Who will be the primary backup center for Jana?

[Bone Dog]

Though for the fun of it, if Ayanna and Jana are in the game, and you want one player on the High-Low at the High, it would probably be Jana. So, if this were the case, who is "the Center on Offense?"

Both show perimeter shooting ability, but it appears Sarah is the better shooter. In addition she is a very good maybe great passer. Jana is far bigger. True we have to see more of how both score in the low post against bigger division 1 C's, but if the two are in the game given all their skills and size, Sarah at the high post and Jana at the low post seems way better on paper than the other way around.

That is the irony of all these posts, @hoophuskee. Those designations don’t fit as well as we’d like, at least not on offense. On defense, if the opposing big stays in the low post, that is probably where Jana will be too.

And absolutely, @oldhusky, Sarah is the better perimeter shooter. Jana can hit the 3, but I haven’t seen anything to suggest she’ll shoot at a 40% clip. But Sarah is likely to do just that.

 

[hoophuskee]

That is the irony of all these posts, @hoophuskee. Those designations don’t fit as well as we’d like, at least not on offense. On defense, if the opposing big stays in the low post, that is probably where Jana will be too.

And absolutely, @oldhusky, Sarah is the better perimeter shooter. Jana can hit the 3, but I haven’t seen anything to suggest she’ll shoot at a 40% clip. But Sarah is likely to do just that.

I think they do fit though. Though you did say "as we;ll as we'd like." That's I guess to anyone's perepective. For me it all fits logically. You have versatitlity. A player can be for example versatile - a PF/C etc. I think without a classifcation of 2 guards, 2 forwards and 1 center per each possession- it's just being made up - which is fine if someone wants to view it another way - fine - it's jjust that I don't agree with anyone saying there isn't these positions in which all teams play. . Everythign fits.

 

[Bone Dog]

I think they do fit though. Though you did say "as we;ll as we'd like." That's I guess to anyone's perepective. For me it all fits logically. You have versatitlity. A player can be for example versatile - a PF/C etc. I think without a classifcation of 2 guards, 2 forwards and 1 center per each possession- it's just being made up - which is fine if someone wants to view it another way - fine - it's jjust that I don't agree with anyone saying there isn't these positions in which all teams play. . Everythign fits.

I hear you and what you say is often true. But lots of teams play with no center. Geno routinely designated his front court as two forwards for years. He has also often said his lineup consisted of one forward and 4 guards. Not just last season. I don’t mean to misunderstand you. But if “everything fits” means there’s always a center, I think that’s not really true.

That said, I think the question of whether there’s a center in the lineup is not always as clear on the offensive end as it is on defense. This is what I was trying to say above. Olivia and later Aaliyah often played defense in the low post against an opposing team’s center. But on offense they quite frequently played at the top of the key. This is not a typical role for a traditional center. So last season, I think Aaliyah played a 4/5 in the sense that she was a 4 on offense and a 5 on defense. This was also true of Olivia and Dorka in prior seasons.

Gabby defended the post for two seasons but we’d hardly call her a center. And neither would we call Phee or Katie Lou the center on those teams. What about Stewie? I think not, though she was clearly a rim protector.

Yes, Geno likes versatility. But it’s more than that. A too rigid understanding of positions doesn’t fit the positionless schemes he likes to run. Against more traditional teams, they will sometimes have to occupy traditional positions, at least on defense. But as soon as you see the transition game and even the half court offense, it’s difficult to make sense of it in those terms.

 

[Charliebball]

I hear you and what you say is often true. But lots of teams play with no center. Geno routinely designated his front court as two forwards for years. He has also often said his lineup consisted of one forward and 4 guards. Not just last season. I don’t mean to misunderstand you. But if “everything fits” means there’s always a center, I think that’s not really true.

