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| Who will win this game? |
| Connecticut |
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67% |
[ 23 ] |
| Notre Dame |
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32% |
[ 11 ] |
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| Total Votes : 34 |
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| Author |
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beknighted
Joined: 11 Nov 2004
Posts: 11050
Location: Lost in D.C.
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 Posted: 04/08/14 10:50 pm ::: |
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| sigur3 wrote: |
| braveniler58 wrote: |
Wonder what the game would have looked like if Achonwa was playing. |
Not much different. |
I won't say I have to disagree, but I do think Achonwa would have made things tougher for UConn inside, and would have demanded more defensive attention, both of which would have helped a lot. Whether it would have been enough, well, I can't say.
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FS02
Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 9699
Location: Husky (west coast) Country
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| Posted: 04/08/14 11:20 pm ::: |
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| beknighted wrote: |
| sigur3 wrote: |
| braveniler58 wrote: |
Wonder what the game would have looked like if Achonwa was playing. |
Not much different. |
I won't say I have to disagree, but I do think Achonwa would have made things tougher for UConn inside, and would have demanded more defensive attention, both of which would have helped a lot. Whether it would have been enough, well, I can't say. |
Also, I don't think you can really be an emotional leader from the bench, at least it must be a lot harder for someone not used to doing it.
I think it would have at least been a single digit game most of the way and much more interesting with Achonwa. But that's just a guess, no one can really say what impact one piece may have on a collective group like that... she could mean everything, or almost nothing, depending on the team dynamics.
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Youth Coach
Joined: 23 Mar 2008
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| Posted: 04/09/14 5:52 am ::: |
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I went 48-15 in the tournament and it finished as I expected.
The two best teams in the country and UConn won by 20 plus points. |
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zune69
Joined: 27 May 2010
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| Posted: 04/09/14 7:08 am ::: |
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| If Achonwa was healthy,maybe they lose to Maryland.In the game against the Terps earlier in the year,ND played better when Achonwa was in foul trouble.Maryland made a comeback in the 2nd half when achonwa was on the court.
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Oldfandepot2
Joined: 05 Jul 2013
Posts: 996
Location: Northeast
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| Posted: 04/09/14 8:01 am ::: |
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| Shades wrote: |
| Oldfandepot2 wrote: |
| To all ND fans, good luck tonight. It has been a great season. Let's hope that the game is as great as the teams are and the officials are as competent as the teams are great. Either way it has been both informative and fun. Kayla leaves after this year, right. Please! |
Who does UConn have coming in? They lose Dolson and Hartley. |
They have four incoming recruits in Kia Nurse from Canada who will and has played on the Canada team with Achonwa, Courtney Ekmark, who graduated early so did not attend school this year and who is considered the best pure shooter in this year's class, Gabby Williams who unfortunately sustained an ACL injury but prior to that made the Oylmpic team as a high jumper between her junior and senior year in high school and Sadie Edwards who can play either point or two guard. Edwards and Williams are both McDonald's AA. None of the recruits is taller than six foot.
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dtsnms
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
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| Posted: 04/09/14 8:33 am ::: |
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| Oldfandepot2 wrote: |
| Shades wrote: |
| Oldfandepot2 wrote: |
| To all ND fans, good luck tonight. It has been a great season. Let's hope that the game is as great as the teams are and the officials are as competent as the teams are great. Either way it has been both informative and fun. Kayla leaves after this year, right. Please! |
Who does UConn have coming in? They lose Dolson and Hartley. |
They have four incoming recruits in Kia Nurse from Canada who will and has played on the Canada team with Achonwa, Courtney Ekmark, who graduated early so did not attend school this year and who is considered the best pure shooter in this year's class, Gabby Williams who unfortunately sustained an ACL injury but prior to that made the Oylmpic team as a high jumper between her junior and senior year in high school and Sadie Edwards who can play either point or two guard. Edwards and Williams are both McDonald's AA. None of the recruits is taller than six foot. |
And the tweet of the night came from Gabby Williams, who tweeted to the other three two words that should put some fear in many teams: "We're next"
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ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005
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| Posted: 04/09/14 9:50 am ::: |
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The UConn recruiting class is solid but not spectacular -- of course someone could emerge as a great player (my money would be on Williams), but there's no obvious star like Stewart.
I lost a lot of respect for Ekmark, who could have played for her high school team in her senior year after winning championships, but her dad quit as coach and she opted not to support her school and community by playing as a senior and not being on an elite team. They would have struggled, but for me, competitors play regardless of whether their team is going to be great or mediocre.
Without Dolson, though, the structure of this year's team will change, as no longer will UConn dominate inside with three strong players. Now there will be two, and Hartley presumably will be replaced by Saniya Chong or Brianna Banks or one of the incoming frosh with Dolson's spot going to the next best player.
