December 24, 2024 • 42 mins
USC and UConn played an all-time classic game, with the Trojans taking home the W from Hartford. McKenzie Forbes, former Trojan and current pro, joins Mark Schindler to break down all aspects of the game of the year, run through some plays from the game, and discuss where both teams are at in the season.
Check out the video pod on YouTube to get the full representation!
You can listen to the pod on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/theyve-got-now/id1652378572
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eTVgaVudBvS9yox3XbgGX?si=16a02c3ea75942e8
You can watch the pod on https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSPW9eR1D5GWBw1lRpM8qTDSlliwbGp8J&si=rX7RfQZmuB6XAa3T
As always, a major thank you to James Edwards III for the intro and outro music! If you have not already, follow Mark on Twitter @MG_Schindler and be sure to rate and review the pod!
Send any questions, comments, or feedback Mark's way, and enjoy the show.
Check out the video pod on YouTube to get the full representation!
You can listen to the pod on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/theyve-got-now/id1652378572
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2eTVgaVudBvS9yox3XbgGX?si=16a02c3ea75942e8
You can watch the pod on https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSPW9eR1D5GWBw1lRpM8qTDSlliwbGp8J&si=rX7RfQZmuB6XAa3T
As always, a major thank you to James Edwards III for the intro and outro music! If you have not already, follow Mark on Twitter @MG_Schindler and be sure to rate and review the pod!
Send any questions, comments, or feedback Mark's way, and enjoy the show.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome into the episode they've gotten now. I am really
excited to be joined today by favorite hooper from down Under.
I guess I don't know is New Zealand down Under?
I think it's down Under. It's close enough. It's right
by Australia, Kensie Forbes. Back in the United States, we're
here to chop it up about some basketball. Kenzie, how
you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I'm doing great. Happy to be here with you, Mark.
I love chat hoops with you.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
So likewise likewise, I gotta ask you real quick before
we even get started on Uh. We're obviously here to
talk about usc U Coon, which was arguably the game
of the year so far in college basketball. But a
guy who spent most most of the last year coaching
you that you you got to be around, Chris Coklanis
just got hireds Dallas Wings head coach. What's what's first
(00:47):
vibe thoughts from somebody who had, you know, first first
hand perspective being coached by him.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Oh, Chris, Like couldn't say enough good things about him,
obviously had the whole year with him last year. Just
in terms of player development, I think grew my game
so much like film breakdown and just his ability to
communicate like changes or like reads that he's seeing, Like
I feel like he's he's one of the best that
(01:13):
I've ever experienced. And obviously I think he has that
that resume in the W to show for it, and
I think he's gonna be great. And obviously being under
Kurt like for so many years, like I don't I
don't know if anyone's too surprised at that higher but
I love it. I think he's going to do great
and I'm super happy for him.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yeah, no, I don't know him personally, but just you know,
hearing from anybody who's been around him in Connecticut, SC
nothing a good thing. So I'm excited to see what
that looks like now because we also got Washington's hired today.
We finally have all the coaches in the W set up.
So it feels like I have no idea how it
happened all in one month, but we're here finally. So
(01:52):
excited to see how kind of like the rest of
the off season unfolds, because I have a feeling it's
going to be an absolutely insane one. But you know,
diving into this game, obviously, I think USC and Yukon
of both ironically both struggled a little bit with some
stuff early on in the season as they're kind of
figuring themselves out, as we already know they're going to
(02:12):
be really good teams, but being like that top flight
contender where they both want to be dealing with Notre
Dame and strugglers that came with those games separately. What
was kind of your feel as a USC Lumpson was
on this team last year, what was your feel headed
into this game for what it could look like for
the Trojans.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yeah, I definitely was excited. I think after the Notre
Dame game, like obviously there was like some areas to
improve for them, and I think I was just excited
to see that growth. And I feel like I did
like the way that they came out on the road
in Connecticut. I feel like there was an assertive an
assertive attention to detail to the game plan, and I
(02:50):
felt like that was one of Lindsay's main gripes. I
think it was like a halftime interview against Better Dame,
but I felt like everyone was locked in on the
game plan and they really came out aggressive and at
I was happy to see it as an alum, and
you know obviously got their their look back a little
bit from that Elite eight heartbreaker. So it feels good
as an alum to see the way they came out.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
It's kind of funny too because like just thinking back
about that Elite eight game, like a lot of difference
on both teams is kind of like wild thinking about
like obviously, yeah, like you have like kind of the
bones there, like it's Page versus Juju, but like Edwards
was on that team. You know you look back obviously
me Ka mule at us see you, Like I think
this team I want to say I looked at it yesterday.
