I appreciate disagreement when it is so cogently stated.
Right now, my key starters are Vivi, Peyton, and Maddie. They do more than just shoot. Their all-around game is significant.
I tend to watch a game about three times within two days, probably a time or two later. I know what the box indicates. I'm looking to see what is actually going on. When we make a run to take control of a game, what happens? When we get into trouble, what is the most effective way to get out of it.
It is interesting if you contrast the Kentucky and Colorado State games. CSU killed us from outside. But, we had a better inside game. We also hit some threes. When we finally broke it open, it was Maddie hitting two-pointers that provided the surge. She took over the short game.
Against Kentucky, we lived and died by the three. We didn't really give the post game much of a chance, even when we had both of their posts on the bench. We were still shooting threes because they left us open and surrounded Vivi or EJ. Vivi and EJ don't know what to do if they are surrounded or get the ball more than about five feet from the rim. We don't seem to have a secondary option like having someone crash the other side of the lane if they are surrounded. Often, they surround them, and their outlet passes are stolen. We never had anyone develop the two-point game.
Kentucky hits some threes. But, Epps' two-pointers kept them in it. In the second half, Vivi missed some cripples that we set up for her, and they began hitting threes. Everyone else on the Kentucky team began to play well. We left them wide open.
But, to the Gioya/Dungee thing. I think that Gioya would be better as a sixth man, used much the same way that Sherri was using T'Ona, to get a charge or energy. She can score quickly. The problem is that she is not a good passer, rarely makes good decisions, and plays rather poor defense. She also commits turnovers off of lazy passes, my pet peeve. If you watch her under the boards, she is always there. But, she seems never to block anyone out. Often,, you see her standing right there for the rebound, and someone comes from ten feet away to take it from her. She isn't active at going after the ball. I see Gioya as a liability to the flow of the offense. She can score. But, she doesn't help the rest of it. We were just standing around hitting threes in the first half. Doesn't work.
Dungee seems to play better defense. I think she is about an inch taller, maybe two. She also seems to have more potential. She is not yet a rebounder for some strange reason. But, the game seems to flow with her on the court. With Peyton, Vivi, Maddie, Chelsea, and T'Ona, we flowed well against CSU. I still have reservations about T'Ona in a set. I prefer having Gabbi in the game. She may be in a shooting slump, but T'Ona is in a permanent shooting slump. I like the flow that Gabbi has.
Maddie had a bad game, pure and simple. I thought her post-game comments after the CSU game trended to scoring early rather than waiting until the third quarter. We do quite well if Maddie scores at least five in the first quarter. It seems to create a flow and get everyone involved. But, we just don't play well with Maddie on the bench. We don't have five players who can coordinate anything.
