Who's going to be in the regular rotation next WCBB season?

[alexrgct]

I beg everyone not to turn this into a "who starts?" thread. Rather, I want to focus on who plays regular minutes every game next season and makes substantive contributions therein. The glorious 2015-16 team was stacked to the gills: there were the players who went 1-2-3 in the WNBA draft, two of the best high school prospects in the country playing as freshmen, reliable junior Saniya Chong, developing post mismatch Natalie Butler, extremely valuable sophs Gabby Williams and Kia Nurse, and some "break glass in case of emergency" kids like Ekmark/Pulido/Lawlor. In short,Geno had a very nice rotation of eight plus a few more players.

s\Sso who will be valuable rotation kids in the 2016-17 season?

First, let's consider who will probably be on the roster (not the rotation necessarily):

• Tierney Lawlor
• Saniya Chong
• Kia Nurse
• Gabby Williams
• Courtney Ekmark
• Natalie Butler
• Katie Lou Samuelson
• Napheesa Collier
• Crystal Dangerfield
• Kayla Irwin
• Molly Bent

Obviously Azura is a year away yet.

Here is who I think makes the rotation:

• Chong: she'll be a senior, a nice guard/shooter, and a very solid role player in the twilight of her WCBB career.
• Kia: two-year starter, tough as nails.
• Gabby- The walking spark plug will put up points, boards,and defensive tenacity.
• Butler: Big body, should only get better with UConn coaching/development of posts.
• Katie Lou: Lou Conn Samuelson? Time to say hell yes about KLS again...as long as that leg fully heals.
• Napheesa: Kid is just a baller whose moves only got more noticeable over time.
• Crystal Dangerfield: incoming top-three national prospect? Sounds auspicious...

What do you think? Above is a rotation of eight. Eight has historically been enough. Just has be eight kids we like to watch playing every game, not eight Geno believes he has to settle for...

 

[DaddyChoc]

I really wished KLS had played in the Championship game... I feel so bad for her.

sort of like how we talked about Tuck and Doty... earning their rings. yeah they did everything leading up to the championship but

 

[DaddyChoc]

no more than 3 losses... Ekmark is on the fence, everybody else knows their role and will in the game or on the bench cheering on the team

 

[JordyG]

I'm telling you guys. Don't sleep on the major contributions Kayla and Molly will make. Kayla has a wide body, plays good position defense and shoots well. Molly's energy and grit will make her an instant fan favorite. These two girls play smart with a snarl. Butler and Chong are going to be pushed. I'm just sayin'.

 

[CocoHusky]

:

• Chong: she'll be a senior, a nice guard/shooter, and a very solid role player in the twilight of her WCBB career.
• Kia: two-year starter, tough as nails.
• Gabby- The walking spark plug will put up points, boards,and defensive tenacity.
• Butler: Big body, should only get better with UConn coaching/development of posts.
• Katie Lou: Lou Conn Samuelson? Time to say hell yes about KLS again...as long as that leg fully heals.
• Napheesa: Kid is just a baller whose moves only got more noticeable over time.
• Crystal Dangerfield: incoming top-three national prospect? Sounds auspicious......

I agree with all your selections but would add Kyla Irwin because backup minutes will be need in the post and she is the best equipped.

 

[masshusk77]

I beg everyone not to turn this into a "who starts?" thread. Rather, I want to focus on who plays regular minutes every game next season and makes substantive contributions therein. The glorious 2015-16 team was stacked to the gills: there were the players who went 1-2-3 in the WNBA draft, two of the best high school prospects in the country playing as freshmen, reliable junior Saniya Chong, developing post mismatch Natalie Butler, extremely valuable sophs Gabby Williams and Kia Nurse, and some "break glass in case of emergency" kids like Ekmark/Pulido/Lawlor. In short,Geno had a very nice rotation of eight plus a few more players.

s\Sso who will be valuable rotation kids in the 2016-17 season?

