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Post by bulkey on Mar 28, 2024 17:54:46 GMT -5
in the rankings. asgrbasketball.com/top-350-for-class-of-2025/If we take the 6'3" - 6'6" group as playing center-big forward/jumbo wing, we can see how much Gandy Malou-Mamel has climbed. From a complete unknown to already one of the top bigs (at #26) in the entire class, and maybe the best true post. "Rating: 97 "Athletic, relentless rebounder, inside shot blocker with soft touch around rim, keeps ball H, vision/passer Nice FT". Among the bigs, broadly speaking, in the class of 25, UConn also has offers out to Brynn McGaughy #7 and #3 Lara Somfai. |
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Post by semper on Mar 28, 2024 18:38:06 GMT -5
Me rejoicing!!!
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BJ42
Purebred Husky
Posts: 445
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Post by BJ42 on Mar 28, 2024 21:32:11 GMT -5
in the rankings. asgrbasketball.com/top-350-for-class-of-2025/If we take the 6'3" - 6'6" group as playing center-big forward/jumbo wing, we can see how much Gandy Malou-Mamel has climbed. From a complete unknown to already one of the top bigs (at #26) in the entire class, and maybe the best true post."Rating: 97 "Athletic, relentless rebounder, inside shot blocker with soft touch around rim, keeps ball H, vision/passer Nice FT". Among the bigs, broadly speaking, in the class of 25, UConn also has offers out to Brynn McGaughy #7 and #3 Lara Somfai. Just to add a some perspective and pump the brakes a little, neither Hoopgurlz nor Prospects Nation has GM-M in their top 60. As of now she's still a project and relatively unknown other than ASGR. Trust your own eyes, not just one guru site. |
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Post by bulkey on Mar 28, 2024 22:56:23 GMT -5
I think those two are are no better than ASGR. When I trust my eyes, I see a player who has significant physical skills and a lot of desire...and has 18 months of ball before she shows up for the day of practice. She'll be behind Jana and Ice and have time to work her way in. But if she's a solid defender and effective at distributing the ball from the high post, she'll be of great value. I'm entirely optimistic we're seeing that develop now.
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Post by doggydaddy on Mar 28, 2024 23:14:42 GMT -5
I think those two are are no better than ASGR. When I trust my eyes, I see a player who has significant physical skills and a lot of desire...and has 18 months of ball before she shows up for the day of practice. She'll be behind Jana and Ice and have time to work her way in. But if she's a solid defender and effective at distributing the ball from the high post, she'll be of great value. I'm entirely optimistic we're seeing that develop now. I don’t think you are a good evaluator of talent. |
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Post by larrylegend on Mar 29, 2024 6:39:23 GMT -5
in the rankings. asgrbasketball.com/top-350-for-class-of-2025/If we take the 6'3" - 6'6" group as playing center-big forward/jumbo wing, we can see how much Gandy Malou-Mamel has climbed. From a complete unknown to already one of the top bigs (at #26) in the entire class, and maybe the best true post."Rating: 97 "Athletic, relentless rebounder, inside shot blocker with soft touch around rim, keeps ball H, vision/passer Nice FT". Among the bigs, broadly speaking, in the class of 25, UConn also has offers out to Brynn McGaughy #7 and #3 Lara Somfai. Just to add a some perspective and pump the brakes a little, neither Hoopgurlz nor Prospects Nation has GM-M in their top 60. As of now she's still a project and relatively unknown other than ASGR. Trust your own eyes, not just one guru site. This. In support of your point, there is a player currently on the roster who was ranked very highly by the “evaluators”. However, people (just regular people, not evaluator gurus) that actually saw her play in high school said she struggled mightily against better competition where she was not much taller than everyone else. In 3 years that player has shown nothing that would justify that ranking. Just goes to show that even Geno and staff can miss on players. |
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Post by swash on Mar 29, 2024 7:13:51 GMT -5