That said, I think the question of whether there’s a center in the lineup is not always as clear on the offensive end as it is on defense. This is what I was trying to say above. Olivia and later Aaliyah often played defense in the low post against an opposing team’s center. But on offense they quite frequently played at the top of the key. This is not a typical role for a traditional center. So last season, I think Aaliyah played a 4/5 in the sense that she was a 4 on offense and a 5 on defense. This was also true of Olivia and Dorka in prior seasons.

Gabby defended the post for two seasons but we’d hardly call her a center. And neither would we call Phee or Katie Lou the center on those teams. What about Stewie? I think not, though she was clearly a rim protector.

Yes, Geno likes versatility. But it’s more than that. A too rigid understanding of positions doesn’t fit the positionless schemes he likes to run. Against more traditional teams, they will sometimes have to occupy traditional positions, at least on defense. But as soon as you see the transition game and even the half court offense, it’s difficult to make sense of it in those terms.

There's no substitute for height when playing against a big front court like South Carolina's........ if Jana is as good as advertised, I believe Ice will be her primary back up although in certain situations, I could see where Ice and Jana might even start together along with Sara up front.......

 

[Bone Dog]

There's no substitute for height when playing against a big front court like South Carolina's........ if Jana is as good as advertised, I believe Ice will be her primary back up although in certain situations, I could see where Ice and Jana might even start together along with Sara up front.......

Yup, and a game against UCLA might shake out in the same way.

 

[Alydar]

There's no substitute for height when playing against a big front court like South Carolina's........ if Jana is as good as advertised, I believe Ice will be her primary back up although in certain situations, I could see where Ice and Jana might even start together along with Sara up front.......

If El Alfy is as advertised then UConn has the No 1 recruits of 2023 & 2024 entering as 1st year players. When I think about the players they are joining my expectations soar.

 

[hoophuskee]

I hear you and what you say is often true. But lots of teams play with no center. Geno routinely designated his front court as two forwards for years. He has also often said his lineup consisted of one forward and 4 guards. Not just last season. I don’t mean to misunderstand you. But if “everything fits” means there’s always a center, I think that’s not really true.

That said, I think the question of whether there’s a center in the lineup is not always as clear on the offensive end as it is on defense. This is what I was trying to say above. Olivia and later Aaliyah often played defense in the low post against an opposing team’s center. But on offense they quite frequently played at the top of the key. This is not a typical role for a traditional center. So last season, I think Aaliyah played a 4/5 in the sense that she was a 4 on offense and a 5 on defense. This was also true of Olivia and Dorka in prior seasons.

Gabby defended the post for two seasons but we’d hardly call her a center. And neither would we call Phee or Katie Lou the center on those teams. What about Stewie? I think not, though she was clearly a rim protector.

Yes, Geno likes versatility. But it’s more than that. A too rigid understanding of positions doesn’t fit the positionless schemes he likes to run. Against more traditional teams, they will sometimes have to occupy traditional positions, at least on defense. But as soon as you see the transition game and even the half court offense, it’s difficult to make sense of it in those terms.

Don't agree. First off just want to say - there is nothing else to talk about so just having fun with our disagreement. Please let's take it for fun. SO, with that said, I also recall Geno saying Gabby used to play like Draymond Green. Draymond Green is a F/C logically explainable in the c/f/g world which every team plays. There is no such thing as a team that doesn't play without a Center. Do we really think that Geno is going to provide definitions of player positions during an interview?

Every one of Geno’s players positions is easy explainable within the above context So, why reinvent the wheel?

As stated players can be versatile. For example you reference Gabby. Gabby was the PF/C in 16-17 as was Collier. Gabby' was extremely versatile - but offensively if she is scoring inside on near all her baskets with some shots farthest at /t line at the most, then how is that not a C/PF? How is it that while battling Scar’s big frontline that year that she wouldn’t be considered a PF/C? What did she do that was so different that other PF?C’s don’t do? Logic of c/f/g easily explains all this instead of made up things by the media or offhanded comments made by Geno. And if Gabby was also among the team's top rebounders, which she was, while she defends and scores inside, then how is that not PF/C?