As long as Stewart's around, though, the Huskies will probably be the favorite in every game they play ...
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Oldfandepot2
Joined: 05 Jul 2013
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| Posted: 04/09/14 10:13 am ::: |
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| ClayK wrote: |
The UConn recruiting class is solid but not spectacular -- of course someone could emerge as a great player (my money would be on Williams), but there's no obvious star like Stewart.
I lost a lot of respect for Ekmark, who could have played for her high school team in her senior year after winning championships, but her dad quit as coach and she opted not to support her school and community by playing as a senior and not being on an elite team. They would have struggled, but for me, competitors play regardless of whether their team is going to be great or mediocre.
Without Dolson, though, the structure of this year's team will change, as no longer will UConn dominate inside with three strong players. Now there will be two, and Hartley presumably will be replaced by Saniya Chong or Brianna Banks or one of the incoming frosh with Dolson's spot going to the next best player.
As long as Stewart's around, though, the Huskies will probably be the favorite in every game they play ... |
Correct you, Clay, she left school for academic reasons first of all. She had but one class to graduate and choose to graduate early, plus she was and is already taking college level courses. Sometimes students place academic considerations above sports considerations. This is such a case. She is now working out and getting into condition for UCONN. Boy, people judge way too fast sometimes.
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dtsnms
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
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| Posted: 04/09/14 11:23 am ::: |
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| ClayK wrote: |
The UConn recruiting class is solid but not spectacular -- of course someone could emerge as a great player (my money would be on Williams), but there's no obvious star like Stewart.
I lost a lot of respect for Ekmark, who could have played for her high school team in her senior year after winning championships, but her dad quit as coach and she opted not to support her school and community by playing as a senior and not being on an elite team. They would have struggled, but for me, competitors play regardless of whether their team is going to be great or mediocre.
Without Dolson, though, the structure of this year's team will change, as no longer will UConn dominate inside with three strong players. Now there will be two, and Hartley presumably will be replaced by Saniya Chong or Brianna Banks or one of the incoming frosh with Dolson's spot going to the next best player.
As long as Stewart's around, though, the Huskies will probably be the favorite in every game they play ... |
Other coaches have told me Nurse is the real deal.
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Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
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| Posted: 04/09/14 12:19 pm ::: |
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| ClayK wrote: |
| They would have struggled, but for me, competitors play regardless of whether their team is going to be great or mediocre. |
This contradicts your view on the tanking of Phoenix 2012, but what else is new.
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linkster
Joined: 27 Jul 2012
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| Posted: 04/09/14 2:10 pm ::: |
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| ClayK wrote: |
The UConn recruiting class is solid but not spectacular -- of course someone could emerge as a great player (my money would be on Williams), but there's no obvious star like Stewart.
I lost a lot of respect for Ekmark, who could have played for her high school team in her senior year after winning championships, but her dad quit as coach and she opted not to support her school and community by playing as a senior and not being on an elite team. They would have struggled, but for me, competitors play regardless of whether their team is going to be great or mediocre.
Without Dolson, though, the structure of this year's team will change, as no longer will UConn dominate inside with three strong players. Now there will be two, and Hartley presumably will be replaced by Saniya Chong or Brianna Banks or one of the incoming frosh with Dolson's spot going to the next best player.
As long as Stewart's around, though, the Huskies will probably be the favorite in every game they play ... |
I expect UConn to be a quicker team overall and with the 4 players coming in (who ASGR sees as perhaps the best class Clay lol) I expect them to extend their defense next year.
A little harsh to Ekmark. You cover lots of HS elite teams that recruit players away from the HS they would have attended had they not been looking for a D1 scholarship. So are all those players showing loyalty to the communities they grew up in? Are they wrong to think of their personal future before the glory of their HS class?
I have no problem with players doing what is best for their careers. And I think you know too many AAU and elite team coaches Clay. Ekmarks decision, if it were to become a trend, threatens their incomes, doesn't it?
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ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005
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| Posted: 04/09/14 2:36 pm ::: |
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You know, I've coached in high school for many decades, and I certainly didn't do it for the money, and I don't now.
Very few club coaches in basketball make a lot of money, and whether a kid like Ekmark plays for your team or not is no big deal. And of course, high school coaching salaries are in the $2,000 range in most areas.
So money had nothing to do with it ...
Courtney Ekmark is a good kid, as far as I know and I've always gotten along with Curtis -- who even lent me some basketballs one year when we came to the TOC.
But if you play for your high school for three years and your team is really good, and then a bunch of good players graduate and you're left to play with your classmates -- who have been in the program, either sitting on the bench on the varsity or playing on JVs, and cheering you while you play -- I think there's an obligation there.
