Who is to Blame for Amari DeBerry's lack of development? Coach, Player or is Audi Crooks the answer
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
- When Amari DeBerry came to UConn she was heralded recruit and would be the big that would help Paige Bueckers get a championship. However it did not happen. We take a deep dive on why it did not happen and suspect Audi Crooks holds the answer.
She is a D2 player in a D1 frame. It is what it is. She just looks lost out on the court and the game is moving much faster around her. I’m glad she’s getting a great education (which is most important). UCONN isn’t for everyone. Geno expects greatness and consistency. Only the strong will survive (and flourish) there. As far as Ice.. she really is just a freshman coming off a major injury. Give her more time.
If DeBerry was never a D1 player, Geno should have been able to see that while recruiting her. It's his fault if he couldn't see she wasn't capable of being developed and he recruited her anyway. Excuses for Geno incoming.
Yep. He got it wrong. It happens. He probably thought they could have developed her.
Part of the issue is UCONN is no longer get one of the top 5 post players, if not No. 1, in each class. Same for Tennessee. Talent evaluation is much tougher in the No. 6-25 post player.
Hindsight being 20-20, I don't think UCONN would have recruited Amari again if given the chance. Recruiting is mostly a staff issue.. sometimes you like a kid so much you want to give her the benefit of the doubt. Amari has had her opportunities in practice and in games but unfortunately she has not found her place on the court. UCONN has few big options and are running a 4 guard lineup instead, with Aubrey and Paige are playing the 4. Ice is a freshman.. not going to worry about her till next season.
@@raevans65Deberry was no. 5
I found this to be a pretty good analysis of Amari. Amari played Class A in high school which means the talent level was lesser than bigger Classes 2A, 3A, 4A etc. so often times than not, Amari was the biggest player on the court. It was easy for her. Just watch her HS clips in this video. She simply has not adjusted to the physicality and effort needed to play Div 1 basketball. You can place part of this blame on Geno and staff because they should have saw this when she was in high school. Could Amari contribute significantly now after 3 years of college? It’s totally up to her at this point. She seems content in her current position which is not helpful for the Huskies. UConn needs Sarah Strong to commit badly. Sarah is the type of big they have not been able to sign in years. With Strong, El Jafy, Brady, Patterson and possibly Edwards again in 24’, there front line will be national title level. Even without Edwards, they would be very good up front.
Actually, Class A in NY State was the second highest class before going to 6 classes(AAA, AA, A, B, C, D).
@@ckh937610 But still less in competition level. The higher the class, the better the competition.
Great job as usual. Deberry is a sweet person. Deberry is over her head with the Uconn program. She is NOT motivated to be better. She is in control of her OWN destiny. People need to realize not everyone wants to be great, but some just want to participate to say they did something. We need to use the transfer portal for a “true” big! Ice, Ayanna and Aaliyah are forwards! Yana is a “big” but out for the season. UCLA, South Carolina, NC State and LSU have “BIGS”! This team is in trouble unless they can out score these teams with BIGS. I haven’t seen any decent boxing out on this team in 3-5 years! Many lack fundamental awareness. Why do you see Paige ALL over the court! She has it! But she ain’t the team! I am all for her taking charge and yelling at her teammates to get on point! Go Huskies!
Steph Dolson, as GA said from the start he picked her because of her pure hustle. The package doesn't always reveal the content. There is no blame just a pick that didn't pan out!!
Amari came through the same coaching system at UConn as another "Miss New York Basketball", Stewie. That said, DeBerry was not very athletic based on her HS and college films. She doesn't move well when challenged. And then there is her attitude.
This is all on Amari, she never practiced like Geno wants. Think back to Molly Bent and Kyla Irwin who were walkons and became big contributers by their Senior years.
1.6 pts, 0.8ast, 0.9 rbs per game is considered a "big contributor"?
The recruitment of Amari DeBerry was a mistake. She just doesn't wanna do what the team requires of her to be to truly able to help them. I just wish she would transfer out already. I know she is a nice and intelligent person but I wish she wasn't at UCONN as a basketball player. I know she could do what Geno wants her to do consistently if she truly wanted it. Look Nelson-Oda as a FR had a similar attitude to physicality as DeBerry still does too but after she got whipped as a FR vs Oregon at UCONN she took her performance at as an insult. From there on wards you could see her attitude changing until Geno was speaking glowingly abt her play in the paint on a regular basis. I'm surprised that Ice Brady seems to have a similar problem with physicality in the paint. I'm hoping UFCONN is able to recruit a productive BIG from the portal for the class of 2024/25
If Geno wants a 5 he needs to stop recruiting tall 3's!!
I agree. You never know how a player will transition from high school to D1 College ball. Geno’s program WIlL get better now that they have their own strength & conditioning coach. Amari is one of those players who had a lot of potential but never (or has yet to) realize it. Sports is filled with these kinds of people. If one looks at ESPN’s Top 100 High School Boys and Girls lists from the past 10 years, and then look at how many of them had great college career, and how many played Pro ball and had great Pro careers, it’s not that many. With one scholarship slot opened, many of us wanted Geno to bring in another proven Big from the transfer portal, then when Jana suffered a season-ending injury the screams to bring in another big got louder. However, they either did not care to bring anyone in or they were unsuccessful in their pursuits. Since Amari had surgery to repair a herniated disk in her back in the off season, I’m sure that limited her strength & conditioning in the offseason, and we’re seeing the results of it by how she’s played so far this season. I’d love to see her work with the coaches in the weight room and get some one-on-one instructional coaching so that maybe she could start playing well enough to earn some minutes this spring.
The last part of that video. Crooks seems to be the better choice but I do not believe that we have seen the ICE Brady that we will come to see & love in the future. Again, she missed a lot of weight training because of the knee surgery, but she’s got that Morgan Tuck kind of body and when she gets to properly weight train and get as strong as Aaliyah, watch out! Meanwhile, GENO PLEASE FIND AN ELITE BIG IN THE TRANSFER PORTAL TO BRING IN FOR NEXT YEAR!
Lmao , my college teammate sucked at practice but lead in every statistical category for 4 years . Our coach was smart enough to realize all players don’t practice well . Of course that was 30 years ago.😂😂😂
He wasn't being serious. He didn't want to completely throw her under the bus. What he actually wanted to say was, you suck at practice, you think you're going to play?
