First Night is history. Now the Huskies can get down to truly chasing a national championship, which is what every player on this team desperately wants after falling two wins short last season.
As far as first impressions there were a few tonight at Gampel Pavilion that stood out. First, and foremost, Kalana Greene looks great. She finished with four points and three rebounds in a 10-minute intrasquad scrimmage. She had bounce in her moves. She elevated nicely for rebounds. She split a pair of defenders on a fullcourt layup. The right knee that underwent three surgeries since Dec. 21 appears to be just fine. That was refreshing to see.
Maya is still Maya. She’s a person who is a joy to cover and to watch. She nailed a jumper from the top of the key five seconds into the scrimmage. She led all players with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting and had two assists and two steals. She is so smooth on the court. I can hear Geno in April now … “We have Maya and you don’t.’’
Tina Charles was active in the middle. This is a big year for her. She is hoping to become a player who is accountable and one who is a leader. With her ability she should have a double-double every game.
Here are the winners of the contests held during First Night: Tahirah Williams, Cassie Kerns, Caroline Doty and student Lynn Mraz of Oxford combined to win the relay race. The race consisted of working a hula hoop, jumping rope, riding a Hippity-Hoppity and a tricycle and a student performing the dizzy bat and a fullcourt layup.
Maya and Craig Austrie defeated Caroline Doty and Gavin Edwards 24-11 in the final of the combined 2-ball challenge. Maya and Craig were both lights-out from 3-point range.
Maya defeated Tina in a dunk contest. Each player had three dunks, with Maya earning four 10s on her final one.
There were also plenty of recruits on hand for both the men’s and women’s teams. For the women: Kelly Faris, a 5-11 senior guard from Plainfield, Ind. who has already orally committed to play for the Huskies; Krista Gross, a 6-foot swingman from Concord, N.C.; Samarie Walker, a 6-1 junior swingman from West Carrolton, Ohio; and Olivia Bresnahan, a 5-10 junior guard from Pittsburgh.
Here’s some of Faris’ take:
“Everybody told me how it would be a huge weight off the shoulders and it definitely was,’’ she said of her decision to come to UConn. “The second after I decided it was a huge weight off the shoulders and it’s relaxing to know that I’m coming to such a great program with a lot of good girls and coaches.’’
As far what she likes about UConn: “The competition and how hard the competition is, how hard everybody plays, how much all the girls want it,’’ she said. “Like when I came I saw their practice last year, it’s exactly what I looked for. I talked to a lot of the girls. I know how much they all want the same goal and how hard they work for it, They don’t go out any second. They always give it their all.’’
And the men hosted Ashcraf Yacoubou, a 6-4 sophomore shooting guard from Long Island Lutheran; Tobias Harris, a 6-7 junior forward from Long Island Lutheran; Alex Oriakhi and Jamal Coombs, who are seniors at the Tilton (N.H.) School and have already committed to play at UConn; Mike Poole, a 6-5 junior guard from St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, N.J.; and Andre Drummond, a 6-10 sophomore center from Capitol Prep in Hartford.
Rich