 

[Bone Dog]

Don't agree. First off just want to say - there is nothing else to talk about so just having fun with our disagreement. Please let's take it for fun. SO, with that said, I also recall Geno saying Gabby used to play like Draymond Green. Draymond Green is a F/C logically explainable in the c/f/g world which every team plays. There is no such thing as a team that doesn't play without a Center. Do we really think that Geno is going to provide definitions of player positions during an interview?

Every one of Geno’s players positions is easy explainable within the above context So, why reinvent the wheel?

As stated players can be versatile. For example you reference Gabby. Gabby was the PF/C in 16-17 as was Collier. Gabby' was extremely versatile - but offensively if she is scoring inside on near all her baskets with some shots farthest at /t line at the most, then how is that not a C/PF? How is it that while battling Scar’s big frontline that year that she wouldn’t be considered a PF/C? What did she do that was so different that other PF?C’s don’t do? Logic of c/f/g easily explains all this instead of made up things by the media or offhanded comments made by Geno. And if Gabby was also among the team's top rebounders, which she was, while she defends and scores inside, then how is that not PF/C?

I agree, sort of. Gabby played PF/C, but the slash means she wasn’t really either. The slash shows that this terminology is not a perfect fit for all of Geno’s lineups. We can still use it, of course. But it is clumsy and even limiting. You prefer it because it suits the way you think about the game, and I totally get that. I think the last time Geno ran a lineup with a straightforward center was Stef and Stewie. Before that it was Rebecca and Kara. When Azura was in the lineup, she was a center. I can’t think of many other lineups that functioned straightforwardly with a center. Maybe Olivia Dorka and Aaliyah.

We can use slash-terms and stretch-terms to describe these positions. I just don’t care for that way of thinking because it seems inefficient. Last season, Geno ran a 4 guard lineup with Aaliyah at the 4/5. On defense, she guarded the opposing post player mostly. But not all the time. Comically, at times, Nika played “mouse in the house” and ended up guarding the posts. And Paige was often blocking shots in the low post. If we call Paige or Nika a PG/PF or an SG/C it would be sort of descriptive. Plus, it adds an element of comedy. It’s fun to speak this way.

Or, we can say Geno had 4 guards and a forward on the floor most of the time last season. It made for some lopsided defensive assignments, but also allowed for switching 1 through 5. When it worked, it made for some bewildered opponents. Sometimes he played 3 guards and 2 forwards.

The interesting thing about this season is that Geno can actually run a traditional lineup with Jana Ice and Sarah. It may actually look quite traditional with a center and power forward on defense. But on offense it is likely to look much more fluid given the perimeter shooting talent he has. I expect we’ll see 4-out and even 5-out offensive schemes often enough. And we’ll also see Jana or Ice fighting for low post position to get a pass from Paige or KK or Ash. Putting Sarah at the top of the key on offense will be too potent for Geno not to do it.

 

[oldude]

There appears to be several BY’ers that misunderstand what UConn is trying to accomplish on the court. For basketball in general and UConn WBB in particular, the idea of set positions on the court is long gone. Geno wants versatile players who can move, cut, pass and shoot on offense. For years he’s run a 4-out or 5-out offense that relies on movement, screens and passing.

This coming season, we will witness a number of Huskies flashing into the paint to score including Jana, Ice, Sarah and even Paige, who may be UConn’s most effective low post scorer. At the same time, all of the above will step out to the arc to drop a 3 as well. At its best, like the 2015-16 championship team, UConn’s motion offense is impossible to defend.

The same goes for defense. Geno wants versatile athletes who can move, switch and bang under the boards. Aubrey is the poster child for such players, but just about everyone on the roster is versatile enough to play out on the court as well as in the paint.

With that said, there will be a handful of teams that UConn faces, when having a true BIG will be important to defend the paint. UCLA comes to mind, and perhaps some others. In such games, Jana’s importance can not be underestimated.

 

[Lambeau]

Overestimated.