(03:31):
I think there was like fifty seven percent of the
minutes that that you guys had as a team last
year or back in twenty twenty four to twenty five.
A lot of freshmen playing and getting their footing under
Kiki obviously coming in and taking on a whole new
system and role and kind of figuring that out. Like
so it was a lot of similarity but also a
lot of change from this last season. I wanted to
(03:54):
ask you just in general, like when you prepare for
that Elite eight game and playing Yukon with especially with
what they do offensively, Like I think that hasn't changed
as much. What was that like? Because I think it
can be easy if you're not in it, like playing
against it or you know, like looking from a top
(04:16):
slowing everything down, you don't really see it. But like
there's so much that happens in that offense. And I thought,
I mean that was the biggest thing that I takeaways.
Like I thought USC's defense in this game was phenomenal.
But like when again, like yeah, going back to you,
like when you prepare to play that kind of offense,
what was that like last year? And yeah, and kind
of like getting an insight under that.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yeah, I'm not gonna lie Elite daid is. It's a
one day turnaround, So like it was tough, Like it
was a tough scout and obviously if you haven't played
a team like that, like not a lot of teams
in the Pac twe over running that kind of offense.
So like it was a tough turnaround for that scout.
And obviously you have page you're trying figure out, Okay,
how are we gardener on the pin on how we
(05:00):
got around this? And with Paige, you know, if you
mess up one time, you know she's going to make
the correct read, she's going to get her back doors.
So I mean I thought that as a team, you know,
we were locked in trying to do the best we could.
But I think it's low key like a whirlwind of
like the turnaround and the scout and like you just
you're on the high from the last game and you know,
(05:21):
I thought we went out there and like tried our best.
I don't think we were horrible, but I think this
year you could definitely tell, okay that scout was prepared
and they worked on things for a week, do you
know what I mean? And I think they came out
and executed that like a lot better, especially like in
terms of on page. So I was impressed by that.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, No, I think that's such a good point because
like you could feel that in this game, Like I
I was just thinking to myself today, like watching it
was like this felt like watching like an NBA playoff game,
Like we're at that level of like scout preparations. I
think both teams had had like almost a week off.
It's been a lot of time in between, and you
get to this and it's like being able to have
(05:58):
that kind of separation is huge, right, like being able
to like just take that time, be able to like
break everything down, see what's happened throughout the year, Cause
like you said, I mean breaking down and having a
scout ready and like it's not actually twenty four hours,
because really you got to be ready so much faster
than that, actually be able to game plan and have
the scout out, like actually go through the scout and practice.
Like no, it's like no time. I can't even imagine,
(06:21):
so like having that entire like you could feel that
in this game. And I think it's so interesting because,
like I understand why some fans get frustrated watching the game,
like oh, both the offenses suck this and that, Like
really the offense isn't sucking this game, first of all,
But secondly, I think especially like it happened a lot
with the WNBA Finals in game five where like everything's
(06:42):
slogged down, everything was a slog from Minnesota, New York,
like they know everything exactly they know. Like the reason
it looks like a slog is because like even if
if you want to take that second half when USC's
offense slow down a little bit because they run through
five six actions in Yukon Guards incredibly well. Same thing
with like guarding Yukon. Like, I think that's what separates
(07:04):
a lot of stuff from like when you're looking at
conference play when you have a game every two or
three days to okay, when you have a week off
or you know, four or five days before you have
a big time primetime matchup, Like that's just such a
difference in preparation and being able to like hammer home
some of these points and seeing that play out was
really fun. So especially like watching the way that this
(07:27):
team got guard. I think one of the things that
stood out was like number one, they didn't want usc
didn't want anything with Page on slips. I think everything
was almost switching everything one through five, at least one
through four, and then anytime Page was a screener, don't
don't switch and don't let her slip.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Like there's one play Actually when I rewatched it today,
I think it was like Tvo and maybe Kennedy, but
Tvo chases it because Page was a screener, and then
it ended up slipping. I think it went back to
Shade and she got a drive and I could see
Tvo'd be like, we're not like, we're not switching, bro. Yeah,
and I was like, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Yeah, so it was like really fun watching that play
out game plan wise. I think for for Yukon watching
their game plan, it was I think part of what
was really fun in that game. Number One you can
