Adamec: Chong confident she has more to give

[pap49cba]

“I think I am very much more confident this year,” Chong said. “You come in as a freshman and it’s new and the intensity is different. Even though you think you’re ready and you’re playing for the No. 1 team in the country and for Coach Auriemma, it’s a shock. But I think that since the summer I’ve stepped it up to another level and we’ll see what happens.

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[HGN]

Good article.........I like that she wants to improve her defense , and in getting to the paint , and either scoring or dishing. Obviously she already knows that she can shoot it but being willing to drive and dish will add to her game.

Any one of the four freshmen could start opposite MoJeff , and Saniya knows that. So what does she do , she has accepted the challenge and is stepping her game up. Great for the UConn Huskies.

LET'S GO HUSKIES!

 

[alexrgct]

With Stef and Bria graduated, it's so critical UConn has as many players as possible that Geno considers reliable, serviceable pieces or better. Stewie, Mo, KML, and Kiah are givens. The four freshmen are enticing and a really interesting part of the story of 2014-15. Pulido and Lawlor are still doubtful. Morgan is probable. And finally, Chong is a big question mark. I hope she's a player Geno relies upon in games against quality opponents, as well as in tournaments. That'd be the best be the best outcome for her...and for UConn...

 

[Striper69]

My favorite UCONN Huskie...

 

[Kibitzer]

My favorite UCONN Huskie...

ahem.

Husky

 

[DaddyChoc]

She drive in the lane a lot to me, at times out of control but I was impressed at her attempts last season... reminded me of Shea

 

[EricLA]

It's been discussed on here before but... at times last year she looked terrific, even garnering public praise from Geno. Then after KML came back, she regressed and by the time the BET and NCAA's rolled around, she was a complete non factor. I'd love to know how her confidence eroded and what happened to cause her to regress so quickly. But we may never know for sure. Still, like all the things she is saying and hope she is the starter this year because if she's not, she may end up with the Brianna Banks role as a junior and senior...

 

[Aluminny69]

I think she will be battling Kia Nurse for playing time.

 

[Wonkster]

.
What I'd like to see is the opposition routinely lay off her for doubling up on KML, MoJeff, or someone else who's hot that night - and then Saniya burns them with a 30-footer 3 or 4 times a game.

 

[trisailin]

I think she will be battling Kia Nurse for playing time.

Minor quibble: I don't think she's battling anybody for playing time. She's battling something else - Geno says it from time to time - strive for perfection, sometimes you reach excellence. She is battling perfection.
It seems to me that the thing that ?bothers? Geno most is putting something less than at least excellence on the floor. It's why often even though a game is already decided, he can't bring himself to go further down the bench. In his mind, it diminishes the product on the floor. Saniya reaches excellence, she's on the floor.

 

[Sonny44]

Don't forget even the great one went into a funk the first year.

 

[Buzzyboy]

.
What I'd like to see is the opposition routinely lay off her for doubling up on KML, MoJeff, or someone else who's hot that night - and then Saniya burns them with a 30-footer 3 or 4 times a game.

I'd settle for her burning them with 21 footers 3 or 4 times a game!

 

[Aluminny69]

Minor quibble: I don't think she's battling anybody for playing time. She's battling something else - Geno says it from time to time - strive for perfection, sometimes you reach excellence. She is battling perfection.
It seems to me that the thing that ?bothers? Geno most is putting something less than at least excellence on the floor. It's why often even though a game is already decided, he can't bring himself to go further down the bench. In his mind, it diminishes the product on the floor. Saniya reaches excellence, she's on the floor.

Sorry, but there are a fixed number of minutes of playing time, 200 to be exact. ( barring overtime.) Not all players get the same number of minutes.

Last year, Saniya played more minutes, even started, when other players were hurt. With everyone healthy, Saniya played less. It's a fact of life. Either Saniya or Kia will play more minutes, barring injury.

I hope Geno never pulls a Jim Calhoun, and shuttles players in and out every time they make a mistake. That does NOT help build confidence. ( of course, it depends on what the mistake is.)

 

[Buzzyboy]

It's been discussed on here before but... at times last year she looked terrific, even garnering public praise from Geno. Then after KML came back, she regressed and by the time the BET and NCAA's rolled around, she was a complete non factor. I'd love to know how her confidence eroded and what happened to cause her to regress so quickly. But we may never know for sure. Still, like all the things she is saying and hope she is the starter this year because if she's not, she may end up with the Brianna Banks role as a junior and senior...

Everything she said she is trying to bring into this season she was probably saying (as well) in February and March. I'm sure she had heard all those things from Geno and the coaching staff throughout the season as well as teammates like Bria and Stef. It's not the words she's saying but her ability to actually conquer her fears and perform at her maximum with confidence, play after play, that is in question. I wouldn't doubt she probably heard when she was being recruited that Geno wanted great effort, particularly on the defensive side and for her to play with confidence and be willing to take the ball to the hoop when the opportunity arose. Nothing new at all to what's expected but will she be able to accomplish them???? I and all the Boneyarders are hopeful, I'm sure! If she's successful, everybody wins! Go Huskies!

