Will Geno used the Georgetown game differently, considering ISU and USC?

[Zarathustra]

I love Coach and his pressers. He says a lot without saying a lot. For example, the whole "We need more scorers" line. We got scorers. He wants them to go and attack. Stay aggressive even if you shot isn't falling. Keep attacking. We just could not get the shots we normally make, fall. We need our sweet Ashlynn to keep being aggressive out there with her shot. If that shot isn't falling. Drive to the rack and get some layups and hopefully get fouled and get some free-throws. Some players get warmed up that way.

Like I said in a previous post, I don't see Coach doing too much based on one game. He might go with the Sarah and 4 guards idea in segments, just depends on the how game is going. GTown, for whatever reason, these past few years have made playing them look rough. Like watching a middle school game. We shall see what develops.

I like the point made above about Ash driving to the basket. If she
get fouled two good things happen: 1. more fouls on the opponents and
2. Ash is an EXCELLENT free throw shooting. So, if the shots behind
the arc are not falling.... DRIVE, DRIVE, DRIVE... Points and confidence!
GO ASH! Of course: everybody eats. The wins that come this season are
a TEAM EFFORT. But we need an effective AZZI and/or Ash to make
the "team" effort more balanced! P.S. Ash driving might also be
a prelude to some very effective " kicking out" to the three-point line.

 

[Shenandoah]

This is partially for "fun" but also to learn from senior Boneyarders with
a knowledge/ history of knowing GENO's short term Tactics and long-term strategies.
1. No Change: Geno follow his normal pattern (please elaborate).
2. Over emphasis 3-point shooting % of total shots, i.e. to see who
demonstrates "consistency" in support of Paige. (See GENO's
Post Game pressor from N.D.)
3. Overvalue the inside game: provide extra "reps" for Jana and ICE to
develop this, provide "muscle memory " to our BIGS regarding scoring
and rebounding.
4. Geno asks Paige to defer "playing through contact". Again, see Geno's
post-game pressor when he stated that "Paige may be her own worse
enemy"(or something to that effect).
5. Play AZZI?? I know Geno stated early in the week that AZZI would not
play " for a week"?? and then it will be "day to day". But the Louisville game
WAS on Saturday night... so.... Is there any benefit to Azzi NOT STARTING,
or coming off the bench (early or late). Does Geno need/want to see which
squads may work best with Paige, Sarah, and Azzi... at least for the USC game?
6. For those BONEYARDERS " in the know" what do you know of GENO'S history
of using a "sandwich" game like Georgetown? Between a BIG game like N.D.
especially as a loss with some "issues" and two coming games against ranked
opponents.
7. My fantasy is that: a. Azzi plays (some), b. Paige and Sarah work on
their playing off each other like in the second half in South Bend. c.
Geno's gently pressures SARAH to work on " playing with an All American
mindset", and d. GENO GIVES some extra "reps" to ICE, JANA, and encourages a
full game offense focused ASHLYNN SHADE.
8. Again, back to the N.D. post-game pressor: will we see any of SARAH at the
5 position with a four-guard complement??
9. Other ideas??

as to #5: I agree to play Azzi IF she is healthy. I don't like her starting, however. Ash starting gets her involved and when she is involved, her shots fall, and she crashes the boards, hard. Can anyone else in the country bring in an Azzi quality player off the bench?

 

[cgshuskie]

How about Paige, Azzi, Morgan, Sarah and Jana? the ultimate team

 

[Zarathustra]

How about Paige, Azzi, Morgan, Sarah and Jana? the ultimate team

Morgan Cheli, 5 points, 2/2 shooting, 1/1 three pointer, in 18 minutes of
playing time. Five REBOUNDS, three assists, + three steals. With a +/-
of + 22! (I consider anything above 15 as good, but I don't have
a reference for an exact way to consider this stat, any help on that would be
appreciated!). Some of her fouls seemed unfortunate, i.e. that one on
her doing a nice job boxing out, but called due to Morgan falling back on the Hoya
lady? One cannot criticize her for lack of hustle! I loved her bounce
pass to ALLIE Z. on a transition play basket, a difficult dime. Morgan is
6'2" and to my eyes has long arms... talk about "length". If she is ever
needed as a ball handler (as she was in H.S. for Archbishop Mitty H.S.)
she would have a nice advantage for HIGH LOW entry passes. Go Morgan,
GO HUSKIES!

 

[hookshot]

How about Paige, Azzi, Morgan, Sarah and Jana? the ultimate team

rotate Griffin and Jana (when needed for match up) and you might have something there. Morgan does a little bit of everything

 

[hookshot]

I think he knows what he has in Ice, KK and Chen, the latter two being replacements for each other, not on the court together. He has to devise a plan to accelerate Jana's development - she has the will, drive and determination, and hopefully the skill to be THAT post player by March. He know what he has in Azzi, just has to manage her minutes appropriately to the demands of the season. The most difficult and immediate task is to find out whether Ash has IT or not and he may have already decided that. The importance here is the need for her to relieve Azzi and bring the game we think she has everytime. I think Morgan will get more time in more roles, leaving Q and Allie for next year.

Agree, except that Jana has a long way to go on the skill part and that may be a bridge too far for this year but some rotation of Griffin and Jana maybe can still get it done for this year., because of the versatility of Strong

 

[Cuango]

Geno sent a strong message to a number of his players tonight in the after game press conference! Bring a consistent effort, be reliable in what you bring to each game, or the success you are looking for is not likely to happen! That, I believe, is what he is looking for! He wants less of the up and down performance swings between games. This team has all it needs to cut down the nets in April. Everybody needs to consistently do their job and the rest will take care of itself!

 

[Bald Husky]

Geno did go to the 4 guard line-up in the second half yesterday. They did play better, but against USC and Iowa State he cannot do this. Putting Sarah up against Crookes and KiKI is dangerous because of potential foul trouble. We saw how her benching in the ND game was a problem for us, so 3 guards, Sarah, and any other Big will have to be rotated during the entire game. I'm glad he is giving more PT to Morgan because she will be a very positive player for us this year. I don't think Geno knows what to do with so many players, still trying to find the best combos. Need to find it now before we really get into the BE schedule so they can get the chemistry going for the rest of the year.

 

[Zarathustra]

The ISU game is a puzzle for me. UCONN has been
"in"-consistent in any number of ways: Paige with
some less "Paige-like" games and Sarah with the
one "bad" foul game and on and off with her three
pointers. Both are terrific, but "off" games have
occurred. Add that with the possibility of not
having AZZI as the +++ " third wheel" of this
scoring combination and ASH being truly
inconsistent and not "Ash-like" (The consistent "ASH" of
the 2024-2024 campaign).
What brings this game into the solid "W" column for
me is that I see both Paige and Sarah having "average"
games ("NICE"), Morgan creating just enough "havoc",
and the UCONN crowd at Mohegan SUN. It does not
hurt that Makenzie Hare (5'9", Junior, 22.7 minutes per game
is OUT for the Cyclones). I'm not factoring AZZI "in"
this game, but that would be a plus, no matter how
few minutes or modest points she will contribute. I do
want her "in" for part of Tuesday evening...
in anticipation and preparation for USC. For Tuesday,
UCONN WINS, but the MOV is truly a question mark.