see like obviously this Yukon team is trying to really
figure some things out roster wise, is they've dealt with
a lot of bumps and bruises. I think asy was
only a lot to play like ten minutes in this game,
(08:23):
if that, But watching them go from like early on
playing double big to just fully leading into Sarah Strong
at the five in the second half, which is where
we like really saw things hit for their offense. And
I think even though they lost this game, I'm fascinated
see what that looks like going on moving forwards. I
believe this is the first game we really got that
(08:43):
lineup of playing with Sarah Strong at the five and
getting like a full four guards in Sarah. I'm really
excited to see if they lean into that in Big
East play, because I think that's their best lineup with
what they have this year. And I know a lot
of people like, oh, well you really need to have
Janna or you know, now, i'f your Ice really figured
it out at the five, and honestly, I just think
it's at the point where, like with what it does
(09:05):
opening everything else up for them, I just think best
line up Sarah at the five, man like especially like
that because you look at this, like obviously this SC
team is like I think that's the biggest difference from
last year's like playing because like Katie was a four
last year, but I feel like Kati is like so mobile,
She's like a garden a lot of ways. Kiki is
a true big and like obviously she's very mobile too,
(09:26):
but like you're playing true double big with her and Rea.
So I think watching that kind of chess match go
back and forth of like playing small and playing against
the team with like I mean, everybody is long and
has a lot of activity on that USC roster. Like,
I think that was my favorite part of the game,
just kind of getting to see that go back and
(09:47):
forth throughout because I mean it was I want to say,
it was what like a ten oh run in like
about eighty seconds when they switched to Sarah at the five.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Pole league.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Yeah, it was nasty and it wasn't just like lucky buckets,
like there was some force turnovers knowing me wrong, but
it was like you just see the sheer difference and
how the floor changes in tilts because like you watch
and we're gonna go through some cliffs at the end
of this, but like you watch and it's like, Okay,
at the beginning, when Sarah and Ice around the floor together,
or if Janna and and and uh Sarah on the
(10:21):
floor together, it's like, okay, cool, Ray is down below
the free throw line. And there was even like some
cross matching too, so it's typically like Keiki would stay
on Sarah and Ray would take whoever and uh or
I guess, I mean it was crossmatching later on in
the game, but it was like, okay, cool, let's we're
just staying below the free throw line. You know, we're
gonna make this hard. We're not giving you anything. And
(10:43):
that was fascinat too, because even like you kind of
they started doing a little bit of like kind of
pitch and catch stuff with the five just to like
work against that, and then you saw some change up
from there, and like, I don't know, it was just
again like a lot of really fun stuff with with
how all that played out.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Going off that, though, I think we can start by
talking about Juju, because like I think Juju is, like
I mean, she is the player we have to talk
about with this game. There's a lot we can talk
we have to and we'll talk about with this game.
But I think we talked about this beforehand, and I
said it during the game with about a quarter ram
but I was like, this is like the most not
that Juju hasn't been ployees before, like obviously have to
(11:22):
be to be the level of player she is and
do what she did last year, but I think the
vision and patience that we saw from her in this game,
to me was like that's the bestest look from her
in college ended periods since I've started watching her. Like
she's always had like all of the incredible dribble moves
and ability to do things at her size, but I think,
(11:42):
like it feels like she's really starting to weaponize and
figure out how that stuff can manipulate a defense. And
we saw that go from like it happened a couple
of times in the first quarter. It's like, oh no,
now I'm starting to like kind of pick apart what
she want to do. That's really exciting stuff because that's
just like you think about what that means movie before
and like wow, because that was pretty wild to watch
(12:03):
in real time.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Yeah no, I think like I was mentioning to you
as well, like just the way she was initiating offense
with like discernment. I think that was the word that
came to mind for me, because like she's just coming
down and she knows what she wants. She's getting into
her pitch and play or her touch and play, and
I obviously it's just so hard to guard with her,
(12:24):
like you go on, you're screwed, you chase her over
the top of you're screwed. And I think like you're saying,
like now she's using her headies to really manipulate because
she knows, now, okay, help's coming from here. I have
my corner kicks, whatever it may be. But I feel
like she was just so elite an initiating offense in
this game. It was almost like like we were saying,
like she was damn near like the point guard, you know.