Yeah, the world was different 30 years ago. But in 1994, UCONN was a year away from winning his first championship and he coached just as tough then, probably tougher.
I’m sure you didn’t play for UConn or Tennessee, or Rutgers, Stanford or LSU. Or any other team that got into the Final Floor. You can’t learn to play TEAM BBALL if you don’t practice. You certainly can’t learn to play defense on your own. And you can’t win a tournament then or now without defense, or team players.
@@bettyspivack8067 Did you play for any of those teams ? If you didn’t does that mean you don’t know shi……? Not only did I play on the collegiate level but coached over 30 years .
@@bernardriggs2079 Coach Riggs, I can’t find your name in an online search. Blame Google.
I’ve been a bball fanatic since the late-60’s starting with the NY Knicks. I’ve been an avid women’s college basketball fan since about 1991 and think that it’s a shame that so many young men jump to the pros before they’ve really learned to play a team game. They get stranded for years in G or D leagues while they struggle to learn what they could have learned in college.
The teams I’ve admired the most over the decades have been those that played team offense and team defense and that’s what’s exciting about the NBA now, the WNBA now, and the WNCAA over the NCAA as a whole. But this year, both the NCAA final and WNCAA final showed that a team beats a one person game, no matter how good or great that person is. And teamwork takes practice.
IPlayed as a kid but blew out my knee in ‘69 before there was anyone doing surgery on knees.
The he team is coming along and creeping up in the ranks, their defense is fueling the offense and Geno is playing a lot of players which is really good.
I would like to see them run a little more as they have the speed especially with the fast guards and Griffin. Also they should box out a little more, which is an art only a few have mastered. The defense is strong though and their drawing offensive fouls and blocking shots!❤
I love UConn! However, we also have to consider something you were saying only between the lines -- the coaching staff has rarely (not never) signed good, physical centers who stay healthy in recent years. (If I have that wrong, please let me know). If you need that kind of player and if you have an admirable and successful philosophy of letting players be who they are, then that is what you need to do. Looking at it this way, Amari (who I love as a person) didn't have much of a chance at UConn.
I think it’s a recruiting issue and style of play. UConn’s offense is more suited for quick guards. Not too many bigs can go play defense and run to the other side to go post a layup. You can say Dorka, Ice, and Jana are bigs with injuries but that wasn’t UConn’s fault. To be honest though, UConn hasn’t recruited a pure center since Tina Charles, but the game has advanced. You need a big that can post and shoot the three.
@@lisarhyner5437 They don't need a big who can shoot the 3. They need a big who can post, bang and shoot period. It doesn't have to be the 3 ball. 15-20 feet is fine. But just be able to shoot period. Tina Charles became a beast at that. Stewie, now she was a total different monster.
@@jimmiesmith5590 then Uconn shouldn;t be going after Strong...she does not want to play the post!!
@chasnami Dude, what in the world are you yapping? Huh!!! This isn't worth responding to. 🤦♂️
Strong can play any position she desires.
excellent video. Sometimes I have been tough on you, but this time I totally agree. We are all too prone to rate a player's potential by their height. Amari has a nice soft shot, she is brilliant as a student, she is tall, and might be the most likable kid on the team. However, for her own reasons we may never know, she isn't the player we all thought she would be. She will go far in life outside of basketball.
In response to Geno's comment, Puffenburger is not doing bad at Arkansas. I didn't see any physicality with DeBerry in her HS clips. So, its partly Geno's fault for recruiting her with those expectations. She is incapable of play at the Division I level.
Puffienburger id doing okay on Arkansas because she plays more minutes. She is still not a great shooter. Her parents are the ones who made her leave as well. And Geno is RIGHT. Arkansas isn’t even in the top 25 schools right now! Nuff said!
@@JH-eg7mqshe’s literally 2nd in the country in rebounding. I think she’s doing better than ok
You’re Correct on Deberry. Id like to wait until this time next year to evaluate crooks vs. ice. Right now it’s crooks but could be Brady in a years time.
I too have been complaining that Ice has shown many of the same weaknesses as DeBerry. Those are a lack of basketball instincts, poor use of her body at both ends of the court, poor offensive and defensive footwork, the tendency to rush her shots inside resulting in missed layups, and a lack of speed. Ice however is a better passer than DeBerry, and has a better outside shot. Ice's body language after a missed shot though continues to be alarming. The bigger "however" is that Brady is coming off of knee surgery. She wasn't wearing a knee sock against Louisville, but she wore one against Butler and Toronto. IMO this says she's still having some issues. This doesn't however explain Ice's continuing to post up inside, then turning over the wrong shoulder every time to box out for the rebound. At this time the college game appears too fast for her. As for DeBerry, the day she walks on the court, sprints under the basket, reads the ball off the rim correctly, positions herself well for the rebound, and knocks everyone on their ass to get the ball, she'll earn a little respect.
first off Brady is so far ahead of DeBerry its not funny. yeah she is not quite there yet but one thing your forgetting SHE HAS ONLY PLAYED A THIRD OF A SEASON!!!!! DeBerry is a lost cause she does not get great rebounding position at all I really dont know what game your watching when she is in. You're right she definitely comes in and bangs unfortunately she gets called for a foul for it. She has no hands whatsoever and is a turnover machine. let's give Brady 25 games. She is starting to hit from the outside which should open up the inside a little more for her. but I reserve the comparison from a player who has played 3 years to a player who barely is in her 12th game.
@@user-ob5ek6jj5z I thought I was very specific in my observations. I clearly and specifically said in my second post that DeBerry "... reads the ball poorly off the rim. When a shot goes up she doesn't position herself well or attack the rim for the rebound. Frequently when the shot goes up she's still looking at her mark and not going after the rebound, leaving her out of position". About Ice I pointed out that she's "continuing to post up inside, then turning over the wrong shoulder every time to box out for the rebound". If you bothered to watch the games as closely as I have you'd note these issues as well.