 

[Bone Dog]

Overestimated.

It can go either way, over or under, depending on your rhetorical mode: imperative or hortatory.

 

[hoophuskee]

I agree, sort of. Gabby played PF/C, but the slash means she wasn’t really either. The slash shows that this terminology is not a perfect fit for all of Geno’s lineups. We can still use it, of course. But it is clumsy and even limiting. You prefer it because it suits the way you think about the game, and I totally get that. I think the last time Geno ran a lineup with a straightforward center was Stef and Stewie. Before that it was Rebecca and Kara. When Azura was in the lineup, she was a center. I can’t think of many other lineups that functioned straightforwardly with a center. Maybe Olivia Dorka and Aaliyah.

We can use slash-terms and stretch-terms to describe these positions. I just don’t care for that way of thinking because it seems inefficient. Last season, Geno ran a 4 guard lineup with Aaliyah at the 4/5. On defense, she guarded the opposing post player mostly. But not all the time. Comically, at times, Nika played “mouse in the house” and ended up guarding the posts. And Paige was often blocking shots in the low post. If we call Paige or Nika a PG/PF or an SG/C it would be sort of descriptive. Plus, it adds an element of comedy. It’s fun to speak this way.

Or, we can say Geno had 4 guards and a forward on the floor most of the time last season. It made for some lopsided defensive assignments, but also allowed for switching 1 through 5. When it worked, it made for some bewildered opponents. Sometimes he played 3 guards and 2 forwards.

The interesting thing about this season is that Geno can actually run a traditional lineup with Jana Ice and Sarah. It may actually look quite traditional with a center and power forward on defense. But on offense it is likely to look much more fluid given the perimeter shooting talent he has. I expect we’ll see 4-out and even 5-out offensive schemes often enough. And we’ll also see Jana or Ice fighting for low post position to get a pass from Paige or KK or Ash. Putting Sarah at the top of the key on offense will be too potent for Geno not to do it.

You are right - it does work for me,. But I don’t understand why it shouldn't work for everyone. And I don't feel it inefficient nor do I feel it limiting. And it just makes sense. Just as last year we ran Aaliyah at center. Paige was the PF (A Stretch 4 is also a Power Forward) in which she was also a "Point=Forward." I feel it limiting by not calling Paige more than just "A guard." I feel anytime that Paige is referred to as just a guard this past season is a direct point of limiting her game. There are definitions of "Stretch 4's." Definitions of Point-Forwards." Definitions of "Wings." Definition of "Power Forwards." For anyone doubting she wasn't playing Forward just look up the desciptions/defnitions on the internet with a simple search. Thus referring to Paige as "just a guard" is the definition of limiting vs what she did this past year. Why do we want to fight this in which we limit Paige's versatility by just referring to her as a "guard" when in fact she is much more? Let’s give her credit for also performing all these Forward tasks in which she does so effortlessly and amazingly well..

As for Aaliyah, most of her baskets were inside. A lot were low posts She was also the top rebounder. She defended the toughest inside player. I just can't understand not calling her a Center this past year.

I'm an old Knicks fan. Willis Reed was MVP. They year before he was playing with Walt Bellamy in which Bellmay was guarding centers and he was scoring I'm estimating 65% - 75% of his baskets in the paint. With Bellamy in the game Reed was the PF. And Wills Reed for his prime career was always around 50% in the Paint and the rest was mid-range/outside. So he wasn't ever a "true center" if someone were to define that as someone that lives in the paint. Yet "he was" a Center. When we played against Wilt and Lew Alcindor most of his shots would be outside. Put some much smaller on him he is then scoring in the paint. He was the top rebounder he was the top inside scorer. This is what Aaliyah was as well. Thus there is a clear logical path to follow; c/f/g. Adn within that there is further definitions that can be easily looked up. Those definitions/descriptions are put there for a reason so they can further clarify the basic of c/f/g. .

 

[Bone Dog]

I just can't understand not calling her a Center this past year.

