Get ready Saniya

[DaddyChoc]

The list is getting pretty long. Here are just some of the topics that has drawn the wrath of the self appointed content police lately: When to include OT, speculation in general, opposing teams strategy, bringing attention to the referees any of our players traits (How many offensive fouls was called on Nurse for using her off arm to keep the defense away ? answer -ZERO), any perceived weakness in a UConn player, who should start, comparing UConn players to each other, etc. etc. etc...
This is a sports forum. If you eliminate speculations, projections, comparisons, evaluations and opinions you might as well just shut the board down.

let it go

 

[rocky rococo]

Getting back to the OP, didn't Saniya hit 4 of 5 from 3 land last night? Daring her to shoot would seem to be suicide...

Coaches can be suicidal like that. I remember Jeff Walz daring Tiff to shoot. Didn't work out as he planned I don't think.

 

[Vowelguy]

Getting back to the OP, didn't Saniya hit 4 of 5 from 3 land last night? Daring her to shoot would seem to be suicide...

I would argue that playing UConn straight up is suicide.
Tara would much rather have Saniya shooting than KML or TBS.

 

[Sonny44]

The list is getting pretty long. Here are just some of the topics that has drawn the wrath of the self appointed content police lately: When to include OT, speculation in general, opposing teams strategy, bringing attention to the referees any of our players traits (How many offensive fouls was called on Nurse for using her off arm to keep the defense away ? answer -ZERO), any perceived weakness in a UConn player, who should start, comparing UConn players to each other, etc. etc. etc...
This is a sports forum. If you eliminate speculations, projections, comparisons, evaluations and opinions you might as well just shut the board down.

You're making too much sense now.

 

[rvwsleep]

let it go

I'm just following in your footsteps, remember "and they're gonna tell me no one reads the Boneyard."
Evidently, your advice only flows in one direction. BTW, no more "instructions"

 

[Icebear]

Such arrogance and condescension. I suppose by inference you are the "informed and aware"?

No, that would be your second error. The first step to knowing is awareness that one doesn't. Will Rogers didn't ever suggest he knew everything or even more than others. His point was always the limitations off those whose opinions were cast as if they did or even could.

 

[TroyHouse66]

Icebear
<<None the less many of those posts are by the uninformed and unaware.>>
Meyers7
<<Well this is the Boneyard. What were you expecting?>>
************************************************
Lads, lads...
When you came through the BoneYard gate, did you happen to notice the faux fire hydrant in the center of the yard?
Moaning, of course, is restricted to the morning after a loss.
(We'll expect to hear from those folks sometime around 2019.)

 

[hjoerring]

So now we're not allowed to discuss a opposing team's strategy? What exactly critical was said?

Has Stanford employed a strategy in the past of daring one UConn player to beat them?
Is Saniya as good as Stewart, KML, or mojet?

You can talk your head off about other teams strategy, but do we need to pick one player every year to piss on? I remember when Bria was struggling the voices were so load about all the things she cannot do and why she is she not sitting at the end of the bench- it was shameless. There is a line somewhere between critique and criticism, we just need to find it. Read what Geno said about the situation regarding her and Nurse-- he ended by saying that she played better after Nurse had been in. A pos. note- a critique, not (hopeless) criticism without end.

 

[Bgillon]

You can talk your head off about other teams strategy, but do we need to pick one player every year to piss on? I remember when Bria was struggling the voices were so load about all the things she cannot do and why she is she not sitting at the end of the bench- it was shameless. There is a line somewhere between critique and criticism, we just need to find it. Read what Geno said about the situation regarding her and Nurse-- he ended by saying that she played better after Nurse had been in. A pos. note- a critique, not (hopeless) criticism without end.

Since Geno said he put Nurse in because he was not happy with Saniya's play, are the Saniya defenders going to berate him? I suppose reality and the BY are different worlds. Unfortunately, the BY has to deal with reality every so often. LOL!

 

[Icebear]

Since Geno said he put Nurse in because he was not happy with Saniya's play, are the Saniya defenders going to berate him? I suppose reality and the BY are different worlds. Unfortunately, the BY has to deal with reality every so often. LOL!

Why berate him? He knows exactly what he wants from players. Players are often given specific assignments or work goals for games we know nothing about. Some here used to lament, almost whine about why Stef wasn't staying in the low post. If she had done that we never would have seen the magnificent player she became. She went to the high post, passed out of the high post, shot from the elbow and eventually the three because she followed what the coaches said and not a handful of posters on the Boneyard. The coaches had a vision and a plan and she executed despite some being unaware of the why. Sometimes Geno tips his hand a bit in his show, others not so much. The rest is history.