So it was impressive.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Yeah no, especially with like I mean you as soon
as you get stuff going in early offense with her too,
Like that's just so tough because like I don't know.
I just don't think. I think one of the things
that I struggled with is like I just don't think
people recognize how big Jusual is, which is like the
hard part, right because I think people are like, yeah,
she's like six feet tall, she's really six two, and
like it doesn't sound that like crazy in your head,
(13:07):
but like okay, cool. Well, like Tamika Catchings was six
foot two, six foot three, like and as incredible as
Tamika was, like she didn't have the level of ball
control and like just sheer pop that Juju has, like
nobody does. That's the point, but like having that at
that size, like it's just it's a very tough element
(13:28):
of like, Okay, how do we guard this? Because there
was a point where I want to say it was
the second quarter, like mid second quarter, where I actually
thought Ashl and Shade had a really good pickup point.
She picked up Juju probably like six feet above the arc,
which is where you have to honestly, it goes right,
Ray is about the screen. Juju just says, no, goes
forward anyways, goes right ashean is a pretty good job
(13:49):
scene with it, and then Juju snatches back gets the
ree screen from Raya, which awesome play from Raya.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
I'm gonna say I thought did a great job of
being in the spot.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Yeah yeah, yeah. And then just I mean she's splashed that.
I was like, I was just thinking about I'm like,
there's nobody can guard that, Like you can't guard that, literally,
Like how.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Is feeling good early in the game too, Like now
she just has whatever she wants because.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Obviously, yeah, the pull up was so tough in that,
and we're gonna like like we said, we're gonna dive
into some plays on that. But again, like that, I
just I don't know how how else illustrate people, Like
I think, jus you continue to grow as a playmaker,
Like it's been a pretty rapid growth the last couple
of years, and to see where it's starting to get
to now, I think this is a really exciting jumping
(14:33):
off point because like once you start, I'm sure there's
stuff that's been like seen and practice tons, but like
once it happens in a game, you can really pinpoint
that and then start continuing to build off that. Really
exciting for sure.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
I think even just the growth in the what was
it two three weeks since her name, Like that's insane
and it.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Was massive and if yeah, it only being that long,
it's kind of crazy to think about it, but yeah,
I mean that that shift in that growth was monumental
going off that though. I mean, let's talk about Page
a little bit, because I think it was fun because
you really got to see them guard one another, like
coming right out the gates doing that. Obviously USC switched
a ton, but in general, like they were their primary assignments.
(15:14):
So I love seeing that, just kind of getting to
see that that kind of like movie that this game was.
In a way, I thought Fox did a really great
job of building this up honestly as like just being
a really great matchup between two good teams. I love
watching Page, man, I think the tough part of her because,
like I gets so interesting, Like I I struggle so
(15:35):
much with like how much comparison happens and stuff, like
it's always like, oh, well, this player and that player
in that player, and like, I think part of what
makes it so fun is watching how differently these players operate,
even though like yeah, like maybe black scores and results
can be similar, Like it's just like the difference, and
to me, it's like Page's shiftiness is just so different,
(15:55):
Like there's a a play I want to say, let
me pull up my notes because I know, like I
don't want to get the timing room. But there was
just like a cut she had, and that's that's the
hard part, Like anytime she gets a screen, like she's
one of the few players where like can like I
would actually consider like cutting like a mode of creation
for her because she's just so good at doing it
(16:16):
and setting things up and selling it like anything. Like
there was a playoff out of Chicago Action just like
pinned down into a handoff where she just like totally
jukes out. I think it was Avery sends her right
into kk Arnold and then just comes like tightly off something.
I think that's what's so on about watching Pages, Like
everything she does looks so easy and effective, but like
(16:40):
it's because it's so freaking hard man, Like that's I
Like I watched her how she how she moves, and
my knees are just like ah, brother, Like.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Oh, even like the hight thing too, you're saying about
you like Page might be like six to one bro
like having all I'm like, Okay, She's not one of
those like oh, all the guards like to say, they're
six feet now you I mean, like she's really taught.
