellis to handle the guard duties next season, I am absolutely fine with that.

This is absolutely key. I expect KK and Ash have a long summer of "self-improvement" ahead of them... and I have a feeling it will be the time of their lives.

Also, worth mentioning this oft neglected fact: Azzi is a premier PG if she wants to be. We mustn't forget how her sophomore season began, when she shared the PG duties with Nika. Go back and watch that Texas game or the NC State game to see what I'm talking about. Of course, it helped to have a "pass-first" PG who didn't like taking too many shots playing next to her. And guess what, she'll have that again in KK in the fall.

Finally, one more word on Ash: two season's ago, she got that midrange shot off a lot more regularly. Some of them came off of O-boards she was corralling near the free throw line. From there, she could dribble-step right and go straight into her shooting motion. What's changed is her new role has her clawing back rebounds from opposing bigs directly under the rim. This doesn't give her the space to put the ball back up among the trees, and so she has to kick it out. Her game is a complex set of little tradeoffs, and it may be that the current set seems more productive from Geno's perspective than the previous one. I mean, this was central to the small-ball lineup. If we expect to see that lineup again next season, then we should expect to see more of Ash in the low post.

 

[Tonyc]

You know what? We are gonna be really good next season

 

[Vancat]

Azzi, Sarah, Serah.
Oh my--- if I picked KK instead of Azzi it would be KK, Sarah, Serah. But whatever will be, will be.

 

[Topdawg]

If KK, Ash, and Jana become reliable double digit scorers and Azzi and Sara deliver 20 points each - that gets us to 70 points. Others can add 15 to get us to a D1 leading scoring average of 85 points a game. It is going to be a busy summer!

 

[ERWUC65]

So much conjecture about this, especially those devoted fans of KK and Ash. It all boils down to what Geno does and we all have to defer to his expertise. It should be evident to all, loyalty aside, that the team needs to be better in the post and to have a PG of such ability as to direct the team offense and allow Azzi (less wear and tear) to operate exclusively at the 2 similar to Paige this past year. There are 2 open roster spots should coach decide to go to the portal to address these situations. If he does, then who he selects will tell us how he views the team needs for both the short term and long term. A one year experienced transfer says he expects his current players to be up to the task and all compete for the position, while a three year newbie would have to be looked at as a more permanent change to the starting lineup. Thus that last slot in the big three could remain an open issue for quite some time.,

 

[meyers7]

You know what? We are gonna be really good next season

We could well be.

 

[LuvBball]

Serah

 

[MHD789]

La Molisana is a prominent Italian pasta manufacturer based in Campobasso, Molise. Founded in 1912, it has evolved from a local mill into one of Italy's leading pasta producers. Since being acquired by the Ferro family in 2011, the company has experienced significant growth, expanding its presence both domestically and internationally.
As of 2023, La Molisana ranks as the fifth-largest pasta brand in Italy, sharing a 10.2% market share with competitors like Divella and De Cecco. Only Barilla surpasses them with a 20.2% share. The company exports its products to over 120 countries, with international sales accounting for approximately 39% of its revenue. In 2023, export revenue exceeded €110 million, reflecting a 25% year-over-year growth.

So the company is subsidizing the finances of the team (mostly player salaries) plus all the pasta they can eat! And I think I saw that the venue sponsored/owned by Molisana as well? Thx.

 

[PacoSwede]

It amazes me how quickly some BY’ers are ready to dump the players who were instrumental in bringing UConn a 12th national championship for some unnamed player in the transfer portal.
...
If Geno brings in another guard from the portal, it’s because he sees the opportunity to enhance his already deep and talented roster. But if he decides to rely on Azzi, KK, Ash, Allie and Kellis to handle the guard duties next season, I am absolutely fine with that.

u are forgetting morgan (an experienced, good PG), sarah and blanca -- all capable of doing guard functions. seems to me we are fully stacked with as many guards as needed. of course, there will be no paige.

are there any paiges in the portal? let's see ... aahhh, doesn't seem to be.

dang! that ain't fair. gonna have to struggle with the ragtag crew we got. at least some wise BYers have given a warning. Prepare, prepare for the coming, nasty storm clouds.

 

[oldude]

u are forgetting morgan (an experienced, good PG), sarah and blanca -- all capable of doing guard functions. seems to me we are fully stacked with as many guards as needed. of course, there will be no paige.

are there any paiges in the portal? let's see ... aahhh, doesn't seem to be.

dang! that ain't fair. gonna have to struggle with the ragtag crew we got. at least some wise BYers have given a warning. Prepare, prepare for the coming, nasty storm clouds.

While Morgan, Sarah & Blanca are all capable ball handlers, I view them more as wings/forwards. But your point is well taken. There are a bunch of players on UConn’s roster next season that can handle and pass the basketball.