 

[Zorro]

Why should there have to be any "Saniya defenders"? This whole flap is reminiscent of twelve years ago, when a couple of posters (long since banned from the Boneyard) took it upon themselves to educate the rest of us (interminably) to the "fact" that Maria Conlon had no ability, should never have been offered a scholly and would never play significant minutes for the Huskies. As for "dealing with reality", one person's "reality" may well be another's obsession. Jes sayin.

 

[pinotbear]

Food for thought, folks; freshman year stats

Player MPG PPG RPB assists TO

Chong 17.1 4.7 1.8 60 27
Ferris 18.9 4.1 3.7 82 44
Greene 13.6 4.2 2.1 12 28
Thomas 18.1 5.6 1.9 54 31

Now, being an actuary's son, I understand the weakness in pure statistics. I also understand that there are aspects to a player, particularly defensively, that don't show up well in numbers. I also understand that, with every player, there is a context - the team around them during their freshman year, the overall depth, the depth at their particular position or skill set.

Nonetheless, I think that the above numbers, comparing Saniya's freshman year to that of Kelly, Kalana, and Mel, indicate a couple of things.

First, it's really premature to make judgement on a player based on their first year, either idolizing them or "condemning them to the scrap heap of history", to roughly quote somebody famous. A player with Chong's first year experience can turn out great .. or, not, we just don't know yet.

Second, our definition of what constitutes a "successful" or "impressive" freshman campaign is pretty demanding.

Third, if it's likely foolish to beknight or behead a player, based on having one year's experience, what in the world are we doing when we start pigeonholing players based on two exhibition games, or the first half of their first exhibition game? Patience, my padawan, patience!

 

[Vowelguy]

You can talk your head off about other teams strategy, but do we need to pick one player every year to piss on?

Dont project others' comments on to me.
Again, show me what I said that was critical.

 

[Kibitzer]

Why should there have to be any "Saniya defenders"? This whole flap is reminiscent of twelve years ago, when a couple of posters (long since banned from the Boneyard) took it upon themselves to educate the rest of us (interminably) to the "fact" that Maria Conlon had no ability, should never have been offered a scholly and would never play significant minutes for the Huskies. As for "dealing with reality", one person's "reality" may well be another's obsession. Jes sayin.

Thank you for reminding us of BBallxxxx, whose relentlessand obnoxious berating of Maria earned him a special (very hot) seat in the Boneyard Hall of Shame. A few BY old-timers remember that cruel poster and have become concerned when someone writes a player off (e.g., Courtney and Saniya) after only one game.

No one would contest a statement to the effect that Nurse (taller, quicker, more aggressive) appears to be a better defender than Chong -- but maybe not as good a shooter. Or that Courtney has not yet found her shooting touch.

I'm sure Geno will figure it all out over the upcoming five months. As he always does, without our help.

 

[Zorro]

Here is a little "Husky reality";
1) Geno will do a lot of experimenting during the first half of the year. He always does and he can afford to. All of the frosh will be given chances to develop their skills and show their stuff.
2) From about the middle of the season on, a group of seven or eight players will start to get an increasing share of playing time, as he begins to hone the team for the "real season" which begins with the conference tournty.
3) Bar injury, that cadre will consist of the current five starters plus Tuck and Nurse and possibly one of the other frosh.
4) Unless either Ekmark or Edwards makes spectacular progress, both Chong and Nurse will be integral components of that core group. (Again bar injury.)
5) Whether by the end of the season Chong is "better" than Nurse or vice versa is totally beside the point. Each will play her part in the "drive for ten". Which starts and which comes off the bench is really, really, really immaterial; Geno will use them in whatever way will most beneficially impact the team. His plan will take into account not only their different abilities, but their psychology, the type of opponent to be faced, recent practice performance, etc. I think we can safely assume, at this point, that he knows what he is doing. Remember that he is the "master motivator" who urges his troops along by judicious use of both the carrot and the stick.
6) I don't think that any UConn fan, at this point, remains doubtful of Nurse's abilities, or is not delighted to have her on the team. We do not need to be convinced. She, Saniya and MoJet are going to constitute a really, really, really formidable back-court trio, fast, tenacious on defense and dangerous on offense.
7) There will be few, if indeed any, games this year that will be truly competitive, which gives Geno the leeway to experiment and motivate to his heart's content.

ps; Vowelguy's OP had nothing to do with Saniya's "competition" with Kia, although a hasty glance at the thread title could give that impression, given the critical posts of others. He was simply saying that Saniya would probably be regarded by Tara as the only possible weak spot in the Husky machine, which seems a very reasonable assumption, given the proven abilities of her teammates.

 

[DobbsRover2]

But PB, you left out that SC "disappeared" without a trace the second half of the season when Geno was honing his tournament squad. No of course she never scored 17 points against Houston when given the chance, or dish out 5 assists against SMU again when she had the chance. Nada an SC sighting after the beginning of the year despite those weird box scores where she appears to appear. And if you had mentioned that on a team with a lot of scorers she was working at keeping a good handle on the ball as the backup PG and that her tremendous 2.2 A\TO ratio behind only MoJeff on the team and greatly exceeding MoJeff's own freshman rate, why that's just silly stuff. Any freshman PG should be able to do that.

