CD in Postgame Interview: Some Hope For Early Return By Butler

[JoePgh]

To me, the big news occurred after the game. As I was driving home, I heard CD being interviewed on the radio postgame show. She was asked when the 3 injured players would return, and she volunteered the fact that while it all depends on the orthopedist's opinion, she thinks Natalie Butler could be back before the date previously mentioned. She said "They say 4-6 weeks" (after surgery, I presume), "and we hope it's closer to 4 than 6."

As I recall, Natalie's surgery was right around the time of First Night, in mid-October. So four weeks after that would be the Ohio State game, or more realistically the Kansas State game. That would be great if it happens.

CD said that Saniya had practiced briefly this week, but stopped after she continued to feel discomfort. CD did not say anything new about Ms. Boykin. (I use that form because I can't remember how to spell her first name!)

For what it's worth, after watching the game, I think all doubt has been removed about who the 5th starter will be -- it will be Gabby. CD had another interesting comment about her after the game: "Geno and I were talking, and we don't think we have ever had a player in the program as athletic as Gabby. Yes, Moriah is athletic, but at her size, no one has ever been more athletic than Gabby." The interviewer said, "What about Maya?" CD immediately and emphatically said, "No, not Maya. Maya had slow feet. Gabby does not have slow feet. Maya was the most relentless player we have ever had -- she went all out in every game, every scrimmage, and every practice. We use her as an example of that. But she was not as athletic as Gabby." Quite a statement.

One last, unrelated observation about the game: Someone asked after the last game whether there is any reason to believe that Napheesa is an especially good defender. I thought after Monday's game that she seemed to have that ability, and today's game confirmed it (to the extent that the level of opposition allowed any conclusions to be drawn). Napheesa can move her feet to go laterally and stop a drive, just as Moriah, Kia, and Gabby can. She has a lot of flexibility in her body, and she has long arms and unusually long legs. She got several contested defensive rebounds that I don't think most people her size would have gotten. On offense, she seemed to be in the right place under the basket and behind the zone defense, an I thought she would have had 6 to 8 more points if the guards had found her with passes. So far, she hasn't hit any shots that weren't right under the basket, and she has missed a number of those, but I think that is just freshman jitters.

 

[Kaizen]

Thanks Joe for the update.
This is a great news if Butler can start early. Wish Chong and Boykin can play sooner.

 

[Sluconn Husky]

As I recall, Natalie's surgery was right around the time of First Night, in mid-October. So four weeks after that would be the Ohio State game, or more realistically the Kansas State game. That would be great if it happens.

Be shocked if she means four weeks after surgery. Not likely they were talking Christmas and are now projecting 1-2 weeks from today.

 

[UcMiami]

On athleticism - I believe Tiffany Hayes was a SPARQ national winner coming out of HS, and the other three people that I think of for speed agility and strength are Ashley Battle, Kelly Faris, and Kalana Greene (pre-injury.) Those are the ones that I would think would be in competition with Williams - none have the 'world class' high jumper designation, but that is a specific discipline and not quite the same as 'athleticism'. CD was also making a distinction which relegated Moriah to being 'too short', though I would not be surprised to discover that Moriah actually had a higher leap if one measure distance between feet and floor as opposed to reach above the floor.

 

[huskeynut]

If Butler can return early, and be healthy, that is a huge plus!

I think this season we will really see what Gabby is capable of. By her own words, she is comfortable in the offensive and defensive schemes and knows what her role is. Gabby is going to be a nightmare matchup for our opponents.

Napheesa could be the freshman surprise. Doesn't look like she plays or acts like a freshman.

This is all good news!

 

[VAMike23]

On athleticism - I believe Tiffany Hayes was a SPARQ national winner coming out of HS, and the other three people that I think of for speed agility and strength are Ashley Battle, Kelly Faris, and Kalana Greene (pre-injury.) Those are the ones that I would think would be in competition with Williams - none have the 'world class' high jumper designation, but that is a specific discipline and not quite the same as 'athleticism'. CD was also making a distinction which relegated Moriah to being 'too short', though I would not be surprised to discover that Moriah actually had a higher leap if one measure distance between feet and floor as opposed to reach above the floor.

Lorin Dixon had an excellent SPARQ score, but the page I recall seeing in the past is no longer available online (IIRC). I don't remember seeing Tiffany's anywhere but would defer if you saw she had a high score. I don't think her raw vertical was anything great (it was still pretty good) but her speed and agility were excellent -- super quick feet. Still explosive in many respects.