I think the obligations are
1) To your school, which pays for a basketball team that doesn't make any money, and allowed you to play on a national stage for three years;
2) To the athletic department at the school, which supported your team and your program, and put in lots of hours to get officials, arrange practice time, etc.;
3) To your classmates, who supported you when you were winning; and
4) To your wider school community, which followed your team when you were good and wrote about you in the newspaper and told you how great you were.
For me, to decide that it doesn't make sense to play as a senior just isn't right. OK, you have one class -- take that class in the first semester and play until you graduate (though I'm guessing you can finish the season even if you do graduate). Yes, your team won't be as good as the elite teams you've always played for, but what about the girls you'd be playing with? What happens to them now that the only star decides to leave them hanging?
I'm sure a case can be made that Courtney shouldn't have played -- the risk of injury, etc. -- but I don't like it at all. There is such a thing as loyalty, and to me, this is just a slap in the face to the school and her classmates.
One other player I know of did this: Erika Arriaran, who went on to play at Texas. She was good but never quite lived up to expectations. I don't want to make that connection, because Ekmark could star at UConn, and truly, I hope she does.
But I still think she should have played high school basketball her senior year.
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beknighted
Joined: 11 Nov 2004
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Location: Lost in D.C.
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| Posted: 04/09/14 2:50 pm ::: |
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| ClayK wrote: |
| For me, to decide that it doesn't make sense to play as a senior just isn't right. OK, you have one class -- take that class in the first semester and play until you graduate (though I'm guessing you can finish the season even if you do graduate). |
One point worth mentioning here - it's one thing to say you have to finish one class to graduate and something else entirely to say you'll graduate once you finish one class. I know a lot of people from high school class who could have taken one or two classes in their senior years and graduated because they'd met all of the other graduation requirements. None of them did. And these days, there are all sorts of opportunities to take actual college classes (not to mention AP or IB classes) while you're in high school and get college credit before you're in college if that's what you want to do.
My point is that she had more than a binary choice here - she could have achieved her stated objectives without leaving high school if that's what she wanted. I don't know enough to make a judgment on that choice, but I think it is important to understand the choices she probably actually had.
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Oldfandepot2
Joined: 05 Jul 2013
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Oldfandepot2
Joined: 05 Jul 2013
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| Posted: 04/09/14 6:50 pm ::: |
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| ClayK wrote: |
You know, I've coached in high school for many decades, and I certainly didn't do it for the money, and I don't now.
Very few club coaches in basketball make a lot of money, and whether a kid like Ekmark plays for your team or not is no big deal. And of course, high school coaching salaries are in the $2,000 range in most areas.
So money had nothing to do with it ...
Courtney Ekmark is a good kid, as far as I know and I've always gotten along with Curtis -- who even lent me some basketballs one year when we came to the TOC.
But if you play for your high school for three years and your team is really good, and then a bunch of good playebrs graduate and you're left to play with your classmates -- who have been in the program, either sitting on the bench on the varsity or playing on JVs, and cheering you while you play -- I think there's an obligation there.
I think the obligations are
1) To your school, which pays for a basketball team that doesn't make any money, and allowed you to play on a national stage for three years;
2) To the athletic department at the school, which supported your team and your program, and put in lots of hours to get officials, arrange practice time, etc.;
3) To your classmates, who supported you when you were winning; and
4) To your wider school community, which followed your team when you were good and wrote about you in the newspaper and told you how great you were.
For me, to decide that it doesn't make sense to play as a senior just isn't right. OK, you have one class -- take that class in the first semester and play until you graduate (though I'm guessing you can finish the season even if you do graduate). Yes, your team won't be as good as the elite teams you've always played for, but what about the girls you'd be playing with? What happens to them now that the only star decides to leave them hanging?
I'm sure a case can be made that Courtney shouldn't have played -- the risk of injury, etc. -- but I don't like it at all. There is such a thing as loyalty, and to me, this is just a slap in the face to the school and her classmates.
One other player I know of did this: Erika Arriaran, who went on to play at Texas. She was good but never quite lived up to expectations. I don't want to make that connection, because Ekmark could star at UConn, and truly, I hope she does.
But I still think she should have played high school basketball her senior year. |
Clay, you missed the point, she graduated. She was one class short of graduating so that means she would have only had to take one class the entire year. She was taking AP level courses as a junior which in some cases count toward's her college degree.
As far as injury, still plays basketball or was with her brother's team. There was even consideration that she might have metriculated to UCONN this year rather then next as she was academically eligible.
She did the primary thing that student's are supposed to do, she satisfied her academic requirements. There was no need academically to stay the entire year or for that matter, her last year. She graduated with her friends.
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We must listen to each other no matter how much it hurts. Bishop Desmond Tutu.
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cthskzfn
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Rock Hard
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cthskzfn
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Rock Hard
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| Posted: 04/21/14 3:15 pm ::: |
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| By all means you can continue to watch the UCONN invitational. I just will not be there.
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