First, let's consider who will probably be on the roster (not the rotation necessarily):

• Tierney Lawlor
• Saniya Chong
• Kia Nurse
• Gabby Williams
• Courtney Ekmark
• Natalie Butler
• Katie Lou Samuelson
• Napheesa Collier
• Crystal Dangerfield
• Kayla Irwin
• Molly Bent

Obviously Azura is a year away yet.

Here is who I think makes the rotation:

• Chong: she'll be a senior, a nice guard/shooter, and a very solid role player in the twilight of her WCBB career.
• Kia: two-year starter, tough as nails.
• Gabby- The walking spark plug will put up points, boards,and defensive tenacity.
• Butler: Big body, should only get better with UConn coaching/development of posts.
• Katie Lou: Lou Conn Samuelson? Time to say hell yes about KLS again...as long as that leg fully heals.
• Napheesa: Kid is just a baller whose moves only got more noticeable over time.
• Crystal Dangerfield: incoming top-three national prospect? Sounds auspicious...

What do you think? Above is a rotation of eight. Eight has historically been enough. Just has be eight kids we like to watch playing every game, not eight Geno believes he has to settle for...

I'm telling you guys. Don't sleep on the major contributions Kayla and Molly will make. Kayla has a wide body, plays good position defense and shoots well. Molly's energy and grit will make her an instant fan favorite. These two girls play smart with a snarl. Butler and Chong are going to be pushed. I'm just sayin'.

I think with the freshman being a couple days out from getting to Storrs, it's about time we as a group buckle down and get KYLA's name correct.

 

[Roundball fan]

Don't have any idea what Geno and Staff have up their sleeve for next year. I know what I am thinking is that early on we will see various line ups and rotation of players. We will need Gabby, Napheesa, Lou and Kia to really step up their games because they are the big 4 next year. Love our girls can't wait to see it unfold next fall.

 

[Kaizen]

I remember one of the HS coach told Geno, Molly Bent is a steal.

 

[JoePgh]

One thing that I am quite sure about is that Geno and the assistant coaches have no idea what the answer to this question is, and won't form an idea until late October or early November.

It's one thing to speculate about who might emerge, and another thing entirely to think that the script is determined and is only waiting to be unveiled. That is definitely not the case.

 

[CocoHusky]

I remember one of the HS coach told Geno, Molly Bent is a steal.

It was not a HS coach it was the Linda Cimino the HC at Binghamton told @HuskyNan on her way back from the FF.

 

[Zorro]

Props to DaddyChoc for not feeling badly for KLS!

 

[Bigpetunia]

The issue of which players will be "in the rotation" next season is one thing. Which player(s) will make a big step up and display a readiness to put the team "on her back" is another. In that regard, and this is categorically not intended to be an attack of any kind, the biggest question marks, by far, surround the potential role of Natalie Butler. Maybe last year's level of performance, marred by injury, was an aberration. Can she develop better hand skills? Can she really fit into Geno's up-tempo game the way Stef once learned to? Can she get a couple of inches off the floor? I'd love to see her, literally and figuratively, make a leap, but up to this point we haven't been treated to the putative skills we all heard about when she transferred from Georgetown.

 

[CocoHusky]

Props to DaddyChoc for not feeling badly for KLS!

Say what?

I really wished KLS had played in the Championship game... I feel so bad for her.

sort of like how we talked about Tuck and Doty... earning their rings. yeah they did everything leading up to the championship but

 

[bags27]

Molly Bent is a steal.

Uh-0h, another NCAA infraction....

 

[bags27]

Kyla Irwin because backup minutes will be need in the post and she is the best equipped.

I think she's an important key to next year. Natalie did not inspire great confidence this year, but, certainly, with a healthy summer, she could well surprise to the upside next year. If she does, Kyla gets relief minutes. But if Natalie doesn't improve Kyla may get big and important minutes.

