Who's the 5th starter?

[meyers7]

Natalie will be the fifth starter. At the beginning of her sophomore season, she's already ahead of where Stef was at the end of her sophomore season,

Where do you get that? You've never seen her play at UCONN.

 

[chrissaran]

Even though Geno tends not to start frosh, I believe that the team will be faster and more potent offensively with Napheesha than with KLS or Butler. I think Collier will be the cream of the new crop. Question is how soon will this happen.

I believe UConn did quite well with Stef. Anyway, their offense is predicated by their defense. Natalie's a better rebounder than Stef, which means lots of fast breaks and lots of points.

 

[rford53]

It's obviously Butler. Just like the 2013-2014 undefeated 40 -0 season, the roles and skills of the starting five are amazing similar. Stewie, MoJeff, Tuck for KML, Nurse for Hartley and Butler for Dolson. Probably just as strong team with our two now seniors, a junior and two sophomores.

 

[Goodgood]

I voted "Other" because I think Geno is going to try different combinations throughout the first half of the season and tinker with the lineup until he is happy. He doesn't necessary start the best five players all the time but the best combination of players. Even Candace Parker was a bench player along with some other superstars. So, my guess is the best combo in Geno's eyes and some players are better coming off the bench and others are less effective unless they start. Different temperament. In other words, I have no idea who the 5th starter will be.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I voted Butler. Mo and Kia at guard, Stewie and Tuck as the forwards, and then big Nat in the middle. I doubt it's KLS who has been away for the last month, and Geno will want to ease the freshmen into the college game anyway. There's no reason to throw them into the fire as we're going to be starting 3 All-Americans as it is.

 

[Kurebeach5]

What happened to the avatars ????

 

[JavaMan]

Forced choice: Butler will give us height in the post. Plenty of speed on the bench if needed. And how about a starting five that morphs to fit each opponent?

What he said!

 

[wbfree]

I know we've been discussing this for awhile. But since it's now August and the semester starts this month, it's time to put you money (vote) where you're mouth (post) is.

We know Stewart, Jefferson, Tuck and Nurse are starting (barring any injuries - knock on wood), so who is going to be the 5th starter?

Please explain your pick (not that there won't be plenty of arguments on this one) and if you pick "Other", damn well better explain your pick eek.

Have fun.

I know we've been discussing this for awhile. But since it's now August and the semester starts this month, it's time to put you money (vote) where you're mouth (post) is.

We know Stewart, Jefferson, Tuck and Nurse are starting (barring any injuries - knock on wood), so who is going to be the 5th starter?

Please explain your pick (not that there won't be plenty of arguments on this one) and if you pick "Other", damn well better explain your pick eek.

Have fun.

 

[wbfree]

I know we've been discussing this for awhile. But since it's now August and the semester starts this month, it's time to put you money (vote) where you're mouth (post) is.

We know Stewart, Jefferson, Tuck and Nurse are starting (barring any injuries - knock on wood), so who is going to be the 5th starter?

Please explain your pick (not that there won't be plenty of arguments on this one) and if you pick "Other", damn well better explain your pick eek.

Have fun.

Not so sure Nurse is a lock to start.

 

[huskeynut]

Natalie will be the fifth starter.

Reasons: rebounding, defense, 10 - 12 foot jumper.

Make no mistake Gabby, because she is a match up nightmare, will get her minutes. Napheesa will get major minutes due to her versatility. KLS will be the "off the bench sharp shooter" who willalso be a nightmare match up.

Will Geno play with the lineup - Absolutely. He will play mix and match in almost every game looking to get that mis-match to drive teams crazy.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Not so sure Nurse is a lock to start.

If she wasn't (and I think she was) a lock before the Pan Am games, she sure is now.

She must be brimming with confidence.

 

[CajunHusky]

I don't see Coach departing the post-Stanford formula. He needs to replace KML - sharpshooter with post up ability. You don't see first year players move straight into the starting lineup and I don't think you will this year. I like Gabby, she has a really good instinct in the post. Having said that she is a raw talent and she needs to develop her game and hopefully she did just that over the summer. I think you will see Butler take over Stokes role.