 

[OneTrickPony]

Saniya has said all the right things...she clearly has much more to give, and if she gets over the mental barriers as she appears to have, we are in for a treat!

 

[iamcbs]

Its interesting seeing all of the analysis of this article, in light of what Saniya said directly. She admitted that she was unprepared for playing for the #1 team in the country and didn't expect what she got. I remember both Bria Hartley's and Stefanie Dolson's freshman year, they weren't AA's either. I remember MoJeff's freshman year and her struggles, let's let the season play out and give Saniya the opportunity to grow and develop. If she's matured and is working hard, as she says she is she'll be fine. As for Ekmark, Nurse, Williams and Edwards, new toys are always the shiniest and the most fun to play with. They'll have the same struggles that Saniya had last year and if one or more of them becomes a breakout star, then so be it. We're not talking about playing at some mid-level program where any one of them could go and immediately be stars and major contributors, they're at the #1 WCBB program in the country and the 2-time defending National Champions. There's just a little competition at every spot every year, I saw the same talk on this Board at this time last year, that Saniya, a freshman, was going to give MoJeff, a sophomore, a run for the starting PG position and we see how that turned out.

 

[Kibitzer]

I know of no instance when Geno expressed any criticism of her attitude or her skills. What he did say was that toward the end of last season that she was "not playing with confidence."

The stage is now set for Saniya to join the rotation and contribute materially to team success. I believe that she will do just that.

 

[Billybonggg]

....love to watch her come down the lane and switch hands for the score.

 

[rugbymate]

When one thinks about the end of the season scene for a relatively inexperienced freshman like SC it is easy to see how one can lose a bit of confidence. Each game seemed to pick up in intensity and SC was playing with two seniors, the best player in WCBB and one of the best players in the game coming back from injury and trying to integrated herself into the offensive flow. WoW! How could you not be somewhat intimidated and deferential.
She is a very smart person with a high basketball IQ and she will have learned greatly from that experience. Look for her to be a solid contributor this year.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

I remember both Bria Hartley's and Stefanie Dolson's freshman year, they weren't AA's either.

Not AA's, but they were pretty darn good, especially Hartley.

 

[BigBird]

With Stef and Bria graduated, it's so critical UConn has as many players as possible that Geno considers reliable, serviceable pieces or better. Stewie, Mo, KML, and Kiah are givens. The four freshmen are enticing and a really interesting part of the story of 2014-15. Pulido and Lawlor are still doubtful. Morgan is probable. And finally, Chong is a big question mark. I hope she's a player Geno relies upon in games against quality opponents, as well as in tournaments. That'd be the best be the best outcome for her...and for UConn...

Last year, a very well conditioned UConn team won games with few sub minutes used (or needed?) to make the Husky machine roll. This season, Geno will, it seems, have more players who can chip in and contribute. If opponents felt the high-energy mojo of the UConn team last year, could this year see that energy/ intensity "high bar" raised a little higher yet?

 

[boontonbomber]

Minor quibble: I don't think she's battling anybody for playing time. She's battling something else - Geno says it from time to time - strive for perfection, sometimes you reach excellence. She is battling perfection.
It seems to me that the thing that ?bothers? Geno most is putting something less than at least excellence on the floor. It's why often even though a game is already decided, he can't bring himself to go further down the bench. In his mind, it diminishes the product on the floor. Saniya reaches excellence, she's on the floor.

I think your thoughts on Geno and perfection is right on, and I'm among the very few here who thinks that Saniya should have been given many more minutes in those blowouts so as to be able to find some of that confidence that she lost. It especially bothered me that she was not getting a whole lot more time than Pulido and Lawlor at the end.

 

[phil sampieri]

I think your thoughts on Geno and perfection is right on, and I'm among the very few here who thinks that Saniya should have been given many more minutes in those blowouts so as to be able to find some of that confidence that she lost. It especially bothered me that she was not getting a whole lot more time than Pulido and Lawlor at the end.

it is possible that she regressed from her early success and didn't practice as well as she could. I too was curious why she didn't see much playing time but trust coach has his reasons

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

IMO the starting SG spot is Saniya's to lose. I think Geno wants experience out there, especially early on! Nurse with FIBA experience will come off the bench but I really feel Saniya is going to shine in her sophomore year and onward!

 

[Bgillon]

Nurse got a tremendous amount of experience playing at a level higher than Chong did. In addition, she is bigger and a much better defender than Chong. I believe it is only a matter of a few games before Nurse becomes a starter along side of MoJett. That guard combo could well be the best in WCBB this year.