And yet Geno listed her as a forward.

Why do we want to fight this in which we limit Paige's versatility by just referring to her as a "guard" when in fact she is much more?

Nothing we decide here will limit Paige in any way. It’s only ourselves and our own thinking that we can limit. And you’re right that we can definitely communicate with each other using that terminology. It’s wonderfully arcane: 4/5, stretch-4, point-forward, and so on. I’m merely saying that it doesn’t quite capture the reality Geno puts on the court.

I'm an old Knicks fan.

Me too. I grew up in northern New Jersey, shooting hoops in my neighbor’s driveway and dreaming of our favorite players. Willis, Clyde, DeBuschere, Dick Barnett, Earl the Pearl. I spent weeks trying to master that backspin where Earl pulled the ball after him. Sadly, my hands weren’t as large as his.

The terminology you favor suited the game as it was back then. Centers played primarily in the low post. They were rim protectors, fierce rebounders, scored in the paint almost exclusively. And then we saw a generation of players who didn’t exactly fit that terminology. Dirk Nowitzki, for example. Or Magic and Bird. But we tweaked the labels and made them work. We could talk about our favorite players, and maybe we were even a little tickled to think that our heroes couldn’t be captured by a simple label.

I don’t want to steal anyone’s pleasure here. Paige definitely exceeds the semantic power of that terminology and we’ll need a new tweak for her, as we did for Stewie. Sarah and Jana maybe too.

 

[sun]

Players can get hurt when they try or are expected to do too much. The video below shows what occurred after Paige had already been poked in the eye earlier in the same game.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

There appears to be several BY’ers that misunderstand what UConn is trying to accomplish on the court. For basketball in general and UConn WBB in particular, the idea of set positions on the court is long gone. Geno wants versatile players who can move, cut, pass and shoot on offense. For years he’s run a 4-out or 5-out offense that relies on movement, screens and passing.

This coming season, we will witness a number of Huskies flashing into the paint to score including Jana, Ice, Sarah and even Paige, who may be UConn’s most effective low post scorer. At the same time, all of the above will step out to the arc to drop a 3 as well. At its best, like the 2015-16 championship team, UConn’s motion offense is impossible to defend.

The same goes for defense. Geno wants versatile athletes who can move, switch and bang under the boards. Aubrey is the poster child for such players, but just about everyone on the roster is versatile enough to play out on the court as well as in the paint.

With that said, there will be a handful of teams that UConn faces, when having a true BIG will be important to defend the paint. UCLA comes to mind, and perhaps some others. In such games, Jana’s importance can not be underestimated.

Addressing several mini-threads in this thread:

UConn relies on efficient offense (as you described) and efficient defense (as you described) to outscore opponents and win games:

• if the offense (halfcourt and running game) is efficient, there is less need for offensive rebounds;
• an efficient defense makes one’s opponent’s offense less efficient and steals more possessions from one’s opponent to feed the team’s (efficient) offense;
• defensive rebounding is just the back-stop method on stealing possessions; there are turnovers, steals, an opponent’s discombobulated offense, forcing the opponent into tough shots, shot-clock violations, offensive fouls/charges, blocks and defensive rebounds.

UConn’s read-and-react motion halfcourt offense, running game and fullcourt and halfcourt switching/specialty defenses run by the players Geno recruits are meant to be efficient — see his focus on practices and perfect possessions.

• Geno’s schemes and methods prepare players very well for the next level;
• as designed, his teams don’t necessarily have to win rebounding battles, unless they meet teams (e.g. tall athletic teams) that substantially rely on rebounding for their offense and defense and the team is playing poorly;
• even when the team must win the rebounding battle (i.e. the team is playing poorly or both teams are playing even), Geno’s teams rely on team rebounds (whoever is near the paint).

There are teams that present matchup problems such as the ones last year’s Final Four team faced.

• this year’s talented depth negates those matchup problems;
• this year’s talented depth presents nightmarish matchup problems for other teams;
• this year’s talented depth guards against poor or fatigued or foul-troubled play.

