Congrats to Courtney Ekmark

[EricLA]

21 minutes, 7 points on 3-6 shooting, 4 rebounds and 1 assist to boot. Not too bad for a kid who was out for an extended period of time due to an injury.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Courtney has her ups and downs but made some progress overall tonight. She needs to limit TOs better. Once she makes a few shots, the 3-point stroke should be fluid and deadly. She may be turning the corner.

 

[Blueballer]

I'll drink to that. Rooting for Courtney!

 

[Huskies Rule]

I want only the best for Courtney, and I wish I could share your enthusiasm BUT...

 

[HoopsFan21]

The good news for our bench is they will get a ton of time during these AAC games. I think they're starting to get better as they are all getting used to playing with each other in a game. Yes there are times when they go minutes with very sloppy offense and no scoring, but they had some nice sequences tonight, and Gabby is going to be a good one - no freshman wall for her apparently.

 

[Goodgood]

She is playing with more confidence and doesn't run frenetically. She is also making good decisions and is more more aware of where her teammates are. But nothing helps more than a couple good looking baskets. I agree that she may be turning the corner. I was also very impressed with Sanya Chong. She was outstanding.

 

[BigBird]

Ek looked better tonight. Got beat on D once that I saw, and contributed in various positive categories otherwise. She declined some good shots so that her team mates could have better shots. Geno talked about this in the post-game presser. I thought Saniya had a good all-round game as well. Neither player was all-world, but both progressed and made solid plays, mostly.

 

[PalPa]

Courtney has her ups and downs but made some progress overall tonight. She needs to limit TOs better. Once she makes a few shots, the 3-point stroke should be fluid and deadly. She may be turning the corner.

I agree, tonight was her best game so far. She seemed to improve as her minutes increased, overall fewer downs and more ups than in prior games. She does seem to lose focus at times; some of her turnovers, especially passes, are hard to explain like lobbing the ball to an opposing player. I believe her concentration will improve as she plays more.

 

[BigBird]

I don't think it's trite or cliche to suggest that the game will eventually start to "slow down" for both these kids, as it seems to be doing for Kia and Gabby.

Fans being impatient with our players accomplishes nothing. Coaches, on the other hand, actually do the teaching that comes from their unique brand of impatience. Big difference.

I thought the game tonight was a very good performance in most all respects.

 

[Geno-ista]

I don't think it's trite or cliche to suggest that the game will eventually start to "slow down" for both these kids, as it seems to be doing for Kia and Gabby.

Fans being impatient with our players accomplishes nothing. Coaches, on the other hand, actually do the teaching that comes from their unique brand of impatience. Big difference.

I thought the game tonight was a very good performance in most all respects.

Fans being impatient accomplishes nothing??? We all give an opinion on each thread. Concerns about Coutney's future relevance at UC are justified. If we all became "rah-rah" cheerleaders - it would be ridiculous-IMO. It doesn't mean I am rooting for her or anyone any less than anyone else on the board.

 

[EricLA]

Fans being impatient accomplishes nothing??? We all give an opinion on each thread. Concerns about Coutney's future relevance at UC are justified. If we all became "rah-rah" cheerleaders - it would be ridiculous-IMO. It doesn't mean I am rooting for her or anyone any less than anyone else on the board.

Bird was probably referring to the post in the UCF game thread where a poster said that not only did Courtney look lost on the court, but that she played like a walk-on. IMHO there's pointing out flaws, limitations, or where players did not play well, etc, and then there's crossing the line and just being nasty with comments regarding the players. Comments like that (the one I referenced) seem only a step removed from saying the kid doesn't deserve a scholly.

 

[huskeynut]

I do not think we will really see what Courtney is able to do until next year. The stress reaction in her foot really set het back. So the jury is still out.

Courtney looked better as the game progressed last night. She needs a lot of real game minutes and those will come with the AAC schedule.

Do I think she will be a starter, no. I think she will learn to be a role player with specific skill sets that will allow her to get quality minutes in certain situations.

 

[HuskyNan]

Bird was probably referring to the post in the UCF game thread where a poster said that not only did Courtney look lost on the court, but that she played like a walk-on. IMHO there's pointing out flaws, limitations, or where players did not play well, etc, and then there's crossing the line and just being nasty with comments regarding the players. Comments like that (the one I referenced) seem only a step removed from saying the kid doesn't deserve a scholly.

I wasn't able to participate in the game thread last night so I didn't see that until this morning. I know I've defended people that want to discuss both the good and the bad but I wasn't talking about unremitting bashing, I was talking about discussing areas that need improvement. Simply repeating a pejorative over and over and over again is just bashing and people need to put a sock in it.

I thought Courtney started the game looking rusty and maybe a bit tentative. It seemed her confidence grew as the game went on and the nice drive to the basket late was a positive sign of things to come. As for Saniya, she's on an upward trajectory now, IMO. She is definitely keying on her defense, sometimes I think to the detriment of her offense, but it looks like she's putting it together. Both of these players need to continue building their confidence.

Geno was happy with the bench last night - he said so plain as day on TV. I happen to agree.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

I wasn't able to participate in the game thread last night so I didn't see that until this morning. I know I've defended people that want to discuss both the good and the bad but I wasn't talking about unremitting bashing, I was talking about discussing areas that need improvement. Simply repeating a pejorative over and over and over again is just bashing and people need to put a sock in it.

