Makurat

[CBOY]

Makurat has all the tools to be an excellent offensive player, but...... she must’ve driven into the lane a half a dozen times yesterday and never once looked for her shot - she always passed to someone beyond the 3 point line. If she goes to the hoop thinking Score, she’ll oftentimes either get a layup or be fouled. She needs to be a more aggressive offensive player with a scorer’s mentality and then the other parts of her game will naturally open up. When you limit your scoring opportunities to 3’s and they don’t initially fall, you essentially take yourself out of the game and your confidence can waiver. CW battles her way through offensive lulls by driving to the basket. Anna should do the same.

 

[BostonBay]

After her "breakout" game, the next game she basically was dishing out assists like candies, but didnt shoot much. Still, a very good game. Then, the last few games she has shot poorly and has not found a rhythm at all. She's probably having a hard time adjusting from game to game - based on what the defenses throw at her and Geno's game plan and what he is asking from her. I'm not concerned. She has the tools & a great shot. It's just a very thin team with little player leadership. Players are struggling with their "roles" from game to game.

 

[Jingo]

Ania seems to be 'thinking' too much when she has the ball and is not focused on protecting the ball .. consequently, she has been stripped too often by an opportunistic defender, eh?

 

[caseyb7]

If I read the UConn website for season stats correctly AM has 148 points in 587 minutes of playing time about a point every 4 minutes played.

She has games like Sunday vs USF with no points at all with significant minutes.

Probably a nice person, passes well, plays OK defense, probably not better on this year's weak bench...BUT we are sugar coating if we don't recognize the problem here. The basis of basketball is having more baskets than your opponent, having players who don't score is not helpful toward that aim.

 

[HuskylnSC]

If I read the UConn website for season stats correctly AM has 148 points in 587 minutes of playing time about a point every 4 minutes played.

She has games like Sunday vs USF with no points at all with significant minutes.

Probably a nice person, passes well, plays OK defense, probably not better on this year's weak bench...BUT we are sugar coating if we don't recognize the problem here. The basis of basketball is having more baskets than your opponent, having players who don't score is not helpful toward that aim.

Yes the team with the most points wins. Most fans look at points scored to determine a players value, but there are other systems that calculate a player's overall contribution to a game. Factor in assists, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, steals, blocks, fouls drawn, +/- per minute. Teams that dominate these categories are typically the teams that win. Anna is going to be an excellent all around player very quickly.

When I look at this team play I wonder if the issue is a poor mix of personalities. Some players pass primarily to certain other players and it appears that stronger personalities demand the ball from younger players when there are other options. This team has really played one good game all year. I think it was memphis when they scored 38 baskets on 31 assists. The ball moved freely and it was a game where Anna excelled. It is my concern that some players dominance shuts the free flowing offence down.

 

[Conndog]

Not convinced about her either- her reluctance to shoot was a problem earlier, seemed to overcome it a bit but now it is happening again. When better options are here at UConn, she will have problems getting playing time. Quickness is not one of her strengths, when she does shoot her shot seems streaky at best, she isn't able to get off her shot when anyone, even someone much smaller, is guarding her closely, and defensively except for rebounding can't seem to stay between her player and basket. I also hope I'm wrong as after all, she is just a freshman.

 

[Fiftyish]

I agree that her habit of driving forcefully into the lane and then turning away from the basket and looking to pass the ball drives me crazy. She has to come up with a way take a shot when she gets that close to the basket.

 

[kjkj3]

Maybe she has hit the "freshman wall", and has to work her way through it?

 

[CajunHusky]

Let me preface by saying I think Ania is terrific. When UConn got settled against the National team and playing on the 24 second clock, UConn and Ania looked very good.

Objectively though she appears to be right hand dominant. She needs to improve her left hand and her dribbling.

 

[HopJim]

Against the USA Team, Anna took it to KLS. Was too big and strong for KLS to guard. Why is this performance not happening against the smaller and less physical guards she faces normally?

 

[hart2hart]

I’ve seen Anna play 3x and two of the three she was just terrific. One exhibition game where she was driving to the basket. I remember saying to myself Wow, this girl is gonna be special. The 2nd game was against National team. I still think she’s terrific
and just needs more time to develop her skills into Geno’s system of play. Both A’s have had excellent games and so-so games. Freshman learning the system. Well, I hope both Frosh have Excellent games tomorrow! Hooray for Anna and Aubrey!

 

[MSGRET]

You know I think it's kinda funny that the same thing was said about KLS, she was 0 fer a lot when she first started, scared to take the shots, with many complaints that she was slow footed, couldn't guard worth , couldn't rebound, and always seemed to throw the ball away. Look how that turned out, she was much improved her Sophomore year.

 

[Kevinmac]

If I read the UConn website for season stats correctly AM has 148 points in 587 minutes of playing time about a point every 4 minutes played.

She has games like Sunday vs USF with no points at all with significant minutes.

