MN Daily: Gophers Go Global on Foreign Tour



Especially at this time of year, the walking boots are more of an off-the-court relief and precaution for sore ankles. Especially posts, who take a lot of contact down low and are jumping for rebounds, landing on their or other peoples ankles…. Their ligaments and tendons get stretched and become very sore, so the boot gives them relief while they’re walking around on these foreign tours.
 




Nicknaming players we have not met and whose names we don't know is real dumb. Grocholski, apparently?
 

Nicknaming players we have not met and whose names we don't know is real dumb. Grocholski, apparently?

Do you mean "G-money"? That's Grocholski's nickname from high school. Her dad used it a couple times before and now in the Tweet.

Rachel Banham also called her "GG."

More to be revealed.

Especially if it's BOOM! SWISH - all net - 3 pts from the wing!
 


Looking at the video clips it appears:

Czinano played at power forward when Heyer came out. Czinano appears to drive to the basket for scores and fouls, and she plays an overall solid game except not perimeter shooting. Heyer is a PF perimeter shooter.

Kennedy Klick at point guard looked pretty good for a newbie at a complicated position, she came in when Battle is out. Klick is technically a combo guard and yet seems fine at point guard.

Sanders looks like she played shooting guard when Braun was out -- hard to know from thr little video available. I didn't see much video except the lay up.

I am going to guess that Grocholski will get substantial minutes at wing this season right away as a freshman.

Not certain but it appears Madol was at wing when Grocholski was out, and she made defensive plays.

No idea who played most when center Hart was out.
 
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Old news... but the modern game of perimeter shooting changes dynamics and superior if you have the players to do it.

Wing Grocholski as a reliable 3 shooter would add much to the team, especially if she can defend forwards and guards as they say she did in high school.

Heyer is a perimeter shooting power forward too, that's huge.

It creates space to attack.

I'd like to see Braun make more plays inside in space. Think of Van Lith's cut back to the left money move. Last season either there didn't seem to be openings inside for Braun or the drive just wasn't her paycheck. She is so good at the perimeter.

Maybe this new offense that emphasizes perimeter shooting and movement helps.

And defense. Biggest opportunity fir the team is better defense. Allegedly Coach P is a good defense coach. Every play, everyone executes strong defense.

We will see.
 


. . . I'd like to see Braun make more plays inside in space. Think of Van Lith's cut back to the left money move. Last season either there didn't seem to be openings inside for Braun or the drive just wasn't her paycheck. She is so good at the perimeter. . . .
Spot on. Braun was very good from 3 last year, but horrendous from 2. Upping her 2–point efficiency would really help. She was also great at the FT line.
 




From what you guys are saying Braun has improved because in 3 on 3 she drives and cuts often.
Or the Gopher offense didn't encourage it last year?
 

From what you guys are saying Braun has improved because in 3 on 3 she drives and cuts often.
Or the Gopher offense didn't encourage it last year?

After a few games into last season, teams schemed to shut her down. Shut down Braun and win. I remember being at a game and watching her move around trying to shake players glued to her. At the Iowa game in Iowa she came out of the game in the late 4th because it was hopeless and Iowa was comfortably ahead. So part of it was the focused competition she was facing in the Big Ten as a freshman.

I also wouldn't say she played with "glide" feet. Few players can do that. Braun is not a short point guard hopping around. That wasn't Braun's style. She's a good size shooting guard.

But if you could get a player glued to you moving in one direction before stopping and cutting back, creating an open look... I mentioned the HVL cut back left money move as an example.

All I was saying was that Braun is great but I'd like to see her movement in space for 2's a bit better -- and maybe a perimeter offense helping to create looks and moving the ball around will help too.

Braun did make nice moves in the 3 on 3 games. Great work! Thanks for pointing that out. Not sure how well that can be replicated against 5 on 5 in the Big Ten.

No complaints about Braun, to be clear. She's a dynamite player who can take over games. As BigTenGuy pointed out, Braun was strong except the 2-point stats don't lie.

Update: We will see what happens under Coach's P's watch.
 
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I agree the other teams were concentrating on stopping Braun but she also had a problem with an ankle that affected her quickness. Hopefully it’s good now.
 



Has Nia Holloway been playing at all, or is she not ready yet?
I didn't see her in any of the game clips. There are clips of most every player doing something nice. Could have easily missed her...some numbers are random and the numbers on the front are two inches big on the shoulder.
New girls, Ajok and Grace made some excellent plays. Senden very smoothly drained a three off a dribble setup for herself.
We have some talented people.
 


After a few games into last season, teams schemed to shut her down. Shut down Braun and win. I remember being at a game and watching her move around trying to shake players glued to her. At the Iowa game in Iowa she came out of the game in the late 4th because it was hopeless and Iowa was comfortably ahead. So part of it was the focused competition she was facing in the Big Ten as a freshman.

I also wouldn't say she played with "glide" feet. Few players can do that. Braun is not a short point guard hopping around. That wasn't Braun's style. She's a good size shooting guard.

But if you could get a player glued to you moving in one direction before stopping and cutting back, creating an open look... I mentioned the HVL cut back left money move as an example.

All I was saying was that Braun is great but I'd like to see her movement in space for 2's a bit better -- and maybe a perimeter offense helping to create looks and moving the ball around will help too.

Braun did make nice moves in the 3 on 3 games. Great work! Thanks for pointing that out. Not sure how well that can be replicated against 5 on 5 in the Big Ten.

No complaints about Braun, to be clear. She's a dynamite player who can take over games. As BigTenGuy pointed out, Braun was strong except the 2-point stats don't lie.

Update: We will see what happens under Coach's P's watch.
I like what I read about Coach P. She is a solid coach who will emphasize team ball and defense.
 


Sor
Nicknaming players we have not met and whose names we don't know is real dumb. Grocholski, apparently?

Nicknaming players we have not met and whose names we don't know is real dumb. Grocholski, apparently?
Sorry that I'm about 2 weeks late to this particular offshoot to the thread. Maybe I'm different than everybody else, but I feel weird calling somebody by their nickname when I don't know them personally. Even if they might be my favorite player from my favorite team, it feels a little presumptuous. I feel that's something reserved for their friends and family.

In fact, I sometimes hesitate to call people I've interacted with several times by their nickname if I don't feel like I'm in their close circle. Again, maybe that's a little weird. I tend to avoid nicknames unless they're a very close, personal friend or they have personally insisted that I call them by their nickname.. Which honestly is another little weird thing to me, but---another conversation.
 




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