STOKES!!!

[Icebear]

One big growth in Kiah is that while she doesn't take a lot of shots or score a bunch of points she is functioning smoothly within the offense. She is not out of position and effectively contributes to the flow. When you have the other offensive options that are available on the floor with UCONN working within that flow is huge.

Kiah has simply been fantastic giving the team what they need regularly and reliably.

 

[meyers7]

She basically puts an end to offensive rebounds,

That's one of the big things she did last night.

 

[Forty_four]

If she can find 10 ppg next year she will be in the running for AA.

I cant believe you made this comment about a player that did not even take a shot last night.

 

[UcMiami]

UC: always like your stuff on here, but I don't see that "confident" look that you see....wish I did.

One big growth in Kiah is that while she doesn't take a lot of shots or score a bunch of points she is functioning smoothly within the offense. She is not out of position and effectively contributes to the flow. When you have the other offensive options available with UCONN that are on the floor working within that flow is huge.

Kiah has simply been fantastic giving the team what they need regularly and reliably.

I am responding to winlots, but thought Ice's post was saying what I tried to say more eloquently. She obviously isn't shooting much and doesn't seem 'confident' in her shot except occasionally when she gets a great entry pass or an open offensive rebound. And that is no different from what she has shown in previous years. But, if you went back and watched her minutes from freshman and sophomore years you would see not only the lack of shooting, but also a lot of the time on the offensive end where she just had no clue where she was supposed to be on the court or what she was supposed to be doing once she got there. This year is completely different - she is flashing to the ball on time, setting screens, making some really good passes, and just functioning in the flow of the offense with confidence. In an early game this season, she was even directing teammates on the offense end at one point - it was the moment that I new this season was going to be different. She knew exactly what was supposed to be happening and had the confidence to correct someone who didn't.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I cant believe you made this comment about a player that did not even take a shot last night.

As Geno said just this week, next year roles will change. Kiah should see more minutes and I suspect we will look to her to be more offense minded. I didn't say it was an easy task, though frankly with her physical gifts one would think it is hardly fanciful to suggest it can be achieved with a summer practice coach/regime. The negativity some feel compelled to throw out there gets a bit wearying. You have now laid the groundwork for an I told you so sometime late next fall. Mark your calendar.

 

[Forty_four]

As Geno said just this week, next year roles will change. Kiah should see more minutes and I suspect we will look to her to be more offense minded. I didn't say it was an easy task, though frankly with her physical gifts one would think it is hardly fanciful to suggest it can be achieved with a summer practice coach/regime. The negativity some feel compelled to throw out there gets a bit wearying. You have now laid the groundwork for an I told you so sometime late next fall. Mark your calendar.

Been marking my calendar for 3 years with overly optomistic statements like this about Stokes.
The over the top optomism from many gets very tireing. You are going out on a very thin branch based on her past accomplishments. Lets it happen before you proclaim it.

With teammates of Mo Jeff, KML, Stewart, Tuck do you realistically think voters with select 5 AA's from one team? Get real!

By the way mark your calendar, this works both ways.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Been marking my calendar for 3 years with overly optomistic statements like this about Stokes.
The over the top optomism from many gets very tireing. You are going out on a very thin branch based on her past accomplishments. Lets it happen before you proclaim it.

With teammates of Mo Jeff, KML, Stewart, Tuck do you realistically think voters with select 5 AA's from one team? Get real!

By the way mark your calendar, this works both ways.

Your snide remark- yes snide - got what it deserved. Go back and read the post. It's a hope not a prediction and I said AA candidate and if she got her blocks and rebounds and a tenner she would be. I'm happy to be on the branch. Live long and prosper.

PS. You are the one keeping the calendar to tell me I told you so - not v-a-v. Can't be bothered with such.

 

[Replicant]

She is imposing and the most intimidating of the 3 bigs in my opinion.

Have you noticed how often an opposing player (be it a big, or a guard) will probe an attack line to the rim and quickly decide the best course of action is to rotate the ball out of Kiah's LZ when she comes to greet them.

