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Memorable debut
When I saw Kelly Faris play one game in high school when I was out in Indiana covering UConn's game at Purdue and watching her in action at USA Basketball junior national team trials in Colorado Springs the last two summer, I was always impressed with her basketball IQ.
Seeing her first game at UConn - even if it was an exhibition game against Division II Saint Rose - left me with the same impression.
Whether it was the crafty manner in which she beat the clock for a buzzer-beating layup at the end of the first half, her decision to reverse the ball on one possession leading to a wide-open jumper for one of her teammates, her tipping a 50-50 ball into the lane because she would not be able to catch it or her anticipation on telegraphed passes by Saint Rose, Faris looked like a daughter of a coach - which she is during an 85-44 win Thursday night.
Her final numbers (14 points, 2 rebounds, four assists and three steals) only begins to tell the story of her first college game.
"She gets involved in a lot of stuff, makes a lot of stuff happen, does a little bit of everything," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "She is taking it a little bit to heart when I said I don't think you should be passing up shots.' She is being much more aggressive. I think she is a really good offensive player and because she is such a good passer, she can be effective every time she touches it, not just when she shoots it."
Returning All-Americans Maya Moore and Tina Charles gave performances you would expect out of national player of the year candidates. Moore had 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, five steals, two blocks and no turnovers while Charles had 14 points and 11 rebounds.
If there was a downside to the preseason opener, it was the 19 ineffective minutes played by Lorin Dixon. If Dixon was looking to make a statement about being UConn's starting point guard, she didn't accomplish that. But look for Dixon to improve on her performance Monday when the Huskies face Vanguard University at the XL Center.
Charles mentioned that Renee Montgomery left her a voice mail saying "welcome to Minnesota" after the Minnesota Lynx won the WNBA draft lottery. Montgomery was a first-round pick of Minnesota in last year's draft.
Maya Moore admitted to being honored at hearing that Sacramento point guard Ticha Penicheiro put on her twitter account that not only was her hoping the Monarchs would get the No. 1 overall pick but "is Maya Moore a senior?"
"To have somebody I grew up watching, it makes me feel good," Moore said. "It makes me blessed to be here at a great school, get the exposure and training and have great teammates. It just gets me excited to be playing and makes the constructive criticism Coach (Geno Auriemma) gives me a little easier to take."
Seeing her first game at UConn - even if it was an exhibition game against Division II Saint Rose - left me with the same impression.
Whether it was the crafty manner in which she beat the clock for a buzzer-beating layup at the end of the first half, her decision to reverse the ball on one possession leading to a wide-open jumper for one of her teammates, her tipping a 50-50 ball into the lane because she would not be able to catch it or her anticipation on telegraphed passes by Saint Rose, Faris looked like a daughter of a coach - which she is during an 85-44 win Thursday night.
Her final numbers (14 points, 2 rebounds, four assists and three steals) only begins to tell the story of her first college game.
"She gets involved in a lot of stuff, makes a lot of stuff happen, does a little bit of everything," UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. "She is taking it a little bit to heart when I said I don't think you should be passing up shots.' She is being much more aggressive. I think she is a really good offensive player and because she is such a good passer, she can be effective every time she touches it, not just when she shoots it."
Returning All-Americans Maya Moore and Tina Charles gave performances you would expect out of national player of the year candidates. Moore had 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists, five steals, two blocks and no turnovers while Charles had 14 points and 11 rebounds.
If there was a downside to the preseason opener, it was the 19 ineffective minutes played by Lorin Dixon. If Dixon was looking to make a statement about being UConn's starting point guard, she didn't accomplish that. But look for Dixon to improve on her performance Monday when the Huskies face Vanguard University at the XL Center.
Charles mentioned that Renee Montgomery left her a voice mail saying "welcome to Minnesota" after the Minnesota Lynx won the WNBA draft lottery. Montgomery was a first-round pick of Minnesota in last year's draft.
Maya Moore admitted to being honored at hearing that Sacramento point guard Ticha Penicheiro put on her twitter account that not only was her hoping the Monarchs would get the No. 1 overall pick but "is Maya Moore a senior?"
"To have somebody I grew up watching, it makes me feel good," Moore said. "It makes me blessed to be here at a great school, get the exposure and training and have great teammates. It just gets me excited to be playing and makes the constructive criticism Coach (Geno Auriemma) gives me a little easier to take."
Labels: Kelly Faris, Maya Moore, Tina Charles
posted by Jim Fuller at
10:55 PM
1 Comments:
What happens next year when UConn has six guards, including the spectactular incoming Bria Hartley, the superb Tiffany Hayes, a fully recovered (?) sharpshooting Caroline Doty, not to mention Lauren Engeln? Lauren Dixon will be back as well. And then there is the returning sophomore (at that point) Kelly Faris, who could, based on yesterday's performance, be in line for starting point guard in short order. Add to that the quasi-guards/forward Samarie Walker. Does someone (some people) get redshirted? And if so, who will it be?
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