As a contributor on The Boneyard I repeatedly noted that Edwards in her freshman year had better footwork than Liv, and when DeBerry showed I immediately criticized her lack of hustle, her inability to box out, her poor basketball IQ, her footwork, and her poor decision making on court. I didn't need to have a large sample size to see it. Unlike you I've also watched Ice's performance in the FIBA U18 Americas Championship. Have you watched even a minute of it? The truth is it's easy to compare players' performances against each other if you watch their nuances and tendencies closely, even if the sample size is small. If you had read carefully you'd also have noted that I said of Ice, "...Brady is coming off of knee surgery. She wasn't wearing a knee sock against Louisville, but she wore one against Butler and Toronto. IMO this says she's still having some issues". Again, this doesn't explain her repeatedly turning over the wrong shoulder when rebounding, but it may explain some problems she's having inside such as jumping for rebounds. I also didn't harp on the fact that Ice has missed more around the basket than she's missed shots from the outside, and that she frequently has a problem covering her mark on switches and when she flares out for a shot. Watch more BB and get back to me.
I know you wrote this 3 months ago.
Remember that Ice was coming back from a brutal displacement of her patella. It took her a while to get up to speed, to feel secure on the court.
But , Ice came through in the 2 last games of the Big East Tournament after Aliyah got her nose broken. And she played tough minutes with Aliyah on the bench in both the Elite 8 and Semi-Final game that got us as close as 70-69 until Aliyah got called with a lousy call, that affected the final outcome.
I think she’ll be up front along with Ayla El-Alfi Sarah Strong, splitting minutes, with Patterson when she’s really recovered, and later with Aubrey mid or late season. No one’s gonna play more than 20-25 minutes, a winning strategy if you have the players. It worked for the UCONN men and it worked for Staley at SC.
She lacks intensity- that's not really something that can be taught
I would have to agree. I watched her play in person a week ago for Aaliyah’s homecoming matchup in Toronto and thought the same. She is not the fastest or most athletic person on the floor and that’s OK, but unfortunately there is no other part of her game that makes up for that. At 6’6, she does not have a strong floor presence and plays like someone who is undersized and outmatched. Perhaps she has accepted her “role” at this point and is just happy to be part of that team environment. She seems like a bright kid and I wish her all the best in life.
Interesting take. However, to use Geno's statement that a player of his never moved on to be big elsewhere, I think we can say that has been proven wrong by Saylor Poffenbarger.
Except that's not what Geno said. He said at a top 10 or top 20 school, and Arkansas is not that. That said, I'm glad to see Saylor doing well.
@@methodicalmike738 I did overlook that I must admit. Yes, nice to see Saylor doing well.
No- Andrea Espinoza-Hunter transferred to Seton Hall and became All-Big East FIRST TEAM in 202-2021 and All Big East SECOND TEAM in 2021-2022.
@@bbwng54 Yes.. I'm surprised she didn't make it to the W. She had GAME!
Player.. Amari has openly said that that she virtually had no matchup for her in HS but when she got to college where a lot of the elite players played; she found herself not being able to compete with most players of the same height, physically, and/or athletic. The HS needed to do more..
if we see the recent development of bigs, we’ll know that this isn’t a coaching or geno issue, Aaliyah and dorka have flourished the past two seasons, they were given the opportunity and did not disappoint, and ice looks better and better everyday, she’s still a freshmen who just came from a season ending injury, but she contributes more than what amari did her three years at uconn, I’m still rooting for amari, this is a two sided fight, if you were given the opportunity, you go and do it. I hope she finds her groove, maybe we’ll see how well she can do if Aaliyah graduates. She’s a kind hearted person who can make uconn a bigger threat. imagine how well it will be with jana after she plays!
I am not going to shoot a huge hole in your theory. But I am going to challenge Dorka’s inclusion. Dorka was 100% developed at Ohio State.
And she surprised some in the wnba because she looked better there than she did at UConn.
@@TheDisruptiveOne she was, but she looked better at uconn than she was at Ohio state, specially last season, this comes with the development of uconn, why do you think geno took her in? Because she was a great player at Ohio state, you could say for right now, her game translated well to the w. Remember, it’s a different game if you looked at it, and much more tougher. Lots of of season work. But yeah, your comment is true except dorka looked way better at uconn than she did Ohio state.
@@TheDisruptiveOne I agree with your point about Dorka. being developed at Ohio State (but probabyy not 100%). She's averaging 6 PPG at Minnesota with a decent FG%, which is decent for a rookie. My opinion is that Dorka did very well against average/inferior teams, but against the best team oin the country she did not fare well, and was very inconsistent in the NCAA tournaments.
@@violetforpb i don't believe Geno developed her much. I think he asked her to fit in instead of trying to build things around her.
I agree that she was not really a big game player at uconn. mostly played a lot better against overmatched big east competition.
But what do I see when I see her in the wnba? A player that looks way better. A player that should have been drafted way higher. I think it is because she is getting better coaching in the pros.
@@TheDisruptiveOne she definitely should’ve been drafted higher that’s correct, but uconn doesn’t play like other teams, geno says it himself, their way of coaching and developing players is different, biggest example is amari, you can’t go into a program and completely blend in as perfectly as dorka did without the help and coaching you get at uconn, I don’t think dorka would’ve had the season she did if she was still at Ohio state, I could be wrong but not everyone is fit for playing at uconn, and she did it perfectly, you can’t coach yourself into the uconn game, it’s a effort from everyone. She legitimately looked better her second year at uconn than she did her first, hold the ball better, better passer, better rebounder, better defender, etc.. Dorka’s game translated better to the w, because the w is different than the college game. She is meant for the w. And I’m so happy for her, Ohio state should’ve definitely gotten credit as well.
Perhaps the best description of DeBerry’s career at UConn thus far can be summed up in a quote about Russia by Winston Church: “…a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.”
Also regarding Geno’s bitter quote about how those who transfer from his program don’t make it, well Ms. Puffenbarger begs to differ as she is averaging a double double as a starter for Arkansas. He wishes he has her rebounding presence on his current team. Also see Mir McLean who before her injury was starting and performing well for Virginia.
Saylor had her own reasons to transfer. I think the program was too strict for her. As for Mir, would you rather have her or Aubry? They both came in the same time playing the same position. I'll take Griffin!
The issue here is that Geno said in his statement that players don’t succeed once they transfer his program. I gave two instances of him being unequivocally wrong as why would he even say such a stupid needless, insecure thing - just leave it alone and move on.