 

[UcMiami]

Lorin Dixon had an excellent SPARQ score, but the page I recall seeing in the past is no longer available online (IIRC). I don't remember seeing Tiffany's anywhere but would defer if you saw she had a high score. I don't think her raw vertical was anything great (it was still pretty good) but her speed and agility were excellent -- super quick feet. Still explosive in many respects.

This is from Wiki - but is along the lines of what I remember - it was the first time I had heard of SPARQ:
Hayes participated in the 2008 Nike SPARQ Training 'My Better' Championship event. She finished the preliminary round as one of the top twenty-two out of the 3,000 high school athletes competing. The top finishers were flown to Nike World Headquarters for the finals.[6] Hayes finished second among all females competing.

 

[magic]

After watching these two games I am not as euphoric. The huskies have great talent, and there is no disputing that fact. Some of my reservations are due to the competition, some are not. First, I am concerned about Saniya. Second, our lack of a deep shooting threat is a concern. In the two games the huskies have had lots of open looks from 3. I will give some credit for this due to the larger ball used yesterday. KLS's shots just look really rushed. I know she has a quick release, but something just looks off, or rushed mechanically. Most of her shots have not even been contested. Teams will pack a zone , and force outside shots. I would really have liked to have seen Gabby take a few more shots from more than 8 ft. from the basket. Some people on this board have mentioned Napheesa plaging guard. I just don't see her as a guard. The news on Natalie was good , in that she seems to be healing. But I would still be surprised to see her play much before mid december.

 

[Kibitzer]

I won't hold my breath awaiting mention of Maria Conlon on any steenkin' SPARQ list. But, seriously, what about Ketia Swanier?

 

[RockyMTblue2]

To me, the big news occurred after the game. As I was driving home, I heard CD being interviewed on the radio postgame show. She was asked when the 3 injured players would return, and she volunteered the fact that while it all depends on the orthopedist's opinion, she thinks Natalie Butler could be back before the date previously mentioned. She said "They say 4-6 weeks" (after surgery, I presume), "and we hope it's closer to 4 than 6."

As I recall, Natalie's surgery was right around the time of First Night, in mid-October. So four weeks after that would be the Ohio State game, or more realistically the Kansas State game. That would be great if it happens.

CD said that Saniya had practiced briefly this week, but stopped after she continued to feel discomfort. CD did not say anything new about Ms. Boykin. (I use that form because I can't remember how to spell her first name!)

For what it's worth, after watching the game, I think all doubt has been removed about who the 5th starter will be -- it will be Gabby. CD had another interesting comment about her after the game: "Geno and I were talking, and we don't think we have ever had a player in the program as athletic as Gabby. Yes, Moriah is athletic, but at her size, no one has ever been more athletic than Gabby." The interviewer said, "What about Maya?" CD immediately and emphatically said, "No, not Maya. Maya had slow feet. Gabby does not have slow feet. Maya was the most relentless player we have ever had -- she went all out in every game, every scrimmage, and every practice. We use her as an example of that. But she was not as athletic as Gabby." Quite a statement.

One last, unrelated observation about the game: Someone asked after the last game whether there is any reason to believe that Napheesa is an especially good defender. I thought after Monday's game that she seemed to have that ability, and today's game confirmed it (to the extent that the level of opposition allowed any conclusions to be drawn). Napheesa can move her feet to go laterally and stop a drive, just as Moriah, Kia, and Gabby can. She has a lot of flexibility in her body, and she has long arms and unusually long legs. She got several contested defensive rebounds that I don't think most people her size would have gotten. On offense, she seemed to be in the right place under the basket and behind the zone defense, an I thought she would have had 6 to 8 more points if the guards had found her with passes. So far, she hasn't hit any shots that weren't right under the basket, and she has missed a number of those, but I think that is just freshman jitters.

The most troubling "injury" for me is Saniya's. The IT Band covers a lot of territory and the irritation/inflation of it can come from many different factors and depending on source can be stubborn. Given Saniya's frame/body mass I was surprised to hear this was what was sidelining her. I cannot recall if any report said where the pain/discomfort was centered. Does anyone have that information?