We have all seen Geno’s formidable teams play against every type of team Paige and company will see this year.

 

[hoophuskee]

And yet Geno listed her as a forward.


Nothing we decide here will limit Paige in any way. It’s only ourselves and our own thinking that we can limit. And you’re right that we can definitely communicate with each other using that terminology. It’s wonderfully arcane: 4/5, stretch-4, point-forward, and so on. I’m merely saying that it doesn’t quite capture the reality Geno puts on the court.



Me too. I grew up in northern New Jersey, shooting hoops in my neighbor’s driveway and dreaming of our favorite players. Willis, Clyde, DeBuschere, Dick Barnett, Earl the Pearl. I spent weeks trying to master that backspin where Earl pulled the ball after him. Sadly, my hands weren’t as large as his.

The terminology you favor suited the game as it was back then. Centers played primarily in the low post. They were rim protectors, fierce rebounders, scored in the paint almost exclusively. And then we saw a generation of players who didn’t exactly fit that terminology. Dirk Nowitzki, for example. Or Magic and Bird. But we tweaked the labels and made them work. We could talk about our favorite players, and maybe we were even a little tickled to think that our heroes couldn’t be captured by a simple label.

I don’t want to steal anyone’s pleasure here. Paige definitely exceeds the semantic power of that terminology and we’ll need a new tweak for her, as we did for Stewie. Sarah and Jana maybe too.

And yet Geno listed her as a forward.


Nothing we decide here will limit Paige in any way. It’s only ourselves and our own thinking that we can limit. And you’re right that we can definitely communicate with each other using that terminology. It’s wonderfully arcane: 4/5, stretch-4, point-forward, and so on. I’m merely saying that it doesn’t quite capture the reality Geno puts on the court.



Me too. I grew up in northern New Jersey, shooting hoops in my neighbor’s driveway and dreaming of our favorite players. Willis, Clyde, DeBuschere, Dick Barnett, Earl the Pearl. I spent weeks trying to master that backspin where Earl pulled the ball after him. Sadly, my hands weren’t as large as his.

The terminology you favor suited the game as it was back then. Centers played primarily in the low post. They were rim protectors, fierce rebounders, scored in the paint almost exclusively. And then we saw a generation of players who didn’t exactly fit that terminology. Dirk Nowitzki, for example. Or Magic and Bird. But we tweaked the labels and made them work. We could talk about our favorite players, and maybe we were even a little tickled to think that our heroes couldn’t be captured by a simple label.

I don’t want to steal anyone’s pleasure here. Paige definitely exceeds the semantic power of that terminology and we’ll need a new tweak for her, as we did for Stewie. Sarah and Jana maybe too.

As a Knick fan I noticed when they made the trade and got Dave Debuscherre they went small. And this has been a fact I’ve seen all my life is that you don’t need to be “big” just “big enough.” And we’ve seen for example 01-02 UCONN be great being small. We’ve seen SoCarl win with Wilson by going small. And we’ve recent history of UCONN being seconds away beating Iowa by being so small and we’ve seen Iowa be small and do well. In fact, I n 2022-2023 we saw small-ball Iowa beat huge -height SoCar. And what was 1 of the most important factors that won it for Iowa but lost for SoCar? The fundamental skills of “shooting.”

This is the type of factor that Geno’s Offenses’ feature; fundamentals of basketball. And within those fundamentals we can easily see and I emphasize the word “easily” – that Geno’s teams follow the simple path of g/f/c. It’s easily explained that Paige was a forward. It’s easily explained that Aaliyah was the Center. So, why concoct some different flavor when the existing one easily fits? If the pattern is easily seen g/f/c which we can see from Paige and Aaliyah then why pretend it can only be used as "back then" but not now? It fits "now" too.