 

[iamcbs]

I beg everyone not to turn this into a "who starts?" thread. Rather, I want to focus on who plays regular minutes every game next season and makes substantive contributions therein. The glorious 2015-16 team was stacked to the gills: there were the players who went 1-2-3 in the WNBA draft, two of the best high school prospects in the country playing as freshmen, reliable junior Saniya Chong, developing post mismatch Natalie Butler, extremely valuable sophs Gabby Williams and Kia Nurse, and some "break glass in case of emergency" kids like Ekmark/Pulido/Lawlor. In short,Geno had a very nice rotation of eight plus a few more players.

s\Sso who will be valuable rotation kids in the 2016-17 season?

First, let's consider who will probably be on the roster (not the rotation necessarily):

• Tierney Lawlor
• Saniya Chong
• Kia Nurse
• Gabby Williams
• Courtney Ekmark
• Natalie Butler
• Katie Lou Samuelson
• Napheesa Collier
• Crystal Dangerfield
• Kayla Irwin
• Molly Bent

Obviously Azura is a year away yet.

Here is who I think makes the rotation:

• Chong: she'll be a senior, a nice guard/shooter, and a very solid role player in the twilight of her WCBB career.
• Kia: two-year starter, tough as nails.
• Gabby- The walking spark plug will put up points, boards,and defensive tenacity.
• Butler: Big body, should only get better with UConn coaching/development of posts.
• Katie Lou: Lou Conn Samuelson? Time to say hell yes about KLS again...as long as that leg fully heals.
• Napheesa: Kid is just a baller whose moves only got more noticeable over time.
• Crystal Dangerfield: incoming top-three national prospect? Sounds auspicious...

What do you think? Above is a rotation of eight. Eight has historically been enough. Just has be eight kids we like to watch playing every game, not eight Geno believes he has to settle for...

I'm going to preface this by saying people understand only from their level of perception, what in 3 years has shown you that Saniya Chong will be a significant contributor, simply by virtue of her being a senior? She has done absolutely nothing in her 3 years at UConn to make Geno believe she will contribute, otherwise she would have played a lot more minutes. Natalie Butler is what she is; a big body with questionable athleticism and hands. She red-shirted for a year, how much more work in the system does she need, her injury I believe was worse than anyone in the program let on, but she hasn't shown she's ready for an increase in minutes. Gabby is an undersized player who is spectacular and if she makes the same type of improvement this year as last she's going to cause opponents a lot of headaches.

Lou and Pheesa are stars waiting to happen, they will be the next great set of UConn teammates, with both being AA's before their careers are over, they'll win a couple more Natty's before they leave. Kia is a rock and her offensive game will flourish now that Tuck Stewie and Mojet are gone. I know Dangerfield is only a freshman, but two years ago so was Kelsey Mitchell and the transition didn't affect her at all. Molly Bent is going to surprise a lot of people, Kayla Irwin is a wide-body and a coach's child and you can never discount that, although I question her athleticism and whether she has enough to be successful at this level. Courtney Ekmark is a hard worker, great teammate and a really nice person, she'll have some moments at some point but she'll never be a regular contributor on this team. Tierney Lawlor will make a great coach one day and her Natty's will give her gravitas at some point, but she won't contribute either, still it's good to have the love and respect of everyone you meet.

 

[iamcbs]

I beg everyone not to turn this into a "who starts?" thread. Rather, I want to focus on who plays regular minutes every game next season and makes substantive contributions therein. The glorious 2015-16 team was stacked to the gills: there were the players who went 1-2-3 in the WNBA draft, two of the best high school prospects in the country playing as freshmen, reliable junior Saniya Chong, developing post mismatch Natalie Butler, extremely valuable sophs Gabby Williams and Kia Nurse, and some "break glass in case of emergency" kids like Ekmark/Pulido/Lawlor. In short,Geno had a very nice rotation of eight plus a few more players.

s\Sso who will be valuable rotation kids in the 2016-17 season?

First, let's consider who will probably be on the roster (not the rotation necessarily):

• Tierney Lawlor
• Saniya Chong
• Kia Nurse
• Gabby Williams
• Courtney Ekmark
• Natalie Butler
• Katie Lou Samuelson
• Napheesa Collier
• Crystal Dangerfield
• Kayla Irwin
• Molly Bent

Obviously Azura is a year away yet.

