Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie was asked to comment on the significant contribution of UConn’s 6-foot-3 freshman center Kiah Stokes following Monday’s game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. At first, McCallie did not know quite how to answer the question. So she took a look at the final boxscore for some assistance.
When she saw that Stokes had finished with four points had season-highs of 12 rebounds, five blocks and 28 minutes in UConn’s 61-45 victory, McCallie knew exactly what to say.
“Probably the difference maker in the game,’’ McCallie said. “I didn’t realize she corralled 12 rebounds, which is more than anybody on our team. And she’s a sub off the bench. Yeah, she deserves a lot of kudos for that. I didn’t realize that she collected that many.’’
Stokes came through on a night when UConn badly needed her to. Starting center Stefanie Dolson picked up her second foul just three minutes, 56 seconds into the game. UConn coach Geno Auriemma did not hesitate in sending Stokes to the scorers table to take her shot at defending Duke’s talented 6-3 freshman center Elizabeth Williams. And Stokes, who continues to improve, responded.
“That was two pretty good freshmen going at each other,’’ Auriemma said. “I think Elizabeth right now is little more advanced as an offensive player than Kiah is. But it hasn’t been often this year that the coaches were telling me to get Kiah in for defense because she was going to alter shots and rebound the ball. She’s such an athletic individual and she’s got such long reach that something like this is what you expect of her when you see her. But it’s been a little bit difficult getting it out of her. But we keep going to her and keep going to her because we had always hoped that this is there somewhere. It’s just getting it out of her.’’
Stokes got rolling immediately, producing two points, two rebounds and a steal in the first 2:44 she was on the court. It was only the beginning.
Stokes would generate seven rebounds and four blocks in 13 minutes in the second half when UConn took command. She had a key blocked shot on Williams with 8:09 left in the game and Duke looking to cut the Huskies’ lead to 10. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis made a 3-pointer 11 seconds later to stake UConn to a 48-33 lead.
“I guess I could be (happy), but I can’t be happy with this one game,’’ Stokes said. “I have to continue to grow from this and continue to play hard every day and get rebounds and block shots. That I know I can do to help my team. Doing anything to help our team is all I can do. And I know that my teammates are gaining a little more trust in me so I’ve got to continue to keep that. I don’t want to let my teammates down, that’s No. 1.’’
Mosqueda-Lewis missed each of her first six shots, including three 3-pointers, in the first half Monday. Auriemma wanted to make sure that she did not get tentative and stop shooting the ball in the second half so he had a talk with her at halftime.
Mosqueda-Lewis heeded Auriemma’s advice. And the first shot she took in the second half was one of the biggest of the game. Her 3-pointer with 16:13 left in the game stopped a run of four straight points by Duke and gave UConn a 37-29 lead.
Mosqueda-Lewis missed one more shot before connecting on a second 3-pointer with 7:58 left that gave the Huskies a 48-33 lead. She finished with six points (2-of-10 FG; 2-of-6 3-pointers), seven rebounds and two steals in 29 minutes.
“I’m always telling her, `You should never be worried about taking a shot,’’’ Auriemma said. “She passed up a couple shots (Monday) too. And that’s what happens. Young kids start missing and they go, `OK, I’m not going to shoot it.’ And I let her know about it at halftime and on the bench. I said, `You’re out there for a reason.’ So hopefully she doesn’t let it bother her. But when you’re a young kid and you know people are counting on you to make shots and you’re not it’s easy to just say, `OK, well I don’t want to hurt the team anymore so I’ll stop shooting.’ But those two she made were huge. No question about it. They were really, really huge.’’
Huskies’ assistant coach Shea Ralph is going to see Saniya Chong, a 5-9 junior guard from Ossining (N.Y.) High, play Tuesday night in New Jersey. Assistant coach Marisa Moseley is leaving on a recruiting trip to California. One of the players she is taking a look at is Karlie Samuelson, a 5-11 junior guard from Edison High.
Rich
I think Auriemma, a true coaching genius, will innovate yet again. In the past, he’s gone with just six players (two years ago), and seven last year. But that was out of necessity. This year he’s working players into the rotation as they develop. Recall that Stokes didn’t play in two games because she wasn’t putting in the effort. Red lights were going off, and she could have just thrown in the towel and moved home, just as Samarie Walker did last year under similar circumstances. But Stokes is made of stronger stuff, and rose to the challenge. Brianna Banks is playing more as the season moves on, though she didn’t get in against Duke. I think that was more because Doty was having a fine game, and was permitted to stay in. Banks is more advanced than a lot of freshmen who’ve come to UConn and had good careers. She’s light years ahead of Ketia Swanier, who ended up as the starting point guard and a first round WNBA pick. Banks’ll play a lot next year.
