Why Is Kelis Always The Last Player To Enter The Game?

[BobbyJ]

Earlier in the season I made the point that Kelis is probably the most talented “6th guard” on any team’s roster in WBB. She would likely start or, at a minimum, get major PT on just about any other team.

But there are 5 talented and experienced guards ahead of Kelis, 2 of whom are primarily pg’s like Kelis. Geno’s goal is to prepare this team for a postseason run to championship #13. Under the circumstances, just how much time does he give to guard #6, keeping in mind that any PT Kelis gets is PT that KK, Kayleigh, Ash, Azzi & Allie don’t get?

My short answer is that 3-5 mpg seems about right. So far this season, Kelis has played in 14/16 games, averaging 6.4 mpg.

Yes, there seems to be a misconception among many about what constitutes readiness to get quality PT in Auriemma’s program as a PG. Fisher currently has no real concept of how to operate/utilize this offense. And that won’t change this season.

 

[hoophuskee]

I think one of the reasons people are puzzled about Kellis's playing time is that she was Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year, following in the footsteps of some incredible UConn players who hold that honor. (Just for comparison, on the men's side, the preseason freshman of the year is the phenom, Braylon Mullins.) She hasn't lived up to the BE coaches' expectations. She could be rushing everything because she's thinking, "Wow, I've got to live up to expectations. They thought I was the best. I have to be the next Sarah Strong or Paige Bueckers." I don't think getting that award did her any favors.

It has nothing to do with not living up to expectations. This is not a failing of Kellis if anyone thinks that. It's some combinanation of laziness and maybe a bit of incomeptence thet either the coaches or if it was one of their staff that voted. No way Kellis shold have been voted over Blanca.

 

[oldude]

Yes, there seems to be a misconception among many about what constitutes readiness to get quality PT in Auriemma’s program as a PG. Fisher currently has no real concept of how to operate/utilize this offense. And that won’t change this season.

I think Kelis is learning and, in a pinch, could probably do a serviceable job at pg for UConn. But if your goal is winning a national championship, you have to give the vast majority of the minutes to KK & Kayleigh, along with the rotations you plan to use in March.

IMO, KK is the 2nd best “pure pg” in the nation behind only Rori Harmon. One of the very positive developments for UConn over just the past few games is that Kayleigh is really starting to get comfortable with UConn’s offense & defense and her role in it.

Under the circumstances, carving out another 5-10 minutes for Kelis would be counterproductive. Her time will come.

 

[oldude]

It has nothing to do with not living up to expectations. This is not a failing of Kellis if anyone thinks that. It's some combinanation of laziness and maybe a bit of incomeptence thet either the coaches or if it was one of their staff that voted. No way Kellis shold have been voted over Blanca.

Blanca was truly an X-factor in every sense. The BE coaches knew very little about her when UConn signed her. That’s clearly no longer the case. 😎

Next year I fully expect the Big O to be the preseason BEFOY. But I would not be surprised if Popovic is the best freshman in the conference.

 

[hoophuskee]

Blanca was truly an X-factor in every sense. The BE coaches knew very little about her when UConn signed her. That’s clearly no longer the case. 😎

They shouldn't know very little though. This is their top team in their own conferencee. 😀

 

[oldude]

They shouldn't know very little though. This is their top team in their own conferencee. 😀

Well, Kelis was a well-known recruit from IMG, one of the top schools in the nation, and the #25 rated prospect. Blanca was a young, talented reserve for Campobasso, an Italian professional team. How do you pick between the two?

 

[cwh20]

They shouldn't know very little though. This is their top team in their own conferencee. 😀

I’m not directing this at you but you know, it’s a pre season poll. It’s just not that big of a deal. No BE coach is going to get questioned or fired for not getting the FOTY pick right. It doesn’t mean they won’t be aware of all the key opposing players once the conference games begin.

 

[hoophuskee]

I’m not directing this at you but you know, it’s a pre season poll. It’s just not that big of a deal. No BE coach is going to get questioned or fired for not getting the FOTY pick right. It doesn’t mean they won’t be aware of all the key opposing players once the conference games begin.

Yes - but I didnt say it was a big deal. It just shows laziiness and certain level of incompetence, It's not a big deal. Blanca was playing against pros.