Elizabeth Williams is still experiencing nightmares about the 1st encounter she had with Ms. Kiah! And thinking back to the MD game earlier in the season, Alyssa Thomas (great player, strong woman with an WNBA body) got stuffed but good by Kiah early in the game and settled for playing a perimeter game from there out.

Hell, GEICO should consider replacing those Dikembe Mutombo ads with a Kiah ad!

 

[Replicant]

The reason why the lead increases while Kiah is in the game is that the other team just doesn't score.

And they don't get any 2nd chance opportunities because she owns the glass. Whenever she enters the game 'really, really good' things always happen.

"...Kiah Stokes came in and played 15 AMAZING minutes!" - Geno (post-game presser)

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Been marking my calendar for 3 years with overly optomistic statements like this about Stokes.
The over the top optomism from many gets very tireing. You are going out on a very thin branch based on her past accomplishments. Lets it happen before you proclaim it.

With teammates of Mo Jeff, KML, Stewart, Tuck do you realistically think voters with select 5 AA's from one team? Get real!

By the way mark your calendar, this works both ways.

44...I always read your posts with the hope that you wedgie yourself out of keyboard oxygen...

 

[Forty_four]

Your snide remark- yes snide - got what it deserved. Go back and read the post. It's a hope not a prediction and I said AA candidate and if she got her blocks and rebounds and a tenner she would be. I'm happy to be on the branch. Live long and prosper.

PS. You are the one keeping the calendar to tell me I told you so - not v-a-v. Can't be bothered with such.

You are the one who brought it up, not I. Now you cant be bothered? Typical.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

You are the one who brought it up, not I. Now you cant be bothered? Typical.

I know you thrive on this useless back and forth. But let me try just once more - go back and read. I was suggesting that you would mark your calendar to tell me next fall of Kiah didn't fulfill. I do not bother with doing such things. Get it? Don't answer. Let this little side trail to nowhere die.

 

[JoePgh]

As someone who watched the TAMU game in person (and watched the scoreboard showing at one point in the first half a 10-1 advantage for TAMU in offensive rebounds, if I recall correctly), it was very noticeable to me that when Kiah entered the game midway through the half, the Aggies' offensive rebounding basically stopped, and Kiah even contributed a few O-bounds to the UConn side of the ledger.

Did you notice in the box score that TAMU took 10 more shots in the game than UConn did? After hitting around 60% against DePaul, they were in the 35% range against UConn, and actually scored 3 fewer field goals in the game than UConn despite the 10 extra shots. The offensive rebounding disparity was the reason why they got those extra shots. I can't prove it with numbers, but my subjective perception watching the game was that the disparity only existed when Kiah was not in the game, and UConn may even have gotten more O-bounds when she was in the game.

UConn did have a huge statistical advantage in two numbers: assists and blocks. Kiah was a big contributor to the block total.

If she becomes the starting center next year, UConn's offense will be different because she will not have Stef's offensive skills, but I agree that the defense and rebounding will be better than it is this year.

 

[Sonny44]

From what I am seeing it looks like Stewie has decided to take few games off.

Maybe she just needs to prove she's human.
Also "Stewie taking a few games off", we do better with Stokes on the floor! What are you guys thinking, or are you?

 

[Icebear]

Kiah had 1 block. I only note that because I thought she had more. She, usually, does. Stef had the monster game with 8 out of 10.

 

[UcMiami]

Kiah had 1 block. I only note that because I thought she had more. She, usually, does. Stef had the monster game with 8 out of 10 games.

I am always surprised at block numbers as they seem to come in low in most games. I thought there were a few missed in the BYU game that I decided the scorers interpreted as tipped entry passes rather than blocked shots?

 

[meyers7]

nuff said

Why are there 40+ posts in this thread????

 

[JRRRJ]

I cant believe you made this comment about a player that did not even take a shot last night.