I was think of that same thing too. I'm like, like,
how did she always get these back doors? Bro? But
it's like her setup is just so elite and her
movement is efficient. She doesn't waste any movement, like you know.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
What I mean. So yeah, and it's fun too because
like she has like no wagging how she moves either,
like if she wants to do something just happens, like
there's no like thought. It just happens like she's And
that's that's tough because you can't teach that. And they
got a lot out of like doing stuff back door.
So that was fun to watch.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
After the ATO, I think it was like two forty
left in the fourth maybe when he called the time
out they tried to get something for Sarah out of
the time.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Oh yeah, yeah, yep, it was yeah. In that that cut,
I know that was the hard part because like going
like I don't so I don't have that clip pulled up,
but like literally from that one, I think part of
what was so fun. Actually, honestly, I think I could
pull it up right now. One second part what was
so fun in that play. It's exactly like you're saying,
(17:57):
because they like that was just so good execution wise
and like thought process because it was like, all right,
well let me actually I'll get it pulled up because
I want to make sure that I can actually show it. Yeah,
so literally, like this is just this is phenomenal stuff, right,
all right, so you get up especially right now, like
(18:18):
automatically with everything playing like we talked about with like
Sarah plane at the five. If they go and they
go five out, you actually have to play and guard
it like it's five out. So instead of like if
Morgan Shelly right here was Ice Brady, like and I
don't mean this is like Ice, it's just how it
was getting played, Like Kiki has a flip in the paint,
if this is Ice Brady. Instead Morgan Shelly has already
hit a three at this point and you have to
(18:38):
guard so automatically stationer over there. Get Juju away from
this play too, because she's been a menace off the
ball defensively, which we didn't even talk about. But get
Sarah out top and this is the hard part, right,
So like automatically cool page is a screener. Caitlin comes off,
you switch that because you don't want to give anything
up off of a pop or anything like that. And
(19:00):
then oh hey, I'll just put this instead, And like I'm.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
So worried about her getting the ball. That's why the
back door works so well, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Yeah, Like it's so sudden, like okay, cool, it's like
half a second she's already selling into her move as
soon as TVO is like switching this and getting onto it.
Is a great pass by Sarah too, like perfectly.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
It's so underrated to have literally just a reliable passer,
like when you're when you're in an ato and you're like, okay,
who's passing the ball in? Or who who's making the read?
Like I just feel like Sarah is so elite in
that and it's like that's not that shouldn't be underrated skilled,
you know what I mean, Like he knows all in
her hands, like she knows the reason she's going to
make the right play. Yeah, freshman is it's it's impressive.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
No, absolutely, And like even going off that too, like
thinking about the last second, last play that they have
when I think it was thirty seconds left, they took
another time out. You kind of did, and they put
the ball in Sarah's hands again, except this time it's
an emptied out corner for Sarah and Paige. And I
think it's fun because it plays right off this place.
So here you get Paige off the back door with
her cutting ability. Pages, the inbounder in the thirty seconds
(20:05):
left play gives it to Sarah. Sarah has the opportunity
for for dho but automatically fix it because Kennedy just
like walls off like Page is kno getting the ball.
But that's the thing too, Like Sarah doesn't think at all.
She just goes and like gets a half step on
rayas basket and I think, like again, like being able
to have all those built in things to me is
like that's the stuff. That's just like, ah, it's so tough.
(20:27):
It's so fun to watch because even in this like
you watch that last play that that Lindsay calls with uh,
that that that sent juju to the line like start
out in flat Raya comes up to set the screen,
then immediately goes out Hey roll replaces Ray goes to
(20:48):
the dunker spot, and Kiki sets screen from opposite side,
so Sarah's middle of the floor she's not technically in
help Juju rejects goes downhill on it's one on one,
and it's like that kind of stuff again, like it
you watch it in real time and it's like, okay, cool,
like Juji went to the foul and but then you
think about all this stuff like okay, cool, Well you
took the only big on the floor out of play,
and by having the fake at the beginning, you don't
(21:09):
give an ability to pre switch and make something like
just kind of like difficult and load up and I
don't know, like that stuff is so fun to watch
and makes you think so much more about it and
just thinking to like seeing like you know the way
that this stuff is called out in thought through them,
Like I can't even imagine having to do that in
game myself as a coach. So it's like, yeah, it
was just such an elite chess match in like the
(21:31):
last three four minutes of this game, the whole game,
but especially the last couple of minutes I was like
really impressed with. But I mean, on that notion, let's
talk about Sarah Strong, because man, she is good, Like
what a player, dude, I know she missed, Yeah, she
missed that last shot. I don't care. I think it's
(21:51):
so like it's honestly hilarious because I was so impressed
with that last shot from her because like, obviously set
up high balls green, Sarah goes out and Page going
away pitches it back to Sarah off the pop and
she didn't think at all. She just let it go.