So, I think you might see Nurse move to KML's role and Chong come back into the starting lineup. Saniya played really well in the last half and got in some good minutes. KLS or Collier can then play themselves into more time on the wing. The roster is loaded with post players. Coach seems to prefer a three guard lineup. And I think the team needs to develop more guard options..... any injury time for Mo or Kia or Saniya could be trouble.

Everyone talks about Collier but she is the only one we have seen albeit U19. I suspect if KLS had been able to play we might be talking a different story. And what about Boykin? I somehow think of her as a solid Tiffany Hayes type player, maybe get good minutes spelling Tuck.

 

[reno tony]

Let me see. Averaged a double-double, Big East Freshman of the Year, Big East second team as a Frosh, already one year in the system playing against the likes of Stewie, Kiah and Morgan.... yeah, I'll go with Natalie.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Not so sure Nurse is a lock to start.

What guard replaces her? How do you not start your returning 2 guard that started almost all of your games last year, has years of experience with her national team, and just showed us what she can do in the Pan Am games? Next year I think this same poll will be much more interesting since we know Stewie and Mo will be gone. Other than the 5th spot that we are all voting on today, I'd say 80% of the starting line up is locked and loaded.

 

[JoePgh]

My vote would be for Napheesa, but before I defend that, let me state the most important fact about this question:

If you were to poll Geno or CD at this time, and forcibly administer to each of them a truth serum that would leave them no choice but to answer honestly, they would both give "Don't know" as their sole honest answer. Everything depends on what happens in practice. Anyone on the team, practically, could be the fifth starter depending on how they and others perform in practice.

So the poll is really asking which player will most distinguish herself in practice. Based on what many of us saw in the U19's, I think Napheesa will be that one. The reason is her maturity and the all-around nature of her game. Unlike KLS, she is not a player with one major strength and a lot of "OK to pretty good" ratings in other aspects of her game. Unlike Natalie Butler, she is fast and quick enough to keep up at both ends of the court and defend any perimeter scoring threat, of which the team will see quite a few.

UConn's problems in 2015-16 will be second-order in nature, but if Natalie were to start, it would create a few problems:

1. The whole front court would be a little on the slow side, and would have trouble defending penetration by mobile guards and small forwards.
2. If Natalie, Stewie, and Morgan all start, then who would be the inside player that would come off the bench -- Dejenae Boykin? It seems better for two of them to start and for Natalie to be the first big player off the bench, just as Kiah Stokes was last year.
3. If Natalie, Stewie, and Morgan are all in the lineup at once, who plays on the wing? Morgan, with her sub-30% 3-point percentage, wasting her vast array of post moves? Stewie, also not a killer from the 3-point line, and big enough to score inside against almost anybody? It seems much more natural to have Napheesa on the wing with 2 of the 3 bigs.

All this is just a guess. If KLS lights it up in October and shows that the rest of her game is better than anyone thought, then she will start. If Saniya plays fantastically at both ends of the court, she could start. If Courtney has the best 3-point marksmanship on the team in practice and plays mistake-free basketball, she might even start.

But I would say the probabilities favor Napheesa.

 

[Tonyc]

Its pretty tuff to choose. My questions marks are. Tuck played the post on Stewie the outside roaming, backing up the middle and the key. So does Butler start because of experience? KLS could take KMLs spot as a shooter but doesn't have experience on this team and will she start even though and KML wasn't a great defender. Collier is great without experience on the college level. How bout Williams and Chong both guards. Geno has a lot of different combos and we will see a lot of different combos early in the season before he decides who starts and who comes off the bench and who gets the minutes. A few things to keep in mind. First next season we need to replace Stewie and MoJeff. So we need to get our bench experience at those positions. Gabby Saniya KLS Collier and Boykin need experience. Don't forget Dangerfield as good as she is will at some point lead this team and we will need a point guard next season to replace MoJeff. Saniya and Gabby will be fighting for that spot. Stewies Spot will be between everybody else. This is going to be a fun season because the question marks are very positive meaning great players and getting them playtime this season. So who will step up to the challenge is the question. We wait and see. Its way to early to predict because to much has yet to be proven and it can only be proven on the court. With that said this is a really really good roster.