 

[VAMike23]

The most troubling "injury" for me is Saniya's. The IT Band covers a lot of territory and the irritation/inflation of it can come from many different factors and depending on source can be stubborn. Given Saniya's frame/body mass I was surprised to hear this was what was sidelining her. I cannot recall if any report said where the pain/discomfort was centered. Does anyone have that information?

I thought that the pain associated with IT band problems centered around the outside of the knee, where the band attaches at its low point, even though the 'problem' originated in the hips and glutes. I had IT band issues once long ago, and the PT explained it to me then. Inflexibility and tightness in the hip/glute caused the band to pull on the knee, causing the pain. Didn't know there were other possible manifestations of the problem.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I thought that the pain associated with IT band problems centered around the outside of the knee, where the band attaches at its low point, even though the 'problem' originated in the hips and glutes. I had IT band issues once long ago, and the PT explained it to me then. Inflexibility and tightness in the hip/glute caused the band to pull on the knee, causing the pain. Didn't know there were other possible manifestations of the problem.

You mentioned the classic. But it can start higher actually and also be caused by localized irritation, calcification in the structures underlying it in the knee for example.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Several thoughts. Maya comes first, of course. I agree that her lateral speed is so-so and her feet are not especially fast. But her straight-ahead speed was outstanding. Her effort, of course, was unmatched. "Maya was the most relentless player we have ever had -- she went all out in every game, every scrimmage, and every practice. We use her as an example of that." Maya's effort and grace have won her admiration and respect around the world.

In terms of Natalie, CD may have seen saying 4-6 weeks from yesterday. I hope it's sooner, of course. The poor kid had to sit out a year, and then, just as her eligibility was getting close, she had a freak injury. She will make a big difference for us, especially against teams with a big front line.

In terms of athleticism, I recall that Lorin was almost unmatched. If she were 8" taller, she would have been dunking on people and been all-world. I also think that Tiff and Kalana (pre-injury) were outstanding. Their explosiveness and defense were keys in the 90-game streak. Tiff's quickness is outstanding, even relative to WNBA competition. AB was no slouch either.

Gabby's advantage is a combination of vertical elevation and quick elevation. She gets of her feet faster than most and goes higher. She plays MUCH bigger than she is. Plus, she can defend very well, and her hands are VERY quick. When we have Stewie, Napheesa, Gabby, Kia, and Moriah on the floor together, most passes and shots by the other team are contested. She is coachable and plays hard. A great kid and asset to the team.

Napheesa shot FTs better yesterday. I think she was over 80% in high school. She is long and fluid and also plays bigger than she is. She'll make rookie mistakes, but she'll make up for them. A 15 and 1o game will be commonplace for her.

I think Lou will be fine. As SLUConn said, she may be streakier than Kaleena, but the long-term averages are about the same. I'm expecting a 4-5 game from the arc soon. I would like to see her get stronger and use her height more. She should nail the mid-range shots.

 

[chrissaran]

Katie Lou, like Kaleena, needs to learn to move and not just stand at the three point line. Kaleena became a much better player when she kept moving. Breanna does it, so too should Katie Lou.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I thought that the pain associated with IT band problems centered around the outside of the knee

I gave you a pretty incomplete answer before and not to your central question about where the pain is located. No, the pain can end up in our lower back, pelvis, mid-thigh etc. I know the hard way and also because of what I was and what I did before I became an old guy hanging out on the Boneyard.

 

[BroadwayVa]

If Butler can return early, and be healthy, that is a huge plus!

I think this season we will really see what Gabby is capable of. By her own words, she is comfortable in the offensive and defensive schemes and knows what her role is. Gabby is going to be a nightmare matchup for our opponents.

Napheesa could be the freshman surprise. Doesn't look like she plays or acts like a freshman.

This is all good news!

Ms Collier, Napheesa, we shall find she is ALL she was thought to be pre-Uconn. Few are. Gabby came as an athletic kid and that has proven itself. With the return of Butler and if these three live up to half the expectation--Wow dee wow WoW!!

 

[JoePgh]

Katie Lou, like Kaleena, needs to learn to move and not just stand at the three point line. Kaleena became a much better player when she kept moving. Breanna does it, so too should Katie Lou.

That will come, but first things first. The purpose of moving around is to get open shots. But Lou has had uncontested shots from the 3-point line, and I believe her shooting percentage on them in the two exhibition games was 21%. If she keeps shooting 21%, she won't have to move around to get open shots -- defenses will give her whatever 3-point shot she wants.