And like, to me, that was what I was most
impressed by. Says like, you're a freshman in that moment,
(22:13):
in a time when you need the shot and you
need the game, and obviously she gets the foul from you,
and like, I just love that from Sarah. It's like, yes,
again she misses the shot technically, but at the same point,
I don't care because like she gets the foul because
she doesn't think, like and you have to guard her.
Like she's been so lethal as a shooter, Like and
seeing her go from just being like, Okay, cool, I'm
(22:34):
hitting spot up to now I'm doing some stuff as
a movement threat is wild. Like I mean they're running
inverted pick and roll and stuff for her, Like they're
doing so much that is like being this level of
player with the composure and feel for the game she
has already is just like absolutely nutty to me. But yeah,
I want to hear what you have to say about
Sarah because like watching her players, Yeah, it's it's so
(22:55):
fun man.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Yeah. No, I was thinking the same thing on her
three ball, like even just I told you I was
setting some of their games, like leading up to this matchup,
Like that's the first hand I was like, she does
not think about that three ball, bro Like she shoots
a lot of threes with like hand in her face,
like where a lot of people, like you're saying, are like, oh,
like I don't, like I couldn't get it off, you
know what I mean, Like I feel like she has
no conscience in that regard, and so like I agree
(23:17):
with you, Like I love that last shot from her,
And like you're saying, like if she hesitates or pump
fakes maybe or whatever, like she's not gonna get that
foul that foul call. But yeah, I just feel like
her poison, her feel sends out the most for me.
I know we're going to go through some clips later
of her ability to pass out of the post, and
I think, like we just showed him that clip, like
she makes it seems like she makes the right play
(23:38):
every time which is so impressive for a freshman. Doesn't
matter if she's an initiator, being a passer, being a
hub like with Page coming off, or or if they
just throw it down to her in the post. There's
another action too where I think they go too high
and she just seals keky like yeah, protected grad see
this kid's eighteen.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Bro, Like yeah, that's I think that's the craziest yeah,
having her, because I think one of the things that
goes underrated, Like people just say, like has good footwork,
and typically you mean like one area, but Sarah has
good footwork in like so many different areas of the court,
and like that's difficult because like I can point out
a player who's like, okay, let's say somebody who has
(24:18):
like good foot like Juju has good footwork on the perimeter,
but she's not really Like I mean, I think she'll
be a post of threat and has like done some
stuff in that, but like if I put Juju down
in the post, she doesn't have the same level of
footwork as like being somebody who can create out a
triple threat in her jab series, but like Sarah can
just like I mean, dude, her footwork everywhere is crazy,
and especially like you said on that post, she did that,
(24:38):
I want to say she did that, did that in
the Notre game, Notre Notre Damn game as well, which
is that quick spin seal and like that's so nasty
because like so often like okay, you have to spin
and then seal as most players, Like that's how most
people do it. But like having that down in your
bag at eighteen is crazy, Like that was because I
mean she gets simple baskets just by doing little things
(25:01):
like that that are very fundamental, but also a lot
of players just don't have because that's I mean, it's
not easy stuff to like completely just wrap out and
get great at.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Another thing I'm thinking about too, is like even just
like the way she's scoring out of the post, Like
I'm pretty sure if we pulled every clip, like she
scored in a different way, like every time like she
gets to her fade, she gets to her like face
up job go right, Like no one clip. I think
it was on Ju where she just kind of gets
in like slight things but like gets into her body
and gets that angle to finish, like had the same
(25:31):
one on Rhya. Like it's it's really impressive, but I mean, yeah,
I think she's gonna be scary.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Yeah, exactly, that's the crazy part. Like she already is scary,
and like getting into even more of that is like wild.