Probably a nice person, passes well, plays OK defense, probably not better on this year's weak bench...BUT we are sugar coating if we don't recognize the problem here. The basis of basketball is having more baskets than your opponent, having players who don't score is not helpful toward that aim.

She is too slow to react to quick wings and guards on defense as South Florida.
She is not offensive player that can play inside 3 point range. She dribbles cross court and passes to players that can not shoot like Aubrey at 3 point line every time. Chris Daily likes her doing that?

 

[Martin]

You know I think it's kinda funny that the same thing was said about KLS, she was 0 fer a lot when she first started, scared to take the shots, with many complaints that she was slow footed, couldn't guard worth , couldn't rebound, and always seemed to throw the ball away. Look how that turned out, she was much improved her Sophomore year.

Her sophomore yr was crazy!!! She avg 22 I think.

 

[Martin]

Mak has to start producing more. With all the competition coming in she won’t last 4 years. These girls want to play not sit.

 

[DEpup]

I think everyone should take a breath. Freshman at UConn are really up and down. Some of our favorites did not have such great freshman years. Gabby was really raw and basically did clean up. KLS and Pheesa didn't light it up. Dolson and Hartley struggled. Tina Charles was in the doghouse most of her freshman year. Just to name a few. It happens. I actually think she will get it together before CW does....she'll do the sophomore body transformation and be in business.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Anna is going to be a great player here. She has shown flashes of brilliance and is strong in almost every arena. She reminds me a lot of Larry Bird. She's a great 3 point shooter, brilliant improvisational passer, high BBIQ, physically tough and makes the team better at the expense of her own stats.

I've seen posts that say she always drives to the middle and passes instead of shooting or she doesn't shoot enough or she passes to players on the 3 point line that can't shoot or she can't play defense.

Yup, she is running the offense as freshman should. It's a modified princeton offense where the the half court offensive plan is to give up a shot to get a better shot. When the defense see's a player has a shot hopefully one or two players break from their man to stop the shot. This leaves someone open for the better shot.

She is on a short leash and doesn't have the freedom to operate freelance like some other players. The offense is designed to run inside out. So what does a freshman do; runs the offense. She drives into the middle and passes out. She passes to Aubrey who isn't allowed to shoot 3's. So why does Geno have her on the 3 point line. Because she is supposed to get that pass, swing the ball, drop down for a back screen for a shooter or cut to the hoop looking for a return pass layup or an offensive rebound. That's the design of the play and freshmen run the play.

One of the problems I have when I watch this team play is Anna not getting the ball when she is wide open in the corners. She has a great 3 point shot when set. I am really excited to see how she plays with Paige. Those two are made to play together

 

[MooreMayaNY]

Let me preface by saying I think Ania is terrific. When UConn got settled against the National team and playing on the 24 second clock, UConn and Ania looked very good.

Objectively though she appears to be right hand dominant. She needs to improve her left hand and her dribbling.

Meg needs to work on that left hand too especially if she wants to be successful in the W.

 

[MooreMayaNY]

I think everyone should take a breath. Freshman at UConn are really up and down. Some of our favorites did not have such great freshman years. Gabby was really raw and basically did clean up. KLS and Pheesa didn't light it up. Dolson and Hartley struggled. Tina Charles was in the doghouse most of her freshman year. Just to name a few. It happens. I actually think she will get it together before CW does....she'll do the sophomore body transformation and be in business.

Disagree on Hartley. She was the second best player on that squad her first year. Hayes was way too up & down as that should have been her role but it went to Bria. She didn’t "struggle" her freshman year, Dolson did.

 

[cohenzone]

Mak has to start producing more. With all the competition coming in she won’t last 4 years. These girls want to play not sit.

She’s a freshman. She can’t be expected to be what very few of our 5 star freshmen were during their first year and she has less superstar power teammates to rely on than some of them did.

 

[VAUConnFan]

Disagree on Hartley. She was the second best player on that squad her first year. Hayes was way too up & down as that should have been her role but it went to Bria. She didn’t "struggle" her freshman year, Dolson did.

I disagree. Quite personally, I do not think Ms Hartley was ever as good a ballplayer as Ms Hayes. Hayes and Sales are two ballplayers who will never get their due.

BTW: Makurat will be fine. The board consensus jumped to premature evaluations to which she has recently fallen short. I personally feel that she is playing out of position as she adjusts to a new role as a facilitator who can spread the floor.

 

[bluedevil]

Anna is a good teamate...next season she might end up being this seasons Molly B....not a bad thing to be..

 

[eebmg]

Anna is a good teamate...next season she might end up being this seasons Molly B....not a bad thing to be..

You do not travel half way across the world and leave a professional league to play mop up duty even if UConn is your dream school. If that happens, she would not stay long.

 

[Kevinmac]

Anna is a good teamate...next season she might end up being this seasons Molly B....not a bad thing to be..

Well said and now we do not expect a Pro from Poland that does have quickness for college USA College Game or skill set to shot within inside 3 point line yet. We hope she can have a role next year like Molly has this year to back up our two point guards and Tenn Transfer.