Williams and Heckel are on Campus today (merged)

[ec33]

It might seem strange, but I let Geno worry about the makeup of the roster. This isn't his first experience putting a team together. Any additions that he wants, I want.

It is his refusal to add centers after the centers he wants go elsewhere that I have trouble with.

 

[oldude]

It's 15:

Strong-Shade-KK-Ice-Fudd-El Alfy (6)

Patterson-Ducharme-Ziebell-Cheli-(4)

Fisher-Quinonez-Mamel (3)

Williams-Heckel (2)

I stand corrected.

 

[GoCardinal]

The only one they NEED is Williams. KK is quicker and faster than Heckel and a beast on defense. Morgan has the talent to be an outstanding point guard. All point guards are not short. See Magic Johnson and Paige Bueckers. What message will that send to Morgan and Allie? I believe they are both better guards then Heckel and I have been a fan of hers since I saw her in high school playing against some of the top players in the country. She had a chance to come to UConn out of high school but passed on it.

The message sent to them is to work their tails off over the summer so they can be prepared to compete for minutes, shouldn’t that be the message for everyone? Nothing is given.

 

[tower1]

A roster of 14 or 15 initially strikes me as potentially unwieldy, but we are only one season removed from barely being able to field a team due to injuries and illnesses. And let's not forget how exciting and energizing it was this season when KK and Ash (joined at times by Morgan, Aubrey, and others) shot off the bench to change the pace of the game and disrupt our opponents.

As someone said above, in Geno, I trust. If these young women can envision themselves at UConn, embracing the hard work and team-first concept that comes with it, I'd be thrilled to have them. I wish them luck as they make what must be an incredibly stressful decision.

You guys remember how Tennessee beat us!

 

[oldude]

It should be 15: Azzi, KK, Ash, AP, Carol, Sarah, Serah, Jana, ICE, Morgan, Allie, Blanca, Gandy, Kelis, and Heckel.

Most, if not all, should be on track to be available for the exhibition game in November, and be able to beat Columbia, but we won't find out about that until the presser after NC #13.

Go Huskies!!!

I don’t want to unsettle the mojo. If UConn faces Columbia again in a preseason scrimmage, I’m rooting for the Lions.

 

[donalddoowop]

Whoever is faster, I'm encouraged by the thought that we could have two really speedy little guards.

Add Kelis to that.

 

[HuskyNan]

It might seem strange, but I let Geno worry about the makeup of the roster. This isn't his first experience putting a team together. Any additions that he wants, I want.

It is his refusal to add centers after the centers he wants go elsewhere that I have trouble with.

His refusal, huh? Geno is telling centers to go play for another team?

Geez.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

Just curious. where did Rating services have Henkel Ranked coming out of HS, and if local (NY) at that time, had Uconn shown recruiting interest

UConn had interest, yes. Think Geno liked her quite a bit.

 

[JBK]

You don't think KK is a "true point" guard? She relieved Chen in every game, brought the ball up court and ran the offense? She has a suspect jumper and sometimes gets bottled up in the paint (Not as much as she did her freshman year)but she is a point guard nonetheless. So too is Heckel...

It was nice to see that SC could not guard KK in the championship game - too fast / great defense / speed and next year she will hit the 3.

 

[Zarathustra]

Kelis was not at dawg camp.

I just think we are going from 5 reliable ball handlers to 3 on paper heading into camp. And it would be a good idea to add another ball handler.

Anyone that isn’t sure about Heckel… don’t you trust the coaches?

"K9" Heckel is VERY good. On the So Cal roster page, in the BIO
section, it was reported " Sue Bird as her best sports hero". Check it
out... plus her FIBA basketball tournament play and her L. I. Lutheran
stats. She is from Port Chester, N.Y., (on the way to Hartford and Storrs!),
her parents went to St. Johns, and I love the idea of "KK" and "K9" doing their combo magic (like KK and Kaitlyn??). IMHO Geno will be cooking up a BAKER'S
DOZEN for next season. GO HUSKIES!

 

[JBK]

#13 per ESPN Hoop Girls

A Long Island Lutheran girl - Christina Raiti has built one of the best programs in the country - she played in HS with Koval

 

[mauconnfan]

Never enough good guards and Henkel is really good, will be better with Geno coaching her. Tough, quick and can guard she did as well as anyone on Paige who is beyond easy to guard. Serah a must get and both would be tremendous.