When she starts hitting in the high thirties on her 3-pointers, then teams will guard her and she will need to move to get open. There is little reason to doubt that she will do that effectively when it becomes necessary.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Ms Collier, Napheesa, we shall find she is ALL she was thought to be pre-Uconn. Few are. Gabby came as an athletic kid and that has proven itself. With the return of Butler and if these three live up to half the expectation--Wow dee wow WoW!!

A whole new Saturday morning cartoon language is born!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

That will come, but first things first. The purpose of moving around is to get open shots. But Lou has had uncontested shots from the 3-point line, and I believe her shooting percentage on them in the two exhibition games was 21%. If she keeps shooting 21%, she won't have to move around to get open shots -- defenses will give her whatever 3-point shot she wants.

When she starts hitting in the high thirties on her 3-pointers, then teams will guard her and she will need to move to get open. There is little reason to doubt that she will do that effectively when it becomes necessary.

She knows how to move and very quickly and effectively. She is not hanging out there because she has been told to do something else. (where is the sarcasm emoticon when you need it!) There are a few folks here out on a very long, rotten branch. Remember when they fall off, so the next time you know how to move on quickly to the next post.

 

[jdubct]

She knows how to move and very quickly and effectively. She is not hanging out there because she has been told to do something else. (where is the sarcasm emoticon when you need it!) .

Very true. It's a matter of adjustment in terms of more comfortably adjusting to playing at this level and making various adjustments to the way teams successfully defend her. I think the difficulty in adjusting to the college game as a freshman was demonstrated by Moriah Jefferson who really began to shine in her sophomore year.

 

[Sonny44]

Aren't we getting a little ahead of ourselves?

 

[meyers7]

Lorin Dixon had an excellent SPARQ score, but the page I recall seeing in the past is no longer available online (IIRC). I don't remember seeing Tiffany's anywhere but would defer if you saw she had a high score. I don't think her raw vertical was anything great (it was still pretty good) but her speed and agility were excellent -- super quick feet. Still explosive in many respects.

Moore and Dixon competed at the NIKE Nationals SPARQ testing when Moore and Dixon were Jrs, (Charles was there also as a Sr). Hayes probably wasn't there that year, she'd have been a Soph. ??? Just a guess.

Moore had the highest score overall. Dixon was 7th overall.

Moore was 6th in the 20 Meter Dash, 1st in the Power Ball Throw (Charles was 2nd), Moore was 1st in Compass Drill and 1st in 30 second Endurance Jump (Dixon was 2nd).
Dixon was 1st in One Step Vertical Leap (33.7 in).

 

[VAMike23]

Moore and Dixon competed at the NIKE Nationals SPARQ testing when Moore and Dixon were Jrs, (Charles was there also as a Sr). Hayes probably wasn't there that year, she'd have been a Soph. ??? Just a guess.

Moore had the highest score overall. Dixon was 7th overall.

Moore was 6th in the 20 Meter Dash, 1st in the Power Ball Throw (Charles was 2nd), Moore was 1st in Compass Drill and 1st in 30 second Endurance Jump (Dixon was 2nd).
Dixon was 1st in One Step Vertical Leap (33.7 in).

Great stuff - thanks for all that info. I shouldn't be surprised that Maya had the overall top score! What I remembered seeing was the vertical leap data -- I knew was a standout 'event' for Lorin. I got that mixed up with the overall score. IIRC, Maya was measured at around 28" or so, while LD was around 33". Do you have those numbers?

Also, do you know what the Compass Drill tests for, or what the drill is? It would be interesting to know.

 

[meyers7]

Great stuff - thanks for all that info. I shouldn't be surprised that Maya had the overall top score! What I remembered seeing was the vertical leap data -- I knew was a standout 'event' for Lorin. I got that mixed up with the overall score. IIRC, Maya was measured at around 28" or so, while LD was around 33". Do you have those numbers?

Also, do you know what the Compass Drill tests for, or what the drill is? It would be interesting to know.

Moore was 26.3" for the Vertical Jump.

Compass Drill (they use it for basketball, football, used to be for soccer too)

 

[VAMike23]

Moore was 26.3" for the Vertical Jump.

Compass Drill (they use it for basketball, football, used to be for soccer too)

Thanks again - good stuff