Just to add a some perspective and pump the brakes a little, neither Hoopgurlz nor Prospects Nation has GM-M in their top 60. As of now she's still a project and relatively unknown other than ASGR. Trust your own eyes, not just one guru site. This. In support of your point, there is a player currently on the roster who was ranked very highly by the “evaluators”. However, people (just regular people, not evaluator gurus) that actually saw her play in high school said she struggled mightily against better competition where she was not much taller than everyone else. In 3 years that player has shown nothing that would justify that ranking. Just goes to show that even Geno and staff can miss on players. Is there recent video on GMM? Last bit I saw she looked like a project, but I have seen multiple notes about how far she has come and how quickly she is learning - hard to tell if those were independent or all came from the same source. Her size and athleticism have never been in question, and that's a good foundation for rapid growth |
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Post by bulkey on Mar 29, 2024 7:38:39 GMT -5
Just to add a some perspective and pump the brakes a little, neither Hoopgurlz nor Prospects Nation has GM-M in their top 60. As of now she's still a project and relatively unknown other than ASGR. Trust your own eyes, not just one guru site. This. In support of your point, there is a player currently on the roster who was ranked very highly by the “evaluators”. However, people (just regular people, not evaluator gurus) that actually saw her play in high school said she struggled mightily against better competition where she was not much taller than everyone else. In 3 years that player has shown nothing that would justify that ranking. Just goes to show that even Geno and staff can miss on players. You must live (like me) in Rhode Island.  There's an old expression, that exceptional cases make bad law. We in Rhode Island, practice bad law: if something happens once, it must always be true and we need to pass a law against it ever happening again. GM-M isn't the second coming. She doesn't have to be. She just needs to be athletic (check), physical (check), and passionate about improving (check). UConn has tons of talent that can do the rest. Amari might or might not be athletic enough, but she doesn't enjoy the physical engagement and lacks the fire to improve. If she had both of those--as GM-M clearly does--she'd be an important asset to the team. Think of Bill Russell: a moderate amount of innate basketball talent, but an incredible passion and physical and mental determination. The other Celtics did the rest. |
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Post by doggydaddy on Mar 29, 2024 7:50:36 GMT -5
I want to thank the posters here that make sure any optimistic viewpoint on a player is answered with the equivalent negative viewpoint.
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Post by semper on Mar 29, 2024 7:51:12 GMT -5
Right. Geno has said it recently, so I don't need to: a player has to compete, hard.
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BJ42
Purebred Husky
Posts: 445
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Post by BJ42 on Mar 29, 2024 7:53:35 GMT -5
Just to add a some perspective and pump the brakes a little, neither Hoopgurlz nor Prospects Nation has GM-M in their top 60. As of now she's still a project and relatively unknown other than ASGR. Trust your own eyes, not just one guru site. This. In support of your point, there is a player currently on the roster who was ranked very highly by the “evaluators”. However, people (just regular people, not evaluator gurus) that actually saw her play in high school said she struggled mightily against better competition where she was not much taller than everyone else. In 3 years that player has shown nothing that would justify that ranking. Just goes to show that even Geno and staff can miss on players.I've said before that I believe they knew pretty well what they were getting in DeBerry. A 6-5 lottery ticket. If she had been 6-2 they wouldn't have recruited her. And they knew after 1 season that it wasn't going to pay off because they could see that she didn't have the hunger or the compete level to do it. If she really wanted to play, she'd have left by the end of her soph. year. Yes they can miss on kids, that's why they put so much emphasis on getting good character kids. If they can't cut it as a rotation player, at least they'll fill out the roster in a positive way because unlike some other schools, they won't force a kid out unless there's a disciplinary or academic problem. |
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Post by semper on Mar 29, 2024 8:05:11 GMT -5
And she is a great person! So they didn't miss there. I love the kid. But the belly hath no fire, apparently. Still I wouldn't call her a total miss.
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Post by semper on Mar 29, 2024 8:13:20 GMT -5
See, like this:
The Rachael Rose Method: Out-Work Everyone
Olivia Janik
Mar 29
It's a GREAT read and very inspiring. The same with everything, right? My best students work their hearts out and that's what makes the few who do succeed achieve goals in the long run. I guess that's the deal no matter what one does. Speaking of which...