But like you said on the baskets, like I think
she is. She like her and Page together is what
makes it so difficult, right, Like obviously they have a
whole roster and doing a lot of stuff with that,
but like everything Yukon was doing, in my opinion, was
to get to that two player game because that's where
(26:01):
they could put the most damage in on a defense.
And I think that was the really fun part to watch.
Excuse me, Like chess match wise, was like they didn't
want to give anything to Page off of a slip
or cut, particularly on anything forty five because like she's
just that's so you don't want anything going in the
middle of the defense. But like the hard part was
how do we stop Sarah from getting out on slips
(26:22):
because especially with this team coming out switching to really
take away anything from from Page, like it became okay, cool,
well we're taking this away from Page. But then here's
Sarah in the post with the mismatcher, and like this
is the again, the crazy part is like watching her.
There's a play where it's a middle ball screen and
she gets ah, I want to say she gets I
(26:44):
think she has kay Lee on her in like the
second quarter, and it's like right in the middle of
the floor. So like Ray is like in the dunker
spot like sort of like a little bit more to
the dunker spot slash middle on the left, and so
like Sarah gets her mismatching just standing there. She like
takes her down to the empty corner and I'm like,
little things like that is so big because like you
(27:06):
give yourself way more room to operate, you don't let
the help come over immediately, and then you can still
play one on one and she ends up getting just
like a quick post fade out of it, and like
little things like that because I.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Think likes like he knows what she's going to when
she catches it.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Yeah, it's it's nasty. She's so freaking good. But yeah,
like just seeing like all like the little intricacies of
her game are so fun. I do want to talk
on a couple more things before we get to this clip.
I do just have to highlight kk Arnold in like
the third quarter, her like that run that you can
put together. I don't know why she didn't really play
much in the fourth. I was a little bit surprised
(27:43):
by that because I thought she was so good and
instrumental in that third quarter, like obviously the on ball
defense helping force turnovers. But then she had some really
strong drives in the baskets, a couple of nice plays,
like had the play where forced the turnover and then
kicked it out the page for this for the side
step three, I saw she was a real energy bunny
(28:03):
and like making stuff happen in that game, in that
that stint where she really got to play. But even then,
like I thought, kaylen Chen like she played really good
defense on I was really impressed with that too.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Is good, like she's a good defender. Bro, I agree
with that.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
I think two other kind of more role player shoutouts.
Kennedy Smith I thought was huge knocking down open corner
three even just to start the game, like us, he
had so many deflections like that one. I think in
the first quarter she just kind of knocks out of
her body and it goes this way. The block she
had on the same block, like and obviously just knocking
(28:41):
out open shots, and like her on ball defense as well,
like as a point of attack defender, like I think
she might have been in limited minutes as well, still
and easy, but I thought I thought she was great in.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Her Yeah, well that's exactly what we're talking about, because
like that's what makes that's part of what makes us
team so tough. Like you really can switch like one
through five if you one with this group, Like Okay,
Kennedy is so good and it's not like I think
one of my I don't even want to say grigs
one of the things. I do think there were some
moments where, like I'm sure Lindsay would say, like would
like to see it be like more aggressive switching, because
(29:12):
there was like some moments where it was like a
little bit of softer switching where they just kind of
let stuff happen in the second half when Yukon' would
run happened, but like in that first quarter, like every
switch was like nasty. It was like we're taking away
stuff instead of like you're you're just taking you're just
changing matchups. It was more like okay, no, we're taking
this away from you. We're closing down in the pocket.
And like when you have like Kennedy and you together
(29:35):
with that well. Also, like I mean, ray has been
one of the best defenders in the country this year.
She's already good last year, very good, but like its
just continue to get even better, Like the amount of
plays that you see Raya make, like I put together
an edit, like just going through I'm like, man, she's
just making play after play after play in this game.