I thought Courtney started the game looking rusty and maybe a bit tentative. It seemed her confidence grew as the game went on and the nice drive to the basket late was a positive sign of things to come. As for Saniya, she's on an upward trajectory now, IMO. She is definitely keying on her defense, sometimes I think to the detriment of her offense, but it looks like she's putting it together. Both of these players need to continue building their confidence.

Geno was happy with the bench last night - he said so plain as day on TV. I happen to agree.

Was yesterday's game thread deleted? I'm having difficulty finding it.

 

[Tonyc]

The non starters got a lot of play time last nite and it showed as they looked more comfortable the longer they stayed in. That will help down the road. I think sometimes kids are intimidated when coming to UConn, because your playing with the National Champs. The year before you were watching them on TV and now that's you. Saniya is playing much better and Courtney looked more confident as the game progressed. I think for Gabby Saniya and Courtney the more longer minutes they get the better they will get. Last nite imo built a lot of confidence and took off a lot of pressure of all 3. Im sure we will see more of that as the conference games continue.

 

[HuskyNan]

Was yesterday's game thread deleted? I'm having difficulty finding it.

temery deleted it.

 

[manfredonia]

I want only the best for Courtney, and I wish I could share your enthusiasm BUT...

She is probably a nice kid, BUT she can't play at this level.

 

[Zorro]

Neither could Maria Conlon.

 

[geneticrex]

I don't care how much a player practices, or who a player practices against. They ONLY way to develop "game" level confidence and sharpen one's "game" level ability is to PLAY in actual games. Especially a new/young player, and/or a player who may not be gifted with high end physical attributes.

Can an individual who may not be as physically gifted as those around her succeed in that environment??? Absolutely, but that player must stay within herself and possess great confidence in the abilities she DOES possess. There is but one way to fully understand what you can and cannot do in game situations and that is to play in real games.

The only positive to the Huskies being trapped in this abysmal conference is, players like Ekmark and Chong will see plenty of game time action.

 

[meyers7]

I do not think we will really see what Courtney is able to do until next year.

There you go. I've said this a couple of time myself. We won't really see what Ekmark can do or get a good look at what she might become until next year. A year without playing regularly, then out most of the 1st half of the season with the stress fracture. Let her kind of catch herself back up, then we can make some informed (somewhat) opinions of what she might become.

 

[meyers7]

She is probably a nice kid, BUT she can't play at this level.

What level would that be? And how would you have any idea?

 

[housekeys]

She is probably a nice kid, BUT she can't play at this level.

This "level", just happens to be a "level" defined by this UConn team. The fact that she is on this team means, not only she can play at this level, but she is playing at this level. So you are wrong, by definition.

The "level" of this team, is such that, a performance like Stewart's last night, becomes an afterthought in post game analysis. Think about that.

 

[Aluminny69]

There you go. I've said this a couple of time myself. We won't really see what Ekmark can do or get a good look at what she might become until next year. A year without playing regularly, then out most of the 1st half of the season with the stress fracture. Let her kind of catch herself back up, then we can make some informed (somewhat) opinions of what she might become.

Yes, but as has been pointed out, next year we gain four players while only losing two. so, by sheer numbers, playing time will be harder to come by next year. Will she be happy playing in these "meaningless" games, while watching the "big" games from the bench?

"The only positive to the Huskies being trapped in this abysmal conference is, players like Ekmark and Chong will see plenty of game time action." geneticrex

Very true, but I believe this is the first game where the subs got extended minutes, or this game represented the most minutes for the subs together. Not sure how often Geno will do this.

 

[DobbsRover2]

Neither could Maria Conlon.

Or Ketia Swanier or Lorin Dixon or Caroline Doty or Kaili McLaren or Tahirah Williams or Heather Buck or Ashley Valley or even Kelly Farris in her first years at UConn when posters spent so much time complaining about her shooting, or lack of. They give what they can in their years as role players and develop at their own pace, or adapt to more limited conditions in Doty's case.

The list of those non-superstars that "can't play at the level" of Maya Moore is pretty large, and the carping baggers always find their targets to label with the same "Oh, I'm just being honest" and "It's my right to spew" and "If you weren't wearing your blue-tinted glasses for 'Our Girls' you'd see the real truth" type comments. Impatient fans do accomplish nothing though they have every right to be impatient and post on and on about it. Only time and work and repetition and opportunity and heart turns an unpolished Husky into the nicely developing examples we saw last night. Far from even half perfect at this point, but I loved it when after a few unsteady minutes Courtney started just bull-dozing in for layups or when Meghan kept needing to say "Beautiful pass from Chong" over and over or when Gabby banked in a FT.

Arresting development.

 

[meyers7]

Yes, but as has been pointed out, next year we gain four players while only losing two. so, by sheer numbers, playing time will be harder to come by next year.

Ok, but none of that has anything to do with deciding at this point in her career, "she can't play at this level".

Will she be happy playing in these "meaningless" games, while watching the "big" games from the bench?

Not any of our concern because 1) we have no idea if she will be playing in meaningful minutes or big games or not and 2) whether she is happy with whatever role she takes on is up to her and has nothing to do with us.