As far as Paige, she has been criticized on this site by a few for not winning a championship and implications that she hasn’t been super-great. Anyone can easily google “The Boneyard Passive Paige” and then click on that thread and see unwarranted criticism for a Husky All-time great. And this also follows the path for those that don’t recognize her versatility greatness in which she played the Forward spot. This is just more of not enough respect (or appreciation is maybe a better word) as to how great she is because we know Geno and even this current era values versatility a great deal. The beauty and ease which Paige has highlighted this should only be an additional hammer of acknowledged greatness instead her versatility isn’t highlighted as much as it should. How can anyone say it is highlighted if they don’t believe that she played Forward and how this current era values versatility? And what explains her versatility is the simple g/f/c. If this era and Geno value versatility so much and the g/f/c descriptions/definitions easily explain/showcase Paige’s style of play fitting so easily among these categories, then why fight it? This fits perfectly in what Geno does and it easily fits this era.

What has to be recognized is that in today's basketball is that a Forward can be everything from a Point Guard (i.e a point-forward) or a "Power Forward" that does most of their work inside. This is the eptiomy of Geno's type of style. I.E. A Forward can be near anything with versatility meaning near everything from creator of offense to offensive rebounder. That's a ful spectrum. That's a modern era spectrum. A Geno spectrum. How is it that we can't say that Paige wasn't some of this? Her versatitlity as a g/f should be acknowledged as part of her greatness. Not just "as a guard."

 

[Skeets]

I like UConn's positionless, motion offense. It's fun to watch when it's working. It blurs the traditional G/F/C definitions. Switching on defense, if it's done right is very effective. A couple of downsides to switching on defense are smart teams will force you into less-than-ideal matches, and smart teams will lure the taller players away from the basket and tilt the odds of getting an offensive rebound in their favor. This could be one of the reasons why UConn is a less than stellar rebounding team.

 

[Bone Dog]

I like UConn's positionless, motion offense. It's fun to watch when it's working. It blurs the traditional G/F/C definitions. Switching on defense, if it's done right is very effective. A couple of downsides to switching on defense are smart teams will force you into less-than-ideal matches, and smart teams will lure the taller players away from the basket and tilt the odds of getting an offensive rebound in their favor. This could be one of the reasons why UConn is a less than stellar rebounding team.

This is the danger of a fully committed switching defense. Geno tends to coordinate his bigs when there’s more than one so that only one goes out for high hedges at a time. This was a problem last season when it was usually only Aaliyah on the floor. He has two other tactics to address this, each with its own downside.

• Overplay the passing lanes to prevent passes into the under-defended post.
• Having really tough big guards who can scrap for rebounds.

Both of these were stretched to the breaking point last season. And yet, Paige & Co made it work for longer than anyone could have expected. Nika’s ferocity was an important factor. I sure hope KK and Ash are ready to bring the same ferocity they saw up close from Nika every game last season. Eventually Morgan and Allie will need to learn this too.

The ball hawking big guard is a hallmark of Geno’s teams. The list is long and storied.

 

[DEpup]

I think people overthink these things. I believe Geno and CD recruit good versatile basketball players of good character who they want to spend 4 years with. Simple as that.

I don't think that always ends with the perfect mix of positions accepting offers. I also don't think every really good player has perfect skill and body alignment. And then there are the injuries.

Therefore, Geno does what no one else does as well. He takes the pieces he has and creates a winning strategy using his expert knowledgeof the fundamentals. Unfortunately for us, not always a NC.

For me, his schemes include the traditional positions and he places his best option at each one of them from a team perspective. That doesn't ever mean that the person is a perfect match to that position. Their bball skills and the coaching staff expertise make it work.

For instance, a few of the greatest years was a situation where Stewie and Tuck were basically 4s by position but they worked together to combine Stewie's length and Tuck's bigger body to get it done each game. No center but they together covered the need. At UConn, its all about the sum of the parts, not the parts.