 

[HopJim]

Not sure why some refer to Kelis as a "point guard." She was an "everything" player in HS, dominating most opponents with her physical skills. Suspect she will learn a point guard's skill set and by next year be a major contributor but today is not a consistent outside shooter, defender, or passer to qualify.

 

[MSGRET]

She reminds me of Lorin Dixon, who also zoomed around the court at 100 mph her freshman year.

When I first joined the BY in Dec 2017, I started watching the games that were posted BY game replays. Started from the first year which I believe was the 1st NC year 1994-95. I remember this game the announcers seemed very biased toward NC at first believing that UConn would have problems playing against a sold out Dean Smith Center, they were very wrong on that assumption. I miss watching those games on the BY.

 

[NycUcWbbFan]

Not sure why some refer to Kelis as a "point guard." She was an "everything" player in HS, dominating most opponents with her physical skills. Suspect she will learn a point guard's skill set and by next year be a major contributor but today is not a consistent outside shooter, defender, or passer to qualify.

Most people expected Kelis to be the backup point guard, prior to Kayleigh becoming a portal addition.

• Sue was a shooting guard, converted to point guard (who turned out to be an all-time PG), when Kiersten (the K in TASSK) who was recruited as the PG suffered an injury from which she never regained her prior form.

With Kayleigh, Kelis’ role this year was as a backup to the backup PG (8 of her 27 rotations playing without KK or Kayleigh) and as an extra body in small ball.

• It became clear that significant bandwidth had to be expended for her to be a rotation player in those roles, bandwidth better spent elsewhere in the first half training cycle;
• Geno and CD are using much less bandwidth by preparing Azzi and Allie to be the relief point guards preparing for any scenario in the NCAAT where the team must do without KK or Kayleigh.

 

[CTBballfan243]

In the three games since the holiday break, Kelis Fisher has gotten about 5 minutes per game (in each case, the LAST 5 minutes of the blowout game). Since, as a would-be point guard, she has only 1 assist over those 15 minutes, I am not claiming that she has earned more minutes. But still, given her obvious size, speed, and athletic skill, you would think that she could have found a way to earn more minutes in blowout games than she is getting.

My hunch (and it's only a hunch) is that she has been slow to learn the offensive and defensive schemes. That can sometimes be a problem for highly talented athletes for whom the mental aspect of the game is more difficult than the physical skills.

Do others have other suggestions as to the cause of this minor mystery?

Somebody has to be the last player off the bench. It might as well be her.

 

[Rowdy831]

She is a guard on a guard heavy team. UConn also is masterful at developing their wings and guards to operate in Geno's system and she won't be out there consistently until she can run the system. She is a very good player and one that I would expect to really have a huge bump between year one and two.

 

[Longtime fan]

In the three games since the holiday break, Kelis Fisher has gotten about 5 minutes per game (in each case, the LAST 5 minutes of the blowout game). Since, as a would-be point guard, she has only 1 assist over those 15 minutes, I am not claiming that she has earned more minutes. But still, given her obvious size, speed, and athletic skill, you would think that she could have found a way to earn more minutes in blowout games than she is getting.

My hunch (and it's only a hunch) is that she has been slow to learn the offensive and defensive schemes. That can sometimes be a problem for highly talented athletes for whom the mental aspect of the game is more difficult than the physical skills.

Do others have other suggestions as to the cause of this minor mystery?

I think it is a bunch of things; 1. She has not shown a mastery of playing defense . 2. Her focus with the ball is to find a way to score. Herself. 3. She is moving too fast for the game. 4. Who has she put pressure on for playing time?
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I think she needs to have a major " aha" moment in practice that causes the coaches to want her on the court more. Until then, this is a scrappy, inconsistent learning year for her. There is still time, but I haven't seen much change in her style of play so far.

You can almost predict that the moment she controls the ball, she is going to fashion some incredibly athletic move to score ( thinking that is what will impress ). Dishing off to a teammate, who has an easier shot, would count more. So would a steal or two. Sadly by the time she is in the game, the other team has pretty much gone home ( down 40 points and substituting heavily ).

It will probably take the season for her lights to fully go on.