Z the Big Jump coming to UConn

[CMC'72]

For me, Z is fine, both sides of the court, especially once she starts blocking shots on a consistent basis.

I think the difference we are struggling to define is Z is better in a game with bigs, which is a slower game. Her decision making is just a bit slower. Not as slow as Natalie was by any means.

I think for the UCLA game, Geno went to a shorter, faster group. We have a completely different movement and tempo when just the shorter guys are in there, i.e., when Lou and Z are out.

Two different teams, and Z seems to be better on the slightly slower, taller group, is my take.

And it could just be z's conditioning at this point in the season.

 

[TroySNAlpha]

Tc, BVa, Pa33, et al...

Excellent thread and insight-full discussion.
[Note to Z:
Keep coming, girl! Keep coming! It takes time... and lots of reps, but keep looking up (at the Wall), you're on the way.]
Stef had to redo her body, Tina ...her mind, KML & KLS...her Game, but you have the orchestra leader (Il Maestro) w/ you.

Our Game goes beyond wayyyy beyond the others. And it requires TIME to absorb it & excell.
There are many other teams with great (individual)(read that.. AA) players. They appear on the Lists, one-by-one.
But Here, we post 'em on the National listings two & three at a time.
Why?
I believe because we GROW a Team... Individual talents choose to come to Storrs... work, practice, & play under Il Maestro & CD & Shea & M...
Cross pollinate in play (on the hardwood and in the UConn family) and blossom. Our players appear in clusters on the highest of National rankings because they are intertwined and helped to grow each other.
Do Great players make Great individuals? or Great individuals make Great players?
Answer: Here.... Yes.

Welcome aboard, Z.
Take notes!

 

[JRRRJ]

Tony, I'd be a fool to disagree with you and most of what you say is accurate and the fact in the UCLA game, Z was desperately needed and, while not perfection, did some great things. Uconn may not survive this season without her, but with her they will be champions.

Now--for the opposing view: Scorer/Shooters--shoot and score. You don't lose your knowledge of scoring or your muscle memory required to shoot every time accurately when you transfer. We have seen moments--in the MD game she flashed to the basket--with an amazing drive, missed the layup.
Her shots are close, but close only counts in horseshoes. She came to UConn with lots of hype, and Geno has spoken wildly about her gifts--all of which compounds the Fan problem for Azura. We expect her to be as Geno and Duke proclaimed. Our expectations are built around what EXPERTS told us.

My take on her less than expected scoring--i.e. to fully replace Katie Lou--is she is working too hard to please Geno. She has defensive issues and tries to please, which gets into her offensive game. If Geno backs off , which is hard when he sees easy things to fix defensively, her head may let her muscles take over and she'l be the scorer she truly is. If she stops thinking of pleasing and just plays--look out---just a thought..

To bolster the assertion in bold that losing shooting ability is the cause, you must explain why Katie Lou was 12 of 47 (25.5%) for the first 11 games after she transferred to UConn from Mater Dei.

"Best HS shooter since KML, maybe better", they said.

 

[BroadwayVa]

To bolster the assertion in bold that losing shooting ability is the cause, you must explain why Katie Lou was 12 of 47 (25.5%) for the first 11 games after she transferred to UConn from Mater Dei.

"Best HS shooter since KML, maybe better", they said.

Good question: Katie didn't TRANSFER---she graduated to College, and to the land of OZ/perfection, H.S. isn't Div 1. She didn't spend 3 years in another Div 1 program ---she spent a lifetime before college with less expectations and adulation. Look at EDD--one day, and the big time UCBB got into her head, and maybe missing sis--some who join the military and see what they gotten themselves into I'm sure wanted to --un enlist. It just ain't HS any more. Once, early in her Frosh year, KLS got her mojo back and her muscle memory and her nerves,i she acclimated to the situation, the coaching differences, being away from home, and she became all she could be as a Frosh. Then built on that. DIFFERENCES are apparent.
Now you and I know this does not explain Azura--but you were trying to compare apples and banana peels. KML/Z/KLS different people, different mental make up, different backgrounds, different parents, different teachers/coach--all work into making people act differently.
Still the fact remains shooter use muscle memory --that's why they practice 1000 shots a day. So when that is ruled out what is left??
Interesting concept some tend to use---don't post the entire text to be responded to. There is another paragraph --that actually answered the question you asked. So the question is why ask a question with the answer posted and then delete the answer?? If you needed further definition--then present the FULL post.

 

[JRRRJ]

Good question: Katie didn't TRANSFER---she graduated to College, and to the land of OZ/perfection, H.S. isn't Div 1. She didn't spend 3 years in another Div 1 program ---she spent a lifetime before college with less expectations and adulation. Look at EDD--one day, and the big time UCBB got into her head, and maybe missing sis--some who join the military and see what they gotten themselves into I'm sure wanted to --un enlist. It just ain't HS any more. Once, early in her Frosh year, KLS got her mojo back and her muscle memory and her nerves,i she acclimated to the situation, the coaching differences, being away from home, and she became all she could be as a Frosh. Then built on that. DIFFERENCES are apparent.
Now you and I know this does not explain Azura--but you were trying to compare apples and banana peels. KML/Z/KLS different people, different mental make up, different backgrounds, different parents, different teachers/coach--all work into making people act differently.
Still the fact remains shooter use muscle memory --that's why they practice 1000 shots a day. So when that is ruled out what is left??

Being on the floor for a game in front of Geno is not the same as playing for anyone else, nor is it the same as being on the scout team in practice. You said it in the bold text above.

The external pressure when I play tennis is many orders of magnitude less than what the Husky ladies endure, but the pressures I sometimes put on myself make it simple to miss shots in matches I make easily in clinics or against my wife.

