Who will be the primary backup center for Jana?

[Bone Dog]

How small is she? I assumed she’s roughly the same height as KK.

 

[HuskyNan]

How small is she? I assumed she’s roughly the same height as KK.

Correct. I suspect both KK and Kaitlyn are a generous 5-9

 

[HuskyNan]

Still shot from practice video

 

[CL82]

Here is an interview from about a month ago. At the 1:35 mark they begin discussing her current health, seems that she is pretty positive about her status for this upcoming season!
Ayanna PATTERSON empower - Search Videos

First, great news that she is either at 100% now or feels she will be at the start of the season. I feel as if most people have forgotten just how athletic she is.

Second, I always enjoy how well spoken are players are. Ayanna Is both very articulate and thoughtful in her comments. She seems to be a terrific kid and I hope she gets an opportunity to show what she can do on the court this year.

 

[Dugway]

First, great news that she is either at 100% now or feels she will be at the start of the season. I feel as if most people have forgotten just how athletic she is.

Second, I always enjoy how well spoken are players are. Ayanna Is both very articulate and thoughtful in her comments. She seems to be a terrific kid and I hope she gets an opportunity to show what she can do on the court this year.

Yes, I too am happy to have viewed her comments related to her status. Frankly elated that I was able to find that interview! For so long I had not heard or viewed anything at all related to her rehab and prognosis. It has been so silent, that I believe UConn fans have forgotten about her as even a possibility. I refuse to do the prediction thing; we will just have to wait and see. That said, she was a very sought after recruit and has a ton of potential to help this team!

It appears to me that she has lost a lot of mass from what she was her freshman year; she had muscles like very few other 18-yr old women have ever had! Perhaps it is that I just have not seen her in uniform, and she is still that buff? It might also be that medical staff and Ayanna believe that carrying fewer pounds may be better for her legs?

Check out this sports card!

 

[CL82]

Yes, I too am happy to have viewed her comments related to her status. Frankly elated that I was able to find that interview! For so long I had not heard or viewed anything at all related to her rehab and prognosis. It has been so silent, that I believe UConn fans have forgotten about her as even a possibility. I refuse to do the prediction thing; we will just have to wait and see. That said, she was a very sought after recruit and has a ton of potential to help this team!

It appears to me that she has lost a lot of mass from what she was her freshman year; she had muscles like very few other 18-yr old women have ever had! Perhaps it is that I just have not seen her in uniform, and she is still that buff? It might also be that medical staff and Ayanna believe that carrying fewer pounds may be better for her legs?

Check out this sports card!

View attachment 103296

Hard to tell from that video whether she has changed her body type or not. Keep in mind that she's older so she will come in all likelihood be a little more physically mature. I also would fully expect that her rehab protocol would likely have her in good physical shape, though it may take a bit to have "game stamina."

I agree with you that she seems to be the forgotten woman a bit on The Boneyard. We haven't seen her play for a while and I don't think we've ever seen her play completely healthy. I think a lot of people may be surprised.

 

[Bone Dog]

… she seems to be the forgotten woman a bit on The Boneyard.

I haven’t forgotten about her. I still expect great things from Ayanna.

 

[sun]

Ayanna is an extremely strong leaper but I'm not sure about her passing prowess or her ability to make outside shots.
I suppose that she'll get some opportunities to play center mostly based on athletic ability.

 

[DEpup]

Ayanna really only needs to run the floor, rebound, protect the rim, and do put backs in order to be successful this coming year. She's just coming back after surgery. There are so many other weapons on the team for scoring.

 

[JoePgh]

Ayanna is an extremely strong leaper but I'm not sure about her passing prowess or her ability to make outside shots.
I suppose that she'll get some opportunities to play center mostly based on athletic ability.

"Passing prowess or ... ability to make outside shots" are in the "nice to have" rather than the "essential" category for a backup inside player. Essential skills for such a player are:

• ability to grab contested rebounds;
• ability to make close-in shots even when they are somewhat contested, specifically putback attempts;
• ability to defend someone of her own size or taller without fouling (too much);
• ability to make free throws at a 70% rate or better;
• ability to screen for jump shooters and to be where she needs to be on offense and defense.

Avoiding fouls is possibly the most important thing. While I agree that Jana and Sarah will probably be the starting front court for UConn, I also recognize that no inexperienced post player in recent UConn history has been able to avoid copious fouling. (Remember freshman Aaliyah fouling out of the Oklahoma game in about 15 minutes of playing time?) It would be nice to think that the minimal collegiate experience that Ayanna has already gained will allow her to foul less than either Jana or Sarah.

Someone mentioned that Geno may limit front court players' minutes because of injury concerns. I think it is much more likely that they will limit their own minutes because of foul trouble, which means that Ice and Ayanna (not to mention Aubrey) will be used heavily to sub for them.

 

[Zanzman]

Ayanna is an extremely strong leaper but I'm not sure about her passing prowess or her ability to make outside shots.
I suppose that she'll get some opportunities to play center mostly based on athletic ability.

But she could win the opening taps

 

[Bone Dog]

Ayanna really only needs to run the floor, rebound, protect the rim, and do put backs in order to be successful this coming year. She's just coming back after surgery. There are so many other weapons on the team for scoring.

Yup. Ayanna is a Kiah Stokes sort of player in the making. That's what we need and she can supply it while also running the court even better. If she simply does this for the next couple years, we'll remember her for a long time.