The bottom line, it's has been up to Amari to prove herself. Because of her height, I think she's been pushed into playing a sport she really does not even like.
maybe. seen that in bigs before.
John Wooden once said about players having “potential” means that they haven’t done anything yet. 😂 Bigs seem to me harder to evaluate because at the high school level they can just use their height and size to pad statistics but I don’t see a whole lot of aggressiveness from her. Seems to me her basic personality is pretty mellow.
Geno MUST get a big from the portal for next year.
If Aaliyah leaves, they 100% have to get a serviceable big out of the portal. If there is some that averages 10 and grabs 8 rebounds and doesn’t make a lot of mistakes at a p5 school. That is what they need.
Superstar big would be even better.
They definitely need someone though.
AGREED! They'll be in big trouble if they don't.
HVL is available. Just kidding!
I always said if you truly want to measure a player, measure them in accordance to the talented players they're going up against. Watch how they perform on a regular basic against better competition prior to recruiting them.
It's all mental. And Amari DeBerry said it all herself. She's not comfortable playing against players her size and as big as her. What she means by 'big' is 'tough'. Okay, she spoke the truth so what does someone in that situation do about that? Take steps to change that. Not only for her but for her teammates who want her to contribute as a competent player. Has she done that? No evidence of that anywhere. Ironically, she is always seen cheering and smiling 'on the bench'. She seems content with her role, a role determined by what she can't do. It looks like she has resigned herself to believe she will never be a good player at this level but because of a scholarship involved she has to remain on the team if only for that reason. EVERYONE has given up on her but UCONN is stuck. What is so striking about all of this is how does Amari DeBerry think she can survive in the world away from basketball without a competitive personality, a trait required to meet the demands put upon someone who wishes to succeed in whatever they do. How will she react to something which is 'new' to her? Will she dismiss it as "I just don't know' or, will she do the work to find out the answers? Assuming (ugh!) that she would research and find the answers then why doesn't she apply herself on the court to do the same thing? Have you ever noticed how she 'floats' on the court? She's not looking for answers. She's not competing. She's just wasting time! Is it too late for her? It definitely seems that way, doesn't it. BUT, NOW THAT THE WORLD KNOWS ABOUT HER SHORTCOMINGS PERHAPS THAT WILL BE HER INCENTIVE TO BE WHAT SHE CAN BE, A COMPETITIVE HUMAN BEING WHERE COMPETITIVENESS IS AN ABSOLUTE REQUIREMENT. How about experiencing a moment when she returns to the bench after providing some spark and meaningful minutes on the court when every coach and teammate acknowledges her efforts in a most profound way, telling her by the look on their faces, "Great job!"
Nice take. It could be she is just young emotionally. EQ comes at a different rate for each person. After she leaves school and moves on, one day it will click and she will ask herself; "what was I thinking?" An enigma for sure. I keep waiting for her to come alive; I keep hoping for her.
"What was I thinking?" really? You think she'll regret? I think she knows her own mind. Women's pro BB is no guarantee whatsoever, especially with comparatively low salaries. She'll be fine.
Love the coverage of Pilli and Crooks.
My daughter is of similar stature and strength, she loves watching the girls mix it up in the paint.
Thanks they are my favourites to - not looking good for Pili Vs Colorado
I’m not sure why she’s still on the team. If she’s not gonna play now, when? I’m sympathetic to the “just put her in and make her step up” argument but apparently she’s not up to it. I mean, UCONN is tiny. Ice is finding her way. Again, if not now, when? Apparently never. Not sure about UCONN’s approach to the transfer portal. Can’t get a serviceable big?
Dorka worked out pretty well, as I recall. and they will have Jana El alfy next season.
The tough part with Crooks is her ability to stay on the court. Many people look at scoring and think "hey look what she's doing" While I agree she's a very good scorer, when she has to come off the floor due to fatigue that leaves a void for the opposition to exploit. Best thing for Crooks would be to work on her stamina; if she could average 30+ mpg then she'd really be effective.
I say take away her scholarship if she doesn't want to practice. She will probably hit the transfer portal but I doubt she get too many takers.
Instead of ice Brady worrying about elbow jumpers she should be putting that effort to the square on the glass in the paint dominate that first she could use her elbow shot at the free throw line until she gets a rhythm and do all those things
In a number of interviews, I've heard Geno express his philosophy on a players development and expectation for their role. And I agree with him... When a player steps on the floor at the college level he/she should carve out the role that best fits their strength and permit them to contribute their maximum to the success of the team... Clearly, at 6'5", Amari's efforts should be concentrating of becoming a proficient rebounder (minimum 10 per game) and rim protector with minimum fouls. This has not happened... Question is, does she have the will to put in the effort to help her team??? Look at Aliyah Edwards. As a freshman, she was a raw talent who showed flashes of brilliance, but made countless errors. Fast forward to today, and she's a seasoned senior, and will be a very high draft pick for the WNBA. She put in the work to help her team be successful. Can Amari become as good a player as Aliyah? I serious doubt it... Just don't see the commitment from her...
Spot on analysis. It's easier for fans and viewers to blame the coaching staff instead of the players but, most of the time, it's not rational or fair.
great kid, just too slow for the upper levels of WCBB. Had an example just yesterday, she caught a pass at the top of the paint, tried to put the ball on the floor and was immediately stripped. Looked like she was dribbling in slow motion. Can’t coach size as they say, also can’t coach speed. Either have it or don’t and she don’t.
PLAYER - ! you got to want to get better ... Coach cant make Talent , only Skills . Mindset of improving each practice . She has been injured though . Recruiting Gym Rats that want to build their skills and compete each day . Prove Coach wrong . In Practice and even in clean up time .
My complaint with Geno is that "a good mechanic doesn't complain about his tools". You take care of and sharpen what's in your box and use it to get the job done. Particularly last year Amari could have helped more. Look at the game they got out of Ines against Maryland last year, less talented players can still contribute.
My complaint is when folks think they know his players/program better than Geno. Why would an 11x champion not play someone who he thought could help him?
Exactly.