She'll be fine. She wants this. Just has to come to terms with it. Consider the Tina Charles story.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Being on the floor for a game in front of Geno is not the same as playing for anyone else, nor is it the same as being on the scout team in practice. You said it in the bold text above.

The external pressure when I play tennis is many orders of magnitude less than what the Husky ladies endure, but the pressures I sometimes put on myself make it simple to miss shots in matches I make easily in clinics or against my wife.---

She'll be fine. She wants this. Just has to come to terms with it. Consider the Tina Charles story.

hat

Now you are agreeing with my posting. But playing on one stage or being in front of one class is pretty much like the other; except when you have a hostile audience. \
Some of Z's audiences were friendly--except for Geno, possibly. Your assertions above fall in line with my original post---nerves (which are usually creating an internal story greater than the truth)/mental/wanting to please (whether that is to avoid the issues/trouble), trying too hard. All of which constitute pressure--and the greatest pressures usually come from within. \Geno uses that, or defeats the self doubt and tries to make one mentally stronger--because that is the true weakness.
Just for kicks---what external pressures did you have--or better were those pressures your perceived as external --coming from with in you? \
Some people can cope with external pressure unless they are physical --if you are trying to please, that's not external that is probably created by they way a person is raised--a family thing.
Think of the military that have on a daily basis ,some times live with external issues and then must perform at a high level --or die.
Thanks for the clarification--we probably agree more than you think.

 

[augustaTC]

Lots of BYers did it with Dangerfield, Z, and now Walker. They're subject to unrealistic expectations and then disappointment. Wish there was a rule against predicting what a new kid will do until they've played for three months. What is the point?

 

[BroadwayVa]

I'm with you Tony... It's early; too early to make a judgment. Coming to UConn was a step she took feeling it could make her a better player. Cut her some slack...

It is never too early or too late to make judgments. Of course, if you want good or even better judgments--then this may be too early. I'm not sure we fans are judging Azura Stevens as much as we are wondering, what's going on. We all read, heard, saw how good she was at Duke. Geno has spoken highly of her, even recently. So, some of us are second, triple , quad guessing to find the reasons for her not getting 30 points per game with another 25 rebound and 12 blocks per game. Ok, that's my fantasy!
But if you look at the UCLA game---her value in the game was evident, without scoring, rebounding or blocking (all of which she did); opponents cannot dump 3 players on Gabby and Napheesa down low with Azura in the game--her talent is widely known, she scores from the perimeter, or did at Duke.\
If they lay off of Z they do so at their peril, if they double her--Gabby or Napheesa score, rebound,etc. Z isn't the only factor in her not scoring easily--blame chemistry i.e. passers have to learn when where and how to pass effectively to Z. Nuff Sed.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

So Z is not living up to some fans expectations. Some expected her to come here and be a first team AA. Lets be patient guys. She's got tremendous potential that needs to be developed. Its a big jump to come from one team and then to come to UConn. UConn is the next level and Z transferred here for that reason, to get better, to be part of something special, to be developed and to become a better player and yes to be an AA. Now shes working on it and although you havent seen the results yet it will happen it takes time. Geno will develop Z and she will be great. You see her smile. Smiling is one of the greatest assets an athlete can have because it relaxes you and clears your mind.

There is a learning curve when you come to UConn and it takes time to get there. Do you have any idea how long it takes ? No I dont. But I know if you keep on practicing hard for a long time it will eventually come together. Remember my ole saying about being successful..."you will pay a huge price, and you will pay it in advance and there are no guarantees." Many of you thought when Diana got here, when Breanna got here when Maya got here they would walk in to the starting lineup and be great. They didnt. It took time.

When you see Z shooting treys and dont think she should remember this Geno wants her to shoot treys and if he didnt he would have her sitting on the bench. When you see Z running the fast break be happy we have a big who can handle the ball. Think about this. When Lou and Camara get back we will have the best high low game in WCBB.

So all I can say is...we were concerned about not having a big now we have a really good one. So be patient and watch her develop under the UConn system and Im sure by March she will be the prize many of you had hoped for.

GO Huskies

Tonyc- - - Very true! People should not forget that she was UNDERWHELMED at Duke! When She transferred to UCONN she said she wanted to take her game to a higher level and that wasn't ever gonna happen at Duke! So she did not get great coaching for her 1st 2 years and got by on her natural talent! Now with Geno and Staff she'll quickly pick up the skills and knowledge she hasn't gotten yet! With Coach McCallie that's the elephant graveyard athletes go to die (on the vine)!
Give Azura time she's a diamond just waiting to be polished!

 

[Buzzyboy]

Maya was amazing, but not perfect. Geno had issues with her; she wanted to be a perimeter or Jump shooter. Geno wanted her to attack and rumble under the basket. Then there is the omni-present ubiquitous Defensive issues of new to Uconn players--Maya had them too.

If Maya had issues, they were subtle and she was easily the most prepared freshman I've ever seen in Storrs. As you mentioned, Geno wanted her to penetrate more and get to the foul line more frequently but if Diana was playing in Storrs this season, Geno would still be making demands that she was falling short of. That is his nature, "no one is perfect" or can't improve in some aspect!

 

[BroadwayVa]

If Maya had issues, they were subtle and she was easily the most prepared freshman I've ever seen in Storrs. As you mentioned, Geno wanted her to penetrate more and get to the foul line more frequently but if Diana was playing in Storrs this season, Geno would still be making demands that she was falling short of. That is his nature, "no one is perfect" or can't improve in some aspect!

Agreed.

 

[Zorro]

Don't know about y'all, but MY unrealistic expectations re Azura were based on what Geno himself had to say about her. In at least couple of statements, he was pretty much over the top, as I seem to recall. All-American, best player in the country, etc. Maybe my recollection is faulty. However, I do think that she is going to show us a lot more than she has thus far.