 

[Alydar]

Yeah, right. Olivia and Lara aren't in the fold as yet, so lets just concentrate on what we do have. The future is the future, so as of now I'm hoping that Ayanna is well enough to play, and she would be the first option to back up Jana. Sarah and Ice would be each other's back up except when Geno may want to play them together in one of his line up options. A healthy Ayanna would be a bonus for the team, just as the comeback of Caroline would be.

I think the four will be rotated and will be interchangeable as far as roles. They aren't the same but who is best with whom will tell the story Two play at a time. If SCar were to go big then Strong might play on the wing but there is a crowd at 2-3. and we won't know that until practices get serious.

If El Alfy is 85% of what Geno has made of her then I think she may start at some point and play a lot in March/April. Euros tend to mature sooner than US players and all the practicing they do helps at UConn. It may be that by February the two 1st year posts will start.

 

[hoophuskee]

Euros tend to mature sooner than US players

I don't beleive this to be true. I believe they have a very hard time adjustng to the athletcism/quickness/speed. There is a reason why USA teams win nearly all the time. Possible that Jana could be a Unicorn.

 

[Alydar]

I don't beleive this to be true. I believe they have a very hard time adjustng to the athletcism/quickness/speed. There is a reason why USA teams win nearly all the time. Possible that Jana could be a Unicorn.

The USA dominates because it's our sport and we have 350M people.

Geno once said he liked Euros because they practiced twice a week and played twice a month while AAU plays twice a week and practices twice a month. While they lack ball skills they are better at team skills.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

Yup. Ayanna is a Kiah Stokes sort of player in the making. That's what we need and she can supply it while also running the court even better. If she simply does this for the next couple years, we'll remember her for a long time.

Ayanna’s play from the 2021 FIBA 3x3 U18 Finals: USA vs. Spain reminds me of Swin Cash’s freshman year [1] consisting of a determined adventurous game driving to or near the basket. The 3x3 game does not show it, but Ayanna looks to be a prototype open court player as Swin.

Swin did develop better offense as her collegiate career progressed. Ayanna is also a disruptor on defense as Swin was (as Aubrey is).

Unfortunately for Ayanna, her freshman year was not as conducive as Swin’s freshman year in showcasing her best skills at the time.

[1] UConn vs UCLA, 113-102, November 19, 1998: YouTube: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 |

• TASSK’s first year; third game of season, #2 UConn vs. #14 UCLA;
• 1998-1999 Superteam somewhat analogous to 2024-2025 Superteam;
• Geno decided the running game is best in 1998-1999; he might decide to use it as a major weapon again in November-December.

 

[UCTitleTown]

Does anyone know how Jana's English is so good being from Egypt. I don't detect an accent or at most the slightest one.

 

[hoophuskee]

The USA dominates because it's our sport and we have 350M people.

Geno once said he liked Euros because they practiced twice a week and played twice a month while AAU plays twice a week and practices twice a month. While they lack ball skills they are better at team skills.

I agree in part why we dominate which imo it means that we're better. How can the Euro's game be more mature if they don't beat USA?

IMO Geno probably was saying they are more fundementally sound. Geno loves fundamentals. But athleticism/speed/quickness can impact fundamenlals. And if your country doesn't have the great athletes, they can be "less" prepared because they haven't had much expereince competing against it. This atheicism is why many US players in H/S are ranked so high. The team that wins is better. Population or started playing when you are young etc are a subset of winning.

 

[Just.A.Fan]

I agree with you that she seems to be the forgotten woman a bit on The Boneyard. We haven't seen her play for a while and I don't think we've ever seen her play completely healthy. I think a lot of people may be surprised.

She is the forgotten woman, simply because she didn't really do anything while in a UConn uniform to be remembered for. I hope you and others here are correct and that she will surprise us this season. However, too many rate and expect players to live up to their former glories in HS and AAU play. This is a completely different ballgame.

 

[sun]

But she could win the opening taps

I agree that the best tipper should start the game even if they only play for 2 minutes.
But that wouldn't make that player the primary backup center if Jana were to miss several games.
The center usually touches the ball alot, and the more touches increases their chances for scoring points & making assists on offense.
But I don't recall ever seeing Ayanna making any creative passes or notable BB moves to the basket.
I think she needs more work & experience.
I wouldn't count her out as being a center but it's still potential unless she shows some progress.

 

[Zanzman]

I agree that the best tipper should start the game even if they only play for 2 minutes.
But that wouldn't make that player the primary backup center if Jana were to miss several games.
The center usually touches the ball alot, and the more touches increases their chances for scoring points & making assists on offense.
But I don't recall ever seeing Ayanna making any creative passes or notable BB moves to the basket.
I think she needs more work & experience.
I wouldn't count her out as being a center but it's still potential unless she shows some progress.

I don’t care about anything else but winning tbe opening jump ball

 

[CL82]

She is the forgotten woman, simply because she didn't really do anything while in a UConn uniform to be remembered for. I hope you and others here are correct and that she will surprise us this season. However, too many rate and expect players to live up to their former glories in HS and AAU play. This is a completely different ballgame.

Keep in mind that this will be the first time she will be 100% healthy in her college career. It's always tough to come back from being out for a year, but I wouldn't bet against her. We will see.

 

[hoophuskee]

I don’t care about anything else but winning tbe opening jump ball

The opening tip has nothing to do with the outcome of the game for a team like UCONN.

 

[Bone Dog]

I agree that the best tipper should start the game even if they only play for 2 minutes.

The best tipper ever was Gabby. Second best? PAIGE!

 

[HuskyNan]

The best tipper ever was Gabby. Second best? PAIGE!

Kiah Stokes was really good, too.