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Post by swash on Mar 29, 2024 8:16:07 GMT -5
This. In support of your point, there is a player currently on the roster who was ranked very highly by the “evaluators”. However, people (just regular people, not evaluator gurus) that actually saw her play in high school said she struggled mightily against better competition where she was not much taller than everyone else. In 3 years that player has shown nothing that would justify that ranking. Just goes to show that even Geno and staff can miss on players. You must live (like me) in Rhode Island. There's an old expression, that exceptional cases make bad law. We in Rhode Island, practice bad law: if something happens once, it must always be true and we need to pass a law against it ever happening again. Alas. So true.GM-M isn't the second coming. She doesn't have to be. She just needs to be athletic (check), physical (check), and passionate about improving (check). UConn has tons of talent that can do the rest. Amari might or might not be athletic enough, but she doesn't enjoy the physical engagement and lacks the fire to improve. If she had both of those--as GM-M clearly does--she'd be an important asset to the team. I get your thinking... So, someone to battle inside, lean on, and wear down opposing posts... Spend your fouls wisely frustrating the opponents
Think of Bill Russell: a moderate amount of innate basketball talent, but an incredible passion and physical and mental determination. The other Celtics did the rest. I give Mr Rings a lot more credit for his actual skills, but I get your point. Otherwise, Russell sounds like ... um ... a luckier version of Greg Kite
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Post by grrrrr on Mar 29, 2024 9:22:31 GMT -5
Right. Geno has said it recently, so I don't need to: a player has to compete, hard. Everyday. All the time. Or they don't play. |
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Post by grrrrr on Mar 29, 2024 9:29:10 GMT -5
And she is a great person! So they didn't miss there. I love the kid. But the belly hath no fire, apparently. Still I wouldn't call her a total miss. Two factors probably at work. Most post players in High School have never squared off against anyone as big or talented as themselves. Getting knocked around under the boards would be a an unwelcome surprise when they get to college. Couple that with unequal effort/intensity and we have the formula for slow developing or not developing posts. |
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Post by rockymtblue2 on Mar 29, 2024 10:36:46 GMT -5
And she is a great person! So they didn't miss there. I love the kid. But the belly hath no fire, apparently. Still I wouldn't call her a total miss. I would. Personality, character are pre-qualifiers but won't get you an offer. UConn did not look hard enough on her, but admittedly it was hard to find a game which would show her tested. It's a recruiting error. It happens. |
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Post by semper on Mar 29, 2024 11:29:22 GMT -5
Well, Rocky, she may have helped hold the team together during those bleak Covid and terrible injury years, for example. We just don't know...
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Post by swash on Mar 29, 2024 13:09:06 GMT -5
And she is a great person! So they didn't miss there. I love the kid. But the belly hath no fire, apparently. Still I wouldn't call her a total miss. Two factors probably at work. Most post players in High School have never squared off against anyone as big or talented as themselves. Getting knocked around under the boards would be a an unwelcome surprise when they get to college. Couple that with unequal effort/intensity and we have the formula for slow developing or not developing posts. Okay ... so what can UConn do? Bring them in. Give them battles to learn to win. Teach them to be great. Hmmm. That's what they are already doing. |
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Post by semper on Mar 29, 2024 17:00:52 GMT -5
Just keep doing what they are doing, but always be sure to get some bigs. So excited for Jana next year!
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Post by vtcwbuff on Mar 29, 2024 20:42:11 GMT -5
And she is a great person! So they didn't miss there. I love the kid. But the belly hath no fire, apparently. Still I wouldn't call her a total miss. A swing and a miss. This about basketball and not personality. How nice she is is meaningless if she can't or won't help her team. |
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Post by huskyharper on Mar 30, 2024 16:57:21 GMT -5
And she is a great person! So they didn't miss there. I love the kid. But the belly hath no fire, apparently. Still I wouldn't call her a total miss. A swing and a miss. This about basketball and not personality. How nice she is is meaningless if she can't or won't help her team. Ah, no. Teammates determine whether or not a player is a "swing and a miss" or whether they are a valuable member of the group.
My father's family was very musical. He had a wonderful tenor voice, his older sisters sang soprano, beautifully. Both his parents sang. His twin sister couldn't carry a tune in a bucket with the lid on. I asked her once whether that bothered her, in such a musically talented family. Her answer changed my perspective. She said "everyone needs an audience, sometimes." She was their audience and the most beloved and treasured member of the family.
So, Amari doesn't contribute during the games. We don't know and shouldn't know what else she brings to the team, but she's still there, still cheering. That's all we need to know. She "helps" her team in other ways.
Bleed blue
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There's an old expression, that exceptional cases make bad law. We in Rhode Island, practice bad law: if something happens once, it must always be true and we need to pass a law against it ever happening again. 