@@anthonyyusef5897 then the 11x champion should recognize when a player fits his system, speed and style of play and when she doesn't. He took her off the board based on potential, then have the ability to develop potential into skilled ability or leave her on the board. Every successful big that went to UCONN was dominant when she got to UCONN not because Geno did anything special. Stewie was Stewie before setting foot on UCONN, Tina was Tina before setting foot on UCONN, Z came from Duke into the program, Dorka came from another strong program before coming to UCONN, Liv was quite good but nowhere near where she needed to be but she worked hard and played hard. Aaliyah is not, Ice is not and Patterson is not a big; they are power forwards. Geno has street credit so of course discredit the kid for being authentic and give Geno a pass for throwing her to the wolves every chance he gets. Tell me please what other well known and successful coach throws his players to the wolves as much as Geno? If he hadn't said what he said negatively and only spoke positively and Uplifting sentiments on her growth or what have you; you guys would right there woo woo wooing with him but because he was negative and pass the buck immediately then y'all immediately attack. He's getting paid millions for a reason.
@@emmra2218I completely agree. He gets the pass because of the championships but like you said if he was being positive everyone else would. Amari has been thrown to the wolves & it breaks my heart seeing the fan base turn their backs on her when she’s hasn’t gotten but a couple of minutes to prove herself
@negukay9385 right. I'm at a point where I haven't carved out time like i previously did to watch UCONN basketball. I know they're good enough to run through the Big East, but when they run up against talent and depth; they're outmatched as proven by the game today. Just imagine had they put energy into Amari....I mean this young lady was a McDonald's All American. I just couldn't understand not having / using foresight to understand that you're gonna have to run the gauntlet, and you're very undersized. Thank goodness Camilla was out, or it would've probably been worse. If Jana doesn't come out of the gate swinging for the fences, she will suffer the same fate. As much as the fan base wants to ride Ice and Ayanna to the title games, it's not going to happen. They're not big enough or skilled enough, and Dawn is going after Sarah Strong as well and UCONN's future hopes now rests in the recruiting of someone with possible potential that can maybe be translated to top D1 skill in Gandy Malou-Mamel. So, no bigs at all in the US are checking for UCONN? Something is very wrong in the recruiting of bigs. You would think that they understand that these young ladies know each other and if you are treating my girl like that, why would I want to come there.
Good job…and kind considering what could have been said.
It's unimportant. Geno is on record saying he does not get excited when players under or over perform.
Three years ago Geno asked her whethr she was a basketball player or a girl plays basketball.
The point is that she chose to leave.
The transition from a small high school to a powerhouse d1 school such as UConn is tremendous. She was probably the biggest and best player on the court during her last two years of HS and her effort only needed to be minimal. Not at UConn. Ur teammates are now all much better than you. So I blame the player for the most part. UConn ain't for the weak. Not all players survive there. A lot of them transfer out. Saylor poffenbarger mom said she transferred bc there wasn't much to do in stores. Now she's thriving at AR. Geno can only carry 14 players. 14 strong and physical players who can play his style.
Deberry's doesn't like physicality, some players can work out of that, Ododa got better over time with it while at UConn. Now she has reached a point where she was sent in the game in the WNBA playoffs to battle Joquel Jones and she was holding her own, with a super physical player. It's easier to make a player control their physicality than instill it. ie...Edwards her freshmen year often would get fouls for being too physical. Edwards also had the benefit of being asked to camp for Canada Senior National team at 17. She got used to playing against people bigger and/or stronger than her and the physicality. Patterson like Edwards, also got some fouls her frosh year for being too physical Unfortunately she's injured this year. Patterson still has a chance to be a real contributor if she gets health next year.
In gneerally, UConn has had injuries, but you get the impression that their roster should be stacked with top recruits...but ---throughout college basketball --- teams actually seem to not have much quality depth past 7-8 players max. You see bench players who never play. So I am surprised at times that Uconn doesn't have 10-12 players who can all play.
UCONN has the belief that a post player, to be effective, has to stretch defenses and be a good passer. It’s why they now struggle against big teams. S Carolina has proven low post players are as valuable as stretch post players. Teaching a player how to CREATE contact instead of avoiding it, would serve them better!
3:51
Even if I agree with you, that's not Amari.
Neither Edward’s or Brady are used as stretch bigs. What are you even talking about? Are you basing this off of Dorka last year?
To the Reddit dolt that thinks the UConn coaching staff "don't no how to develop players" - A more asinine statement would be difficult to imagine. I guess that's why UConn (under Geno and staff) has produced the most WNBA draft picks, made the most NCAA Final Fours, has the highest D-1 coaches winning percentage, won the most National Championships, etc etc. Right, it's because the coaches just don't know how to develop players. Cripes. It is RARE that a big in high school comes in to the college game and stays as dominant. It typically takes a year, or two for a big to develop their game, adjust to where they're playing against others the same size- they come from high-school where facing another big was not a regularity, and the college game is faster, much more physical. This is why players like Stephanie Dolson took over two years to develop before her game was full realized. It always takes longer for bigs as a general rule.
DeBerry's faults are numerous. She reads the ball poorly off the rim. When a shot goes up she doesn't position herself well or attack the rim for the rebound. Frequently when the shot goes up she's still looking at her mark and not going after the rebound, leaving her out of position. She has poor footwork on both ends of the court. She never uses her big and wide body to her advantage. Even with her length and arm span she all too frequently leaves her feet too soon to block the shot, or gets faked out of position. She makes poor passes into the interior. She rarely if ever puts her head down and sprints down court. She often rushes her layups, even if she has a distinct size advantage, resulting in a missed shot. She has poor pick and roll instincts. She never sets on the block while using her body to push her defender under the basket. I've never seen her knock a defender onto the floor just by using her wide body. She rarely if ever shoots a mid range shot, even though she has a good shot to the arc, and if she does shoot it will be a missed 3 point attempt. She sets poor and untimely screens, and frequently when a shot goes off she's left standing around the foul line. Amari's strengths are that she's a great person, and a terrific teammate. But IMO the reason UConn doesn't have Cardoso right now is because Geno listened to the complaints of the DeBerry family, chose to do the honorable thing, and not offer Cardoso. Even though Geno was the first person Kamilla called after the debacle at Syracuse. Geno left Kamilla hanging on a string for a month after the call and she finally accepted that Geno was going to do what he considered to be the right thing and not offer her a place on the team.
Wow. 😯 Perfect analysis.
Where are you getting this back story on Cardoso?