Actually, as a wise old BY poster told me, it's good to get the boot here for noting how those who have forgotten more than the rest of us will ever know and other natterers demean players with their own "informed" and bluntly honest opinions with terms like "disappearing," or when an OP starts a thread singling out one player as a weak link after she pops off an 80% 3pt shooting night. That's a classic post filled with all sorts of a-e-i-o-u-and-sometimes-y-and-w filled motivations, and of course bringing out once again all the tired punching bag epithets for SC.

Saniya is doooooooooooomed. And the banned in waiting plays on.

 

[watanabe]

Yeesh. This has gotten kind of ugly and personal My bad. I only wanted to comment (rightly or wrongly) on what I saw as a lot of negativity directed at Saniya. I mean, whether you prefer Saniya or Kia (or someone else at the 2), at the end of the day they are all UCONN, they are all kids we love and support.

That's seems like the liberal mentality of only giving kids "A"s, Don't want to hurt their feelings do we?

 

[RadyLady]

What does her being a good kid have anything to do with anything? Nothing is personal against Chong. The reason that Chong is one of the more common topics on here is because along with Stokes she is one of the few unknowns among the starters. I am pretty sure that speculation is a big part of every fan forum in the world and I am also pretty sure that Chong has a lot better things to do than be bothered by what is posted here.

Might I just step in for a second and to remind folks that families read these forums from time to time

 

[Zorro]

True. And if they do, being intelligent people, they will be able to read the posts of the Chongdoubters, and those of their critics, and come to the intelligent conclusion that the great majority of Boneyarders are pulling hard for Saniya to have a great year, for Kia to have a great year and for the Huskies to have a great year. I don't think that they would really be upset by the fact that four or five out of a multitude are itching to consign Saniya to the bench.

 

[cookie447]

Enough!!! Get over it, everybody, and move on to something else. Thank you very much.

 

[baggerbob]

Maybe we should be talking about the best back court in the country in Moriah, Saniya, and Kia. That's where they will probably be by the time the New Year comes around. They bring offense, and defense, which is a balance not many teams have, Kia brings size for teams with someone like Jewel Lloyd, and Saniya can shoot the lights out, Moriah is just the biggest pest on defense in basketball.

 

[Buzzyboy]

Saniya started out great last year and then disappeared. That's not uniformed. That's a fact. Yes, it is a new year. Everyone on the Boneyard and every UConn fan hopes Saniya can carry through this year how she started last year. That makes the second team more dangerous. Morgan, Kia, Gabby, Courtney and Sadie will by the end of the year be better than many teams' starters.

Totally true. No one is after Saniya. Her confidence level eroded last year and as a result, she wasn't as effective and her playing time was diminished. Kiah Stokes struggled early in her time in Storrs and thankfully, she's finally developed the confidence to be the player she can be. She always played good defense and rebounded well but her offense struggled mightily. Nice to see that change and hopefully Saniya will have that same evolution.

 

[Buzzyboy]

But PB, you left out that SC "disappeared" without a trace the second half of the season when Geno was honing his tournament squad. No of course she never scored 17 points against Houston when given the chance, or dish out 5 assists against SMU again when she had the chance. Nada an SC sighting after the beginning of the year despite those weird box scores where she appears to appear. And if you had mentioned that on a team with a lot of scorers she was working at keeping a good handle on the ball as the backup PG and that her tremendous 2.2 A\TO ratio behind only MoJeff on the team and greatly exceeding MoJeff's own freshman rate, why that's just silly stuff. Any freshman PG should be able to do that.

Actually, as a wise old BY poster told me, it's good to get the boot here for noting how those who have forgotten more than the rest of us will ever know and other natterers demean players with their own "informed" and bluntly honest opinions with terms like "disappearing," or when an OP starts a thread singling out one player as a weak link after she pops off an 80% 3pt shooting night. That's a classic post filled with all sorts of a-e-i-o-u-and-sometimes-y-and-w filled motivations, and of course bringing out once again all the tired punching bag epithets for SC.

Saniya is doooooooooooomed. And the banned in waiting plays on.

I just wanted to say that comparing Saniya's assist to turnover ratio as a freshman to Moriah's is a little off since Moriah had a bigger role as a freshman and a lot of her minutes were in prime time while Saniya had more minutes in the waning moments of games that were well decided. Numbers don't always correlate to the "real picture" of things.

 

[Sonny44]

Enough!!! Get over it, everybody, and move on to something else. Thank you very much.

Amen

 

[Icebear]

It is Jewell Loyd, not Jewel Lloyd (LINK).