Here is who I think makes the rotation:

• Chong: she'll be a senior, a nice guard/shooter, and a very solid role player in the twilight of her WCBB career.
• Kia: two-year starter, tough as nails.
• Gabby- The walking spark plug will put up points, boards,and defensive tenacity.
• Butler: Big body, should only get better with UConn coaching/development of posts.
• Katie Lou: Lou Conn Samuelson? Time to say hell yes about KLS again...as long as that leg fully heals.
• Napheesa: Kid is just a baller whose moves only got more noticeable over time.
• Crystal Dangerfield: incoming top-three national prospect? Sounds auspicious...

What do you think? Above is a rotation of eight. Eight has historically been enough. Just has be eight kids we like to watch playing every game, not eight Geno believes he has to settle for...

I'm going to preface this by saying people understand only from their level of perception, what in 3 years has shown you that Saniya Chong will be a significant contributor, simply by virtue of her being a senior? She has done absolutely nothing in her 3 years at UConn to make Geno believe she will contribute, otherwise she would have played a lot more minutes. Natalie Butler is what she is; a big body with questionable athleticism and hands. She red-shirted for a year, how much more work in the system does she need, her injury I believe was worse than anyone in the program let on, but she hasn't shown she's ready for an increase in minutes. Gabby is an undersized player who is spectacular and if she makes the same type of improvement this year as last she's going to cause opponents a lot of headaches.

Lou and Pheesa are stars waiting to happen, they will be the next great set of UConn teammates, with both being AA's before their careers are over, they'll win a couple more Natty's before they leave. Kia is a rock and her offensive game will flourish now that Tuck Stewie and Mojet are gone. I know Dangerfield is only a freshman, but two years ago so was Kelsey Mitchell and the transition didn't affect her at all. Molly Bent is going to surprise a lot of people, Kayla Irwin is a wide-body and a coach's child and you can never discount that, although I question her athleticism and whether she has enough to be successful at this level. Courtney Ekmark is a hard worker, great teammate and a really nice person, she'll have some moments at some point but she'll never be a regular contributor on this team. Tierney Lawlor will make a great coach one day and her Natty's will give her gravitas at some point, but she won't contribute either, still it's good to have the love and respect of everyone you meet.

 

[chrissaran]

Your rotation is seven. Kyla and Molly will get minutes because of their talent and most importantly their work ethic.

 

[JoePgh]

If you assume that KLS will be the starting 3 (I know, that certainly isn't settled), then it makes perfect sense to me that Courtney Ekmark would be her main backup in that role. Courtney isn't as fast or as athletic (that's why she would be backup), and she is a good 3-point shooter rather than an ace in that role, but she will know the offense and she will make the right reads and the right passes. She will be the right place at both ends of the court and will get some rebounds and putbacks because of that. As I've observed before, she showed clear physical limitations but in her sophomore year she rarely made a mental error. I would expect her to see 12-15 minutes per game (more against noncompetitive teams), and average perhaps 6-8 points per game.

 

[rugbymate]

I agree with all your selections but would add Kyla Irwin because backup minutes will be need in the post and she is the best equipped.

Totally agree....the loss of Stewie/Tuck raises potential rebounding issues next year. Our three most prolific boarders are NC, Butler and Gabby. Unfortunately, last season our three most prolific foulers(PF/40 min) were NC, Butler and Gabby. While they will undoubtedly make progress with their fouling, one could imagine that Kyla, whether ready or not , will be pressed into action.

 

[CocoHusky]

I'm going to preface this by saying people understand only from their level of perception, what in 3 years has shown you that Saniya Chong will be a significant contributor, simply by virtue of her being a senior? She has done absolutely nothing in her 3 years at UConn to make Geno believe she will contribute, otherwise she would have played a lot more minutes.