@@kathleenryan5099 I'll admit part of it is supposition on my part. But the evidence fits. It is however a fact that after she left Syracuse, Geno was the first coach she called. Remember, UConn had just played Syracuse that year in the NCAA's and defeated them. That despite the fine play of Cardoso where Geno saw her skills up close. It's a fact that she waited over a month before she contacted other teams, including Texas.. So it makes sense that Geno had to run this transfer by the parents of the members of his team. Let's remember that before she went to Syracuse, UConn took a hard look at her and recruited her, but gave her a pass because of her academic requirements coming from Brazil. Once she went to Syracuse and showed she could succeed academically that barrier was overcome. Let's also remember that at the time both DeBerry and Cardoso were freshmen, and if Kamilla were to transfer it would directly affect the future of DeBerry, her PT and no other player on UConn. So for me it's what I see as putting two and two together.
I don't have a lot to say about DeBerry except I hope she can find the motivation within herself to get better as for Ice watching this video after her last two games she has played great with Griffin out the freshmen and players who haven't played a lot of minutes like Brady need to step up and that's exactly what shes done all she needs is confidence!!
It what’s Crooks strength of schedule? Ik they played Iowa but many other top 10s? Asking bc I really don’t know but without knowing that I can’t say if Crooks is worth anything w those stats
Fair point. I think Iowa State freshmen have feasted on weak competition.
And averaging 16-17 points against weak competition doesn’t do much for me
This is a good analysis on Amari . She's a big that can pass and shoot she is also a nerd that should one day go to grad school to probably become a doctor or a scientist. In saying this Paige's friend Mya Nagi would have been a perfect fit for UCONN however she decided to take the high road to becoming a doctor to save lives.
From an outsider point of view is Gino is stuck in his ways. UConn getting some of the most best talent in the country didn't have to developed much. So Gino development coaching was never question, because he alway got the best athletic talent available. If anybody think coaching and athletes chemistry don't count, then you are delusional. Everybody knows Gino don't start freshmen unless they are a special talent. Deberry should have left UConn like Betts left Sanford.
DeBerry is no dummy. She is getting her 4 Year Degree at UCONN in Sign Language Studies, all paid for 100% by UCONN and she doesn't care what Geno says or does now. She is 1 year away from Graduating and making her career her lifetime goal, which she will no doubt be extremely successful in. (I don't think anyone thought the Amari DeBerry was WNBA material)
I think you did a nice job with your thoughts and have to agree...Most of the technical comments have been given, so will leave that alone...I do wonder why it appears the Uconn is handing out scholarships to damaged players in hopes they have or will recover and not get re-injured...That seems to have come back to bite them in the south end...Certain players like Paige and El Alfy, you didn't see those coming...But with Ducharme and Fudd, there's a history that goes back to their high school days...With the three freshman doing so well this year and KK and Ashlynn Shade now starting, and Q who never sees a shot she doesn't like, it apparent there's a good base for the future...I won't win many friends with my thoughts and not sure how the current NCAA rules are, but I'd ask for three uniforms at the end of this season and open up those scholarships to players dreaming of playing at Uconn...Those three would be Azzi Fudd, who can not stay on the court and that goes back to high school...Next would be Caroline Ducharme, who's so injury prone it goes back before her high school days...There's something not right physically with her and the D1 game is too much...Last would be DeBerri, who's just not progressed at the D1 level for whatever reason...Give them the education you promised, but open up the scholarships and pick wisely...Might be great people and I realize we're talking college ball, but the game has gotten very serious and these kids can now make money on the side, it's time to figure out if Uconn wants to remain a top program or slide back to also rans...The center court reads Basketball Capital, time to prove that going forward...
I notice the Iowa State Center has the full support of her team mates, look at them all standing and cheering when she scores the back door layup! 8:29
Bottom line is that UCONN, for at least the past 5 to 8 years have done a poor job in both their "Recruitment" and "Development" of BIGS. UCONN has struck out on those players (Boston, Betts, etc) who have thrived at the collegiate level, and have had to settle for players who were not as polished (DeBerry, Brady, etc) and thus, what has happened, has happened. This is not to say that players like Amari DeBerry, Piath Gabriel and Ice Brady were so dominant at the Scholastic Level, that maybe they got complacent when they entered UCONN. But Geno and CD (and the other coaches) have to shoulder some of the blame as well. [And this is not only for BIG's either. Look at Saylor Poffenbarger, Mir McLean, and you can even go back further with players like Mikayla Coombs at Georgia, Andra Espinoza Hunter at Mississippi State and Seton Hall, Lexi Gordon at Texas Tech, among others, who had a nice careers with those, even though Geno says that if they transfer out to a Top 25 School they won't thrive. Geno's track record, especially since the 2017 recruiting class, has not been good at all.
pretty much agree with you across the board. she is slow and doesn"t seem to have any fire on the court. and Uconn has had bigs that were very good, just not any lately. Juhaz did improve markedly in her two years at Storrs. The jury is out on Ice, alhough I'm seeing some hints of DeBerry from her on the court.
You offer two options to understand the DeBerry's situation. How about personality? Not everyone has the competitive wherewithal to compete at the college (or pro) level. I suspect it's a combination of factors, starting with personality. IUConn desperately needs a good tall player inside to compete against the best schools. On the Boneyards recruiting sheet, Australian JOCO player Pania Davis at 6'6" is listed as a possibility. From the videos online, she's clearly a really good all arounder and could likely step in right away at UConn.
I notice also when she does get in a game she always hangs out at the foul line. I have never seen try to post up on the side or box out. Shes always floating around the perimeter
She tends to stand around the court not knowing what to do and the offense becomes stagnant. Even if she doesn't know how to play against bigs or be physical, she needs to move around and cause the offense to create opening. Her defense is terrible averaging 2 to 3 fouls of play time. She is too slow for the college level in both body and mind. A lot of high school players who have never had true competition, learnt they can't compete at the college level. If you want to play in the game, you better put out the effort in practice!
Remember Gunner, that’s only your opinion. And sadly, you’re incorrect about a lot of things about Amari. Did you know that she had major back surgery this summer and that’s why her time has been limited or she looks a little more stagnant? You probably didn’t, so I am glad I was able to inform you on that 😊 She is running the play correctly everytime, and sometimes has to correct her teammates if they aren’t moving the play along or correctly. She knows what she is doing on the court, it’s obvious.