I have no doubt that Jana on defense will rebound and protect the rim, then run the floor, and mostly play inside on offense. She will of course like all her predecessors pull opposing bigs out to make room for cutters, pass to those cutters or drive herself and take outside shots to keep the defense honest. End of story. It's just UConn basketball.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

I like UConn's positionless, motion offense. It's fun to watch when it's working. It blurs the traditional G/F/C definitions. Switching on defense, if it's done right is very effective. A couple of downsides to switching on defense are smart teams will force you into less-than-ideal matches, and smart teams will lure the taller players away from the basket and tilt the odds of getting an offensive rebound in their favor. This could be one of the reasons why UConn is a less than stellar rebounding team.

Every defense can be beaten:

• The man-to-man defense of tall athletic teams, which often involve hyper-aggressive gambles, can be beaten sometimes quickly and methodically (e.g. backdoor cuts) as with prior UConn teams’ matchups with Tennessee in its heyday;
• Geno’s main defense when executed by his formidable teams can be beaten occasionally, but usually slowly and painfully, say by a tall athletic team poking until it finds a mismatch, usually in the post that allows its (phone book) post offense;
• Geno will gladly trade that with quick surgical efficient offense on its own possessions;
• by controlling pace (more possessions) and allowing its defense more chances to steal possessions, Geno’s teams can win without winning the rebounding battle;
• if Geno’s switching defense is beaten because a player (consistently) misses a defensive assignment, he will replace that player, and it will be a departure point for a learning experience for that player;
• if Geno’s switching defense is somehow ineffective for consecutive possessions, he will switch up the defense or call a timeout;
• Geno’s defense requires a necessary skill: tough defense without fouling; it is ok to be beaten defensively while exacting a price — a slow torturous offensive possession by an opponent.

On balance, Geno’s schemes have resulted in the most championships.

 

[Cuango]

We can all debate and argue all we want as to where and how our players should play but the simple reality of winning #12 this season rests on two essential things. Health and luck! If we can have a healthy year and we can get a few lucky bounces at the right times, then I think it’s fair to say we are the favorite. Of course, that still doesn’t mean Paige goes out with a championship but it will make it more likely.

This roster is probably the best I’ve ever seen 1-14! Of course, some will say that the quality of player after the first 7 or eight does not matter and will make no difference, thus reducing the advantage that we have with this roster. I must reluctantly admit this argument has some validity but I still think having this kind of talent increases the likelihood that those players, even if they are not part of the regular rotation, may have opportunities to affect the season with their talent! In other words, I doubt many coaches are going to look at us and dismiss the fact that we have potential starters all the way down to the final roster spot!

I have little doubt that we will have games this season that are massively affected by the contributions of one, or more of the 8-14 players. Finally, I‘ll just say this; I believe Sarah is going to be somewhere close to the same level as all our so called Mt. Rushmore players, Stewie, Maya, Dee, & Paige! I realize this is a big statement but it’s what I believe based on what I’ve seen and heard about her. Jana, though obviously less well known and with much less fanfare, also has a legitimate chance to be a truly special player! We already know that Ash, KK, Kaitlyn, and Azzi range from good to outstanding or beyond! We also know that we have a coach who, though getting up in years, just finished a season in which he did the best job perhaps of his entire coaching career! I have to say, I’m in Tony C mode and am fully convinced that, assuming the two things mentioned above; health and luck, we are coming for #12!
PS: Don’t sleep on Ice!

 

[Bone Dog]

Geno’s defense requires a necessary skill: tough defense without fouling; it is ok to be beaten defensively while exacting a price — a slow torturous offensive possession by an opponent.

Truer words were never spoke nor writ. Of course, it presupposes supreme physical conditioning. But that’s not typically a problem for Geno’s teams.

 

[Shaffer0011]

Great question. I want to see Jana play at this level. Can she avoid foul trouble? If she can stay on the floor she will be the key. Freshman bigs tend to fight foul trouble early in their careers. Jana has some international experience that may help her. We will see. But I feel that she is a huge key for this squad. She must play at UCONN level without getting in early foul trouble.