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And she struggled when Katie was closely, and I mean closely, guarding her.
Fundamentals. Like turnovers, free throw shooting, blocking out, getting back on defense, making open layups are on the coaches. Coaches can emphasize, teach and practice fundamentals. Good teams have these as part of their culture and it starts with the coach. You can't build to something elite if these aren't there first. And I've yet to see them on any of the teams in the last 5 years.
I’ll respectfully disagree. I learned my fundamentals early in my basketball career and carried them every place I played, whether in college or a pickup game on the street corner. Turning the ball over like they do is on the player, coach can bitch, teach all they want but that should have been learned at a young age.
I'll respectfully disagree with your respectful disagreement. If a kid comes to your program with great natural ability, but poor fundamentals - you can coach fundamentals, by making them practice them. Like really practicing them. Like not leaving the gym until you make 50 layups in row. You can't coach special talent. My take isn't unique. I'm more or less paraphrasing what's been said by Bobby Knight, Coach K, Gene Keady, Auriemma, Freese, etc.,
Then I would say they have had poor coaching their whole career. Those ideals are some of the first I learned. If you can’t make a layup or a free throw then I would say you really aren’t that talented. Those are easily teachable at young ages. College coaches shouldn’t have to be working on that stuff.
LBK! I thought she brought leadership and maturity to the Gophers. She didn't have the size, quickness, and talent of some of the other players. But, she got the most out of her talent and physicality unlike some of her other teammates. I thought the team was better and more under control when she played. Miss her.
High school? AAU?
I was at the game but missed the introductions due to parking issues(Entry line was 30 minutes long probably due to cold). I didn't really notice any really, or a ton of boo's just one loud guy "Sarcastically or not" Yelling go Sarah" after a made drive basket and foul. The game atmosphere wasn't as big a morgue as the Michigan game, but it was pretty quiet for a Gopher home crowd.
Despite her faults, which I attribute more to aggressiveness and inexperience in terms of knowing what you can get away with at this level, the one thing that I love about Katie B is her on-ball defense. She gets into people, she does a great job of getting over/around screens and is generally in her opponents' shirt. She is the one player who is probably best at making the other guard really work, just to get to a point where they can start their offense.
Short guards are a defensive liability to a team. Smart coaches send their taller guards to the blocks on offensive sets and they score at will on the shorter guard defender. On-ball defense does not matter when it's catch, shoot, and score at will in the post. Indiana missed several layups (Berger) and still won easily.
Agree 100% with JD.. I would hesitate to recruit that kind of a player at a power 5 unless they elite in HS, they just dont put fear into the opposing team. there are always exceptions to the rule, you could put Whalen in that 'exception'.