And have been to their practices? Maybe a shoot around? I’m just wondering because you said she’s not putting effort in at practice! So you’ve clearly watch them practicing in person.
So next time, keep your opinion to yourself the next time you decide to degrade someone!
@@allie4719 I'm aware of her back injuries, rehab and interviews. I've been a Huskies fan since the early 1980 and grew up in Connecticut. Your use of "every time" runs the play correctly is an absolute and that's pretty much impossible. Geno said she wasn't putting out in practice and in her own interview she said needs to be more in the mind during practice...so there's two sources for that statement - the coach and herself. My opinion is my opinion and you have every right to disagree with me but try to educate me when you have no idea how I have obtained my own opinion, rather you should have asked me in a question instead of immediately telling me I'm wrong. If you attack, people go on the defensive. When people state a fact like a percentage or historical event and I believe they are wrong, I ask them for a reference to support their statement. Had you asked me, I probably would have given you the links to interviews that supported my statement.
I think when they saw Amari play in high school they thought she might develop into something like Stewie, or that she might hit the gym and get stronger and faster. What I think has hurt her the most is not playing consistent defense. Geno hates that. If she could defend a player her size reasonably well, get rebounds and block some shots when guards drive the lane, she would play more. That would allow Griffin to be a starter, with Amari, coming off of the bench to give Edwards and Griffin a rest and that would also allow the guards more rest.
Mark... Very well said. I agree 100%.
Wrong coach and wrong program for DeBerry.
Yup!
I don't agree, there are a few elite coaching staffs at the college level. And UCONN's coaching staff is considerable experienced. As a "staff" you might nit agree that they are number 1, but they are certainly in the top3. Besides, it's hard to ignore the 11 National Championships.
DeBerry can't fill the roll that they want and need her to. She would have been much more useful when they had, for example, Kia Stokes. Then she could play the "four with guard skills," which is what she is best as. Coach C is great with post players. I do think that they need to use her more but I understand their frustration, and hers.
Your assessment is fiction. Literally, she has not been good at anything. She has twice as many turnovers as points. Her FG percentage is 38% which is horrendous for a big, etc., etc. Check her stats. Her defense, effort and game knowledge is embarrassing.
If feel she has taken advantage of the scholarship to go to UCONN. She has just showed up a practice and games and taken up space but not really put any effort. She has used a scholarship when it could be used for a productive player.
I call her Mosey. That's what she does. Can't run,horrible footwork,flat footed on defense,and her rebounding is nonexistent. Just a big disappointment . Weather its lack of heart or ability is up for debate
She’s just too nice. Teammates love her
UConn misjudged her talent and looked at her height. I've heard many coaches say, 'you can't teach height'. yeah, but they have to have desire and a killer instinct to be successful at the D1 level. ask any small guard who plays against bigger player all the time, they always get better cause they have to in order to even get on the court. Bigs don't. coaches put them on the team or in the starting lineup because they're tall. it's not fair, but true. then when they get to college, you either get exposed or you excel. right now, she's getting exposed.
the transfer portal is a two-way street. not everyone wants to work as hard as the top players have. and not everyone wants to relocate to eastern Connecticut. I;m an alum and ex-varsity athlete there. I was born there, and it isn't southern California or even the south.
She's Slow..Her Antisipation and Court Awareness is Slow..Not a Division 1 player.
You really believe she couldn’t start for the Stonehill Skyhawks? Or the Alabama State Lady Hawks? Not being good at UCONN does not mean she couldn’t play for the other 351 D1 teams
Once again Amari is not a post player.Why was she even coached to be behind ONO? ONO even had troubles with Geno and it took her 3 years in the WNBA to finally find her game. Every pre Uconn report from USA U16 and U18 said that Amari has a finesse game. What would be different at Uconn? This one is def on the coaches. If they had coached Amari at the 3 her Freshman year they wouldn't have ruined her!!
Maybe D3,at most a low D2.
A combination of both, the coaching staff does not know how to coach difficult players and she is just not nasty enough to play in the paint at the D1 level.
I like her and I have no idea why she hasn’t turned into a great player.
That airball last game was rough
she has great potential naturally her length but her low motivation and energy. Thats why I dont blame Geno and you can hate him but you cant say he is not a great coach who is demanding consistency and aggressive from his players
Ice for me. Let's see how Audi Crooks is after her 18th game!
Crooks is a shot putter on the track team. She is strong.
she is strong. I did a video on Crooks ruclips.net/video/yh5zGolQ49U/видео.html - it did not get a lot of views but is one of my favourites videos as she is a great kid.
All the blame falls on Geno. Its one or the other ... either Geno sucks at recruiting or Geno sucks at developing players. Period!
Doesnt belong at a program such as UCONN, maybe doesnt belong in WCBB at all. Someone else commented that possibly she was forced into playing because of her height and doesn’t even really like basketball, that may be true. Hard to believe that Geno & Co. didnt see this during recruiting, maybe they got lazy. In spite of what the idiots over at The Boneryard want to believe, Geno isn’t infallible.
I can’t make a strong argument for Amari because she plays so poorly at the end of games. I know UConn is up by 30. But what can’t she come in and play really well? Instead she commits fouls and turnovers. It happens every time.
I agree on the physicality part too. DeBerry gets knocked down a lot. Even as a junior.
She seems like a finesse player despite her height.
Do you know why Cierra Toomy is not playing at UNC?
Injured. Out for the season.
I hadn't heard a thing about her, bur noticed in their box scores she wasn't playing. Figured she might be hurt.@@TheDisruptiveOne
She should be more physical, maybe hit the weights some more, but she needs to play and her teammates need to support her being physical to the point of excusing her fouling out.
Geno wasn’t the right fit for her. She should’ve went somewhere else. Ducharme as well. Geno puts a lot of pressure on students.
Ducharme was doing just fine and carrying the team until she got hit in her head late freshman season. Hasn’t been the same since. Nothing to do with coaching. Just can’t get a consistent run of games
"Ducharme as well." Um, you do know she's got some very serious health issues? You do know that she went through a stretch early on where she carried the team on her back and that when she's healthy she's a solid contributor?
Ducharme? She loves her team and praises her coaches. Sounds like another envious Geno basher.