 

[slug25]

Gabby earns it. Incredible efficiency last season and a rebounding demon.

 

[Bigpetunia]

Exploding out of the starting block early with the most athletic lineup, including Gabby, then bringing in Natalie to play Kiah's role gets my vote. But the more I've seen of Napheesa, the less convinced I am that she won't break through by the second half of the season.

 

[Huskies Rule]

Of all the questions ever posed on the Boneyard, this one is surely the most difficult to answer definitively and without equivocation. Geno has often said how they practice will determine if and how much they'll play. We know coach demands 100% effort and energy, perfect execution, the willingness to learn and to become a great defender, screener and passer (things most high school stars were not asked to do), to be a smart, trustworthy teammate, and much much more!

However, each of these four young ladies is extraordinarily talented and each brings a very unique and different skill set to the table. And therein lies the dilemma. What kind of game does Geno want to play? The following lists are a completely subjective, absolutely non-expert opinion, which will hopefully offend no one.

Strengths:
Natalie----- great size, excellent interior rebounder and defender, some inside offense, college experience
Gabby------ incredible hops, fearless interior rebounder and inside scorer, quick, solid defender, energy
Napheesa---versatile, does everything well, relentless, great teammate, internat'l experience
Katie Lou---incredible shooter with unlimited range, great length, drives the basket, internat'l experience

Question Marks (weaknesses):
Natalie------foot speed, passing/screening skills, offensive range, conditioning
Gabby-------mid-range and 3-point shot, ball handling, ability to defend BIGS
Napheesa---need to get stronger (I had to type something here)
Katie Lou---strength, defense, ball handling

IF Geno wants to spread the floor and open up the half court game, as Kaleena's skills enabled him to do, he might go with Katie Lou...
IF Geno wants to run and transition well, as he did last year, Napheesa, Katie Lou and Gabby all fit the bill...
IF Geno wants to go BIG for matchup purposes, or to help Stewie and Morgan down low, Natalie is your girl...
IF Geno wants to refrain from starting a freshman and go with experience, Gabby or Natalie...
IF Geno wants to play the kid who can do anything and everything he wants from a starter, Napheesa it is...

Geez, I'm feeling a bit like Rudyard Kipling...

Bottom Line... THERE IS NO WRONG ANSWER TO THE QUESTION...ONLY GREAT ONES.

 

[Intpseeker]

We got to see this summer what Napheesa could do against high level talent. She is a force, but I voted for Butler. I believed she'd start when we discussed this after the season, and it still feels right, because if she's the 5, it allows Brianna and Morgan some room to get creative with the 3/4 slot, while saving Stewie some punishment that will surely occur if she has to play that 4/5 spot.

 

[Intpseeker]

Not so sure Nurse is a lock to start.

 

[meyers7]

Not so sure Nurse is a lock to start.

I don't see how she isn't.

 

[easttexastrash]

Do you really need a 5th starter?

 

[meyers7]

Do you really need a 5th starter?

Well I think for the fans sake. I mean they go to start the game and all the old fans are standing on their feeble knees, hands getting sore from clapping, and the ref looks around and only sees 4 UCONN players. He/she then goes over to Geno and asks for a 5th player, and of course Geno states like Norman Dell before him, "my team is on the floor". The refs have to huddle and figure out if this is ok or not. All the while, the old fans are still standing and clapping. Their knees and legs start wobbling, some pass out, their hands clapped to bloody pulps. So for their sake, yes we need a 5th starter. It's only humane.

 

[Bgillon]

Not so sure Nurse is a lock to start.

Tell me what you just drank so I can avoid it at all costs!