 

[Scud49]

The suspense.........is killing me......this may be my last post...ever.

 

[The CDR-Ret]

she was annoying Paige with tough defence.

Which led to the "flex moment" after the ball circled around the rim and in for the "& one"

Always appreciated PB's flex moments, after she "beefed up" last summer.

 

[BRS24]

The suspense.........is killing me......this may be my last post...ever.

Don't forget, UConn is pretty much radio silence until either the player or the school announces the signing. No flash, no big productions, so we'll all need quite a bit of patience until all is said and done.

 

[ConnMotors]

You have three players that are not 100% in Caroline Ducharme; Ayanna Patterson and Morgan Cheli. I would take the additions in a heartbeat

 

[Zarathustra]

"....and *** one!" Paige to Heckel

https://x.com/TWDTV1/status/1906889072145994217

We, the BONEYARD, should give credit to "K9" Heckel for her
great defense on Paige. But... when you mess with the BEST
you must expect to give up the basket....AND ONE! Come
to Storrs K9 ... join the best WBB team in the country, the
best coaches, the best "family", at THE BASKETBALL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.!!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

UConn had interest, yes. Think Geno liked her quite a bit.

Yes, Heckel & Koval (6'5") - both from LUHI, of Lon Gisland, NY. Koval has also transferred to LSU...

 

[The CDR-Ret]

A Long Island Lutheran girl - Christina Raiti has built one of the best programs in the country - she played in HS with Koval

Now to have Kayleigh Heckel turn her #13 ranking to NC #13 for UConn. Time for the "We're Doomed" folks to show up...

Go Huskies!!!

 

[Scud49]

Don't forget, UConn is pretty much radio silence until either the player or the school announces the signing. No flash, no big productions, so we'll all need quite a bit of patience until all is said and done.

Your killing me, I didn't need to know that....it's over, I'm now a dead duck basket case....tis curtains, it's all over now.

 

[Bone Dog]

Ok, a problem just occurred to me. In baseball, a fastball requires an offspeed pitch to be most effective. If all of your pitches are roughly the same speed, you’ll get tagged a lot.

Subbing Kayleigh for KK could be like throwing only fastballs.

 

[uconnever]

Heckel definitely stood out to me at the McDonald’s all American game last year. I remember thinking, how come we didn’t recruit her being so close. Koval looked good too, that’s why I remember it so well because they were from the same school. Heckel will be really good if she comes here.

 

[Bills Fan]

According to her bio on ESPN, born in Pt. Chester, NY

Her bio from USC says she was born in CT, but it could have been wrong.

 

[Zarathustra]

Just curious. where did Rating services have Henkel Ranked coming out of HS, and if local (NY) at that time, had Uconn shown recruiting interest

Here are some biographical notes for "K9": Honor student at
Port Chester H.S. where she also played softball and volleyball. She
was a 2023 Max Prep POY, a 2027 McDonald's AA, Jordan
Brand AA, and she played for "Exodus NYC" in the EYBL circuit and MVP in that
tournament. Played on the USA National U18 Basketball team, PG at
L.I. Lutheran H.S. In H.S. scored 2,400 points and had (combined?)
over 500 assists, rebounds, steals. On a 6/24/2024 scouting report
by Brandon Clay, Kayleigh was described as "an adept passer" and with
"a crisp 3-point shot". Jersey number is "9", Height is 5'9".
Sources: Biographical data for Kayleigh from USC ROSTER page and 24/7 SPORTS (CBS Sports Digital). If she was a little taller, I would call her a "SLAM DUNK"!

 

[The CDR-Ret]

Heckel definitely stood out to me at the McDonald’s all American game last year. I remember thinking, how come we didn’t recruit her being so close. Koval looked good too, that’s why I remember it so well because they were from the same school. Heckel will be really good if she comes here.

If I remember correctly, they both were marked as Yes for offered by UConn, but both "pieces" came off the chess board in the early signing period in November. And that was that...

However, Kayleigh may be granted a Mulligan here for the opportunity for three years starting now. For the record, golf tends to more exciting that chess anyway.

Go Huskies!!!