@@bennybenson5 Agree- Caroline was doing fine until her head injuries. I do feel very bad for her since any wishes she might have had for the WNBA are frankly gone.
if i were amari and im not,i'd tell geno goodbye,and go play my last year and covid year at a D2 school. i graduated from uconn and the education is just as good at other schools
But her social media following will be much less at a D2 school.
There are 351 D1 schools. The Northeast Conference doesn’t have a single team with a winning record. She can play D1.
We have to also take into account that Brady was out for a year! So let’s not write her off just yet. I personally see lots of good/great things. I think it’s more confidence than anything. As for Deberry, she is awesome.. but just needs to break out of whatever shell she is keeping herself in. This game is a lot of mental than physical. So if she does break out of her comfort zone than watch out cause I believe she could easily be a superstar. You can easily see the skills there.
Poor scouting and poor coaching on UCONN's part (Geno).
How can you blame a player for their ciach not developing them? I pray Deberry transfer somewhere and show off next year.
I don't blame her and don't blame the coach. I think she is what she is. A very tall nice person but not a real instinctive basketball player who struggles to hold her position on defence.
Geno screams and yells at Paige and Azzi when they aren't being aggressive on offense. Do you think he is going to theirconfidence and give them meaningless minutes. Hell no! Development comes with patience and effort from a coaching staff. Love Geno but he fails in the big category.
Ice Brady is still recovering from knee injury. I'll take her first every time.
I don't think Geno is going to change. and don't think much is going to change for Deberry. Yep - Ice needs more time
She just entered the portal
Can u make a video abt Sania feagin @south Carolina
She is not tough enough 🎉🎉🎉 d 2 player or 3
DeBerry is too soft
Interviewer at the beginning kinda looks like Bueckers.
I just read that Amari has entered the transfer portal.
Looks like I have a video to do after work. Thanks
@@back2sports Ines Bettenc out also!
Bettencourt
I kinda want all the players there to enter the transfer portal, leave them without players to take the court. Geno is so arrogant. I don't like what he said about those previous 2 players that entered the portal ("they won't be great players once they leave me").
It is a matter of skill. It isn’t there.
Geno has made some bad coaching decisions- usually the girls don’t let it be seen but it’s very clear this year. Amari DeBerry has been A complete letdown
Side note. Nelson Ododa took a good 2 years also. She was kinda blah to me in the beginning also- maybe there hope for Amari
It's too late for Deberry, based on what the coaches think of and how little they are using her this season. She is not playing any meaningful role on the team as a dependable, consistent big. Glad you mention. Olivia- a lot of people hated her because she was not a star in the post, and she was suboptimal against the best bigs (Stanford, Baylor, etc.) in the country. However, she was dependable and you knew what you were going to get (~10 PPG, excellent passing, etc.), and was a serviceable big.
I agree, I guess I’m just cautiously optimistic especially with the incoming 2024 class - no true big yet
@@bbwng54 And she seems to have improved at Conn in the W - much better than I thought she would be.
@@bbwng54 Deberry is done. She even got an extra chance with Jana's ruptures achilles tendon & Patterson out for the year. She is still obviously showing nothing in practice to earn playing time.
A recruiting failure of the highest order. She played against inferior opponents who were much shorter than her. When she did play against tougher opposition, she struggled mightily. What were they looking at? Always manages to show up in the team social media, at a level disproportionate to her contributions to the team. Thankfully she does not have a COVID year.
if they don't play in the first season out of HS get left on bench & never play, she needs to transfer yesterday
Not sure. Seems happy with her lot. Learning sign language. Just wonder how bad practice is for her. Is she getting bashed everyday by Geno and CD in practice or have they just given up on her and leave her alone?
Audi Crooks- Rowdy Yates could handle her. Move 'em on, head 'em up Head 'em up, move 'em on RAWHIDE...
DeBerry reminds me of Abby Olajuwon.
How can develop amari Berry game she's not giving a playing time but she need her in uconn because to her height for depense and rebound
Ellena Delle Donne left and so what about her? 😊
She was at UConn for 24 hours & left. Played volleyball and then returned to basketball. Saylor P doing ok as she is rebounding around 13 or 14 a game.
Of course this video is another smear campaign. Geno is the coach, he's responsible, he's the adult. Once they started the smear campaign early after her signing with UCONN, they shifted responsibility and y'all fell for it hook, line and sinker because it's Geno. He started the attack pack and y'all continue to attack because Geno said so. I'd be lost too if someone recruited me and gave me hope for better only to belittle me in the press and in the public.
You people are awful. UCONN will continue to implode because of the Geno effect. He doesn't develop talent he plays already developed talent. He speaks ill of players that aren't UCONN ready but him and his staff recruited them. If he recruited her on potential then he and his staff should have ensured that had the ability to develop and cultivate that potential into abilities. But y'all continue to absolutely disrespect that young lady because the coaches didn't uphold their end of the agreement. If you can't see if a player has what you need why have her put pen to paper to represent your university.
Geno is a shifter and always has been. She's hasn't played a whole quarter of basketball but she's the blame line when they face depth in the post and get out played and out muscled but not Geno. How ridiculous a whole video on why Geno is king Supreme and he and his staff isn't to blame for not understanding the pace at which she played in high school was potentially challenging and even though his pace and the system he plays is more demanding, faster and tougher; let's recruit her, huh?
I said it and I'll say it again he doesn't develop talent he plays talent that's already developed, CD is beyond her prime in developing bigs. They wrote Amari off as soon as she stumbled. They didn't pick her up, they shifted all blame to her for being who they knew she was when they recruited her. It's shameful that y'all continue to parade her in front of the public to keep Geno's hands clean.
Thank you. What an innocent soul she is. Unfortunately the system wronged her.
@Ashley-cr4tf most certainly did. She has such a kind and loving spirit. She'll give her last to someone in need even if she needs it, and they just vilify her and say horrible things, and it's so wrong. The only thing she did wrong was to believe.
Hilarious take. What axe do you have to grind against Geno? Did he not recruit you, or your little sister?
@kathleenryan5099 truth doesn't care who tells it and what axe do you have to grind against comedians? Did you not win open mic night or something so you thought you'd try your luck with me? Another failed attempt on your part then. Debate the points made other than that stop wasting my time🙄.
Now she is as bad in games as she is in practice