I think Geno will play ten players a lot next year. In fact, I wouldn’t put it past him to bring in five fresh players all together, like North Carolina’s Dean Smith did decades ago when he would bring in five new players he dubbed his “Tall Blue Team.” Geno could bring in Stokes, Jefferson, Banks, Morgan Tuck, and KML all at the same time. That way they’d get a lot of playing time, and learn cohesion as the next team of starters.
Though Geno has gone to a seven-player rotation in the past, it’s been done out of necessity. He’s had a gossamer thin bench! Next year, and for a couple more years, he’ll have one of the strongest benches in the country. Indeed, I would say that Geno’s starting team of Dolson, Stewart, Doty, Hartley, and Faris will be ranked second in the nation at the start of next year. The second string, however, could be ranked fourth in the nation on its own after Baylor, UConn, and Duke. And that’s without mentioning Michala Johnson, who is not a bad player, and who’s improving, Engeln, who is also good and getting better, while she flies under the radar, and a fine defensive player in Buck. For the latter so sad that she’s just coming into her own as Geno is flooded with top talent.
I see next year as Dolson,Stewart,Stokes,KML and Hartley.
Auriemma used a 7 player rotation against Stanford, Baylor, Notre Dame, and Duke. Auriemma used an 8 player rotation in most other games until UConn had a 25 point lead.
Who do you think will be in Auriemma’s 7 player rotation against Top 10 teams in the 2012-13 season? Who becomes the 8th player in the rotation against lesser teams?
Unless there are several major injuries, the last 3 off the bench in 2012-13 probably would be Buck, Engeln, and Johnson. Just like last season and this season.
Thanks for your insight-it is appreciated. I love the way Stokes plays-tough,jumps and really works hard.Agree Dolson has a tremendous size advantage against most but just really gets away with pushing and shoving- would be better just really posting up strong no one is going to be able to move her,I for one would like to see stokes more. I think Uconn becomes more of a running team with her in the post.
The Big Countdown has now begun: Geno Auriemma’s 800th win. He has 791 with eight games left in the regular season, and a likely cream puff opponent in the first round of the Big East tournament. The only big challenge left in the regular season appears to be Notre Dame on the last day.
He’s looking at an amazing achievement. But what’s even more amazing is that he will probably lock up his 900th win in late February of Breanna Stewart’s junior year!
Wonder if there won’t be a switch at the post position: Stokes for Dolson. But Stewart, even at 6’4″, is not a natural back-to-the-basket player. She pops from outside, can drive from the foul line, and probably is better freed up from having to operate on every play from the 5-foot line. But Dolson and Stokes are natural post players.
We could see all three in the game at the same time. Dolson and Stokes could demand double-teams down low, freeing Stewart, KML, and Hartley to drive to the basket, or shoot easy jump shots.
Could be interesting. But Dolson, who is good at what she does (10 points in just 13 minutes last night) is not a big bruiser down low. Stokes, however, appears to be just that powerhouse in the post….
What about Stokes and KML? rebounder and shot blocker and shooter/scorer ?? Hayes and Dolson do the same thing big game after big game. Dolson is in foul trouble because she is slow and when she plays against some one more athletic she commits fouls out of frustration. Hayes seems to play hard but falls short in big games. Hartley and Faris consistent.
Next year I can see a very athletic post in Stewart and Stokes- What do you think??
The season is almost a tale of two freshman: one, who came in as the player of the year in high school, has had far more bad shooting days than even decent games. Stokes, on the other hand, came in after choosing UConn over- get this!- Iowa, but has proved she’s one of the best shot-blockers in the country, and can score and rebound and scrap like a real UConn player. She’s looking like a budding super star. One has to ask at this point whether UConn would be better off with both Dolson and Stokes in the starting line-up, or playing most of the game together, and whether KML should be taking less shots, while Stokes gets the ball more for more high-percentage shots.
Stokes is coming up bigger than KML at this point. Time for a different strategy?
Wow! What a shocker. Hayes once again failed to score big points against another Top 10 team. Don’t blame her head knock. She was reverting to her out of control self prior to that. Auriemma must be laughing at everyone who believed his nonsense that Dolson was the 2nd best center in WCBB and KML was the greatest shooter ever. Staying out of foul trouble is part of being a great player. Dolson has yet to learn that. KML is a streaky shooter like Taurasi, not the greatest ever. Who is the more overrated coach, Joanne P. McCallie or Gail Goestenkors? ESPN HoopGurlz should be banned. Duke has all these allegedly top rated players and they still have trouble scoring, even on wide open shots.