Kiah's statistics for the period when Kaleena and Morgan were not playing:

Name         GP GS Min Avg Min FGM FGA  FG%  3FGM 3FGA 3FG% FTM FTA  FT%  OR DR TR AvgR PF FO AST TO  A/TO Blk ST Pts Avg
Stokes, Kiah  7  2 159  22.7    26  35  74.3%  0    0  0.0%  10  14 71.4% 19 42 61 8.71  9  0  3   8 0.375  19  3  62 8.9

Any more questions?

 

[JoePgh]

Kiah had 1 block. I only note that because I thought she had more. She, usually, does. Stef had the monster game with 8 out of 10 games.

I know that is what the box score says, but I saw more than one in live action. I should count when I replay the game.

 

[Forty_four]

Kiah's statistics for the period when Kaleena and Morgan were not playing:

Name         GP GS Min Avg Min FGM FGA  FG%  3FGM 3FGA 3FG% FTM FTA  FT%  OR DR TR AvgR PF FO AST TO  A/TO Blk ST Pts Avg
Stokes, Kiah  7  2 159  22.7    26  35  74.3%  0    0  0.0%  10  14 71.4% 19 42 61 8.71  9  0  3   8 0.375  19  3  62 8.9

Any more questions?

How about providing her 4 game NCAA tourney stats?

 

[JRRRJ]

How about providing her 4 game NCAA tourney stats?

Guess you couldn't help yourself.

NCAA tourney stats would show that Kiah does not need to score in order for the team to be cohesive on offense and win games handily.

The stats I provided show that when Kiah is needed to score, she can do so. (And very efficiently, to boot.)

 

[Forty_four]

Guess you couldn't help yourself.

NCAA tourney stats would show that Kiah does not need to score in order for the team to be cohesive on offense and win games handily.

The stats I provided show that when Kiah is needed to score, she can do so. (And very efficiently, to boot.)

[
ncaa tourney games:
4 games played
17 mins/g
3 fgm
7 fga
8 pts
2.0 avg

Tuck is still out and KML was out with mono also recently and no one gave her instructions not to score,
So is it your contention that Kiah will be AA next year also?

 

[rocky rococo]

Stokes long arms stretch out for all those rebounds... she plays BIG

Yup. She also always rebounds properly, does her work before the shot goes up. She establishes position, sticking her butt in somebody's gut, and you never ever see her doing that silly reaching in to slap at a board, rather she's in position, pulling it in with two hands. The right way.

 

[doggydaddy]

[
ncaa tourney games:
4 games played
17 mins/g
3 fgm
7 fga
8 pts
2.0 avg

Tuck is still out and KML was out with mono also recently and no one gave her instructions not to score,
So is it your contention that Kiah will be AA next year also?

I just watched the first Stanford game. Stewart was out for much of that game and Stokes picked up the slack. 10 points, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks in 24 minutes. You ignore these good games against top competition. She has shown she has the ability to play to this level. You refuse to accept that it's possible she can do this more often.

And you complain about the "overly optimistic" opinions about her that do think she can do it more consistently. With minutes no doubt she can get double digit rebounds and 4-5 blocks a game. Just add 1/2 more to each stat when she goes from 18 minutes to 27 per game.

Her 7.2 rebounds a game becomes 10.8, her 4.4 points become 6.6 and her 2.5 blocks become 3.8 per game.

With just a little more offensive minded play, she certainly can be a double double machine.

Chew on this. If she averages 10 ppg, 12 rpg, and 4 big, you don't think she would be an AA candidate? Not even honorable mention?

As Icebear said to me, you'd don't like it, don't read it. This thread was clear in its intent. We all know where you stand on this. If folks like to throw platitudes towards players, why not? No need for your Pusillanimously Pessimistic responses.

 

[Forty_four]

Kiah had one good game against a quality opponent all year and you latch onto it like it was a trend.

Player platitudes should be earned not thrown out here like gummy bears.
If Kiah makes AA I will be glad to congratulate her.

Until then keep it real!