In order to answer your question we need to get on the same page with terminology. You used the words "significant contributor" and @alexrgct used the words "a very solid role player" & part of the rotation. Those are vastly different things.
Terminology aside your statement that Saniya has done "absolutely nothing to make Geno believe she will contribute" is demonstrably false. As a Freshmen it was Saniya Chong who came off the bench and drilled shot after shot against Stanford when the rest of the team was stuck in neutral. It was the same Saniya who was inserted into the starting line up when KML went down with injury. Sophomore Saniya was a starter for UCONN along with 4 other players that have thier names on the Huskies wall of Honor. Junior Saniya hit the game deciding 3pt shot against Maryland in perhaps the 2 most competitive basketball game UCONN has played in 3 years. In each instance Geno believed in Saniya & Saniya is more than capable of being a very solid role player.

 

[Zorro]

Maria Conlon will never play significant minutes for UConn!

 

[iamcbs]

In order to answer your question we need to get on the same page with terminology. You used the words "significant contributor" and @alexrgct used the words "a very solid role player" & part of the rotation. Those are vastly different things.
Terminology aside your statement that Saniya has done "absolutely nothing to make Geno believe she will contribute" is demonstrably false. As a Freshmen it was Saniya Chong who came off the bench and drilled shot after shot against Stanford when the rest of the team was stuck in neutral. It was the same Saniya who was inserted into the starting line up when KML went down with injury. Sophomore Saniya was a starter for UCONN along with 4 other players that have thier names on the Huskies wall of Honor. Junior Saniya hit the game deciding 3pt shot against Maryland in perhaps the 2 most competitive basketball game UCONN has played in 3 years. In each instance Geno believed in Saniya & Saniya is more than capable of being a very solid role player.

So two shots in 3 years makes a solid contributor? It seems we have very different definitions of that term. But then that's what makes a Horse Race, doesn't it?

 

[bags27]

Terminology aside your statement that Saniya has done "absolutely nothing to make Geno believe she will contribute" is demonstrably false. As a Freshmen it was Saniya Chong who came off the bench and drilled shot after shot against Stanford when the rest of the team was stuck in neutral. It was the same Saniya who was inserted into the starting line up when KML went down with injury. Sophomore Saniya was a starter for UCONN along with 4 other players that have thier names on the Huskies wall of Honor. Junior Saniya hit the game deciding 3pt shot against Maryland in perhaps the 2 most competitive basketball game UCONN has played in 3 years. In each instance Geno believed in Saniya & Saniya is more than capable of being a very solid role player.

Great post. Thanks. We all go hot and cold on Saniya, mostly in reflection to her court comportment that seems to come and go. And perhaps it will be only after she graduates that we will be able to appreciate her in the terms you're described: that she may not be a full-time starter and it may be that Geno needs always to watch her especially closely, but there will be moments when her contributions are essential. And on a team whose realistic goal every year is a national championship, that's far from nothing!

 

[iamcbs]

Great post. Thanks. We all go hot and cold on Saniya, mostly in reflection to her court comportment that seems to come and go. And perhaps it will be only after she graduates that we will be able to appreciate her in the terms you're described: that she may not be a full-time starter and it may be that Geno needs always to watch her especially closely, but there will be moments when her contributions are essential. And on a team whose realistic goal every year is a national championship, that's far from nothing!

Couldn't the same be said of every member of the team that doesn't start or play significant minutes? Why would fans miss Saniya any more than they miss Jacquie Fernandez, Heather Buck, or Briana Pulido? After her graduation what will be left to appreciate? @CocoHusky synopsized her career highlights to date. A 20-point explosion in a loss to Stanford, after which she was benched in favor of freshman Kia Nurse and a 3-ball at an extremely crucial point in a close game against Maryland. This from a team that won 3 natty's and lost one game since she's been on the team. I'm not anti-Saniya and I wish her the best possible Senior year, I applaud her character, she works hard and sticks to it, when others in her situation have left. My only point is that to this stage in her career she has yet to reach the level of solid contributor.