And like you go from that too to like I thought,
(29:55):
Kiki had some really great moments as well, like just
switching out, like there was a late container in the
four when all it takes is like a slight breakdown
on something, especially like again with how well Sarah has
played in that game and how well Page has played
and how easily she can get her shot off, Like
all it takes is like a slight hesitation miscommunication mess up,
(30:15):
and then Page is wide open at the end of
that quarter. Instead, Keiki has a great switch out contains
gets her hands up and jumps early to force Page
to have the shot clock run out. And like there's
little things like that, like the amount of like the
amount of length that this team has collectively, especially again,
like Kennedy is six to one and plays like she's
six seven at times like Juju is just insane, Like
(30:39):
some of the blocks she had, like obviously like that
one she had, because that was the crazy one to you,
like Page, that one. I want to say it was
second quarter first No, actually might have been first quarter
because that was early in the game when Juju had
that like just like astic block then to the rim,
but it was like Page just had like the sick
(30:59):
move to shed Kiky off her and then Page is
not Paige, and then ju just comes down of nowhere
and spots it. And like the fun part too, is
like she swats it through herself, like always keeps the
ball in play. I don't know how she does that
because like so many people people just want to like
send the ball into the into the stands. But yeah, dude,
(31:19):
like I think it's kind of crazy because like even
with usually like as good as her offenses, which is
like I mean that's saying something like her offense is insane.
But like I think she has the chance to be
like one of the greatest defenders of all time, like
with what she does, what.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
She brokes doesn't even like tech, and there's so.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Much more that she can like even like quote unquote
clean up. But like at the same time, like she
kind of bucks the trend of like doing some things
where like I doesn't even necessarily need to clean things
up because her recovery ability is so nasty, because even
like the second block she had on page was like
I think it was technically a blown coverage. She helped
out on the wing and then just closed out and
(31:57):
like you know it was it was Ashley Shade, not Paige.
It's just like, you know, stuff like that. I'm like, man, like,
how do you even do? Yeah? And it's like, yeah,
it was just nasty stuff. But I think last role
player shout out and have Morgan Shelly. I liked her
minutes a lot. In this game, we actually have a
(32:18):
player we're gonna run through from her as well that
connects with Sarah. But like in general, I'm like, somebody
I've always liked was really good at Archbishop MIDI, very
good in AAU, somebody who I think is gonna have
a very good college career and from there too, especially
like she was so big in them opening up that
that lineup with playing with Sarah at the Fly was
(32:38):
like I was really impressed with her ability to play
with at the four with physicality, but then also like
they use their screener a bunch got her off the
pop at one point, and then that's where it's like, oh, shoot,
we have to like really guard everybody. Like I'm excited
to see how they kind of keep veering into that
and what that can look like. Because I was just
really impressed with her play overall. Yeah, I mean automatically,
(33:00):
like god, dude, just like starting in this game.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Yeah, I just love the pitch and play with her
and Reya at the top.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
Yeah, that was one of my I like you bring
that up because that was one of my favorite parts
about this game from jew Is, Like how much she
started to work that, so I think that was kind
of an area for growth that she could get into.
Was like, so just to like, I don't know you
all right, I want to hear from you, Like when
you're talking about like pitch and play, what that can
open up for a player. Why do you like that? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:28):
I just love it for jew one. I think sometimes
when you're such a ball dominant player. I think for
us last year too, like it just so ball screen heavy,
Like sometimes it's nice to just get that pitch and
play just to get it out of your hands because
now you can play off the cut as well, and
I think you're less predictable, like in terms of coming
off of it, do you know what I mean? Yeah,
not cut it, you know what I mean, all that
(33:49):
type of stuff. So I think for you, like once
her three ball is hitting, now I'm in the pitch
and play, you kind of have to chase over the
top because if you go under obviously was he what
happens here? And now next time just go over And
then now you're on her hip and she's playing heavy,
which I think we have one later, and so I
just love it her because it just gets it out
of her hands quickly, Like she's so hard to guard
(34:10):
in this, do you know what I mean? It almost
makes a big the big has to respect the ball
in Ray's hands for at least a second, you know
what I mean. So it makes it harder for Sarah
to kind of take that step over and show really
which would obviously like help the on ball defender.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
Yeah, no, I love that because exactly what you're saying.
I think it's like it's just like as like a buffer,
like just like something where you have to like it
makes you think it's a defender right, like you just
you don't just get to like play straight up in
isolation of her.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Hands, like she could go anywhere, you.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
Know what I mean, And she exactly. I mean, like
she's so fast, she's so dynamic, like moving where she
wants to go that it's like, I mean, what do
you do? It's not even bad defense from page it's
just like, what what do you want me to do
in the situation? It's great screen from Raya, Like I
think obviously the goal is you don't want to go
under on this, but at the same time, too, like
it's not easy to just fully go under on this, so.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
The thing is too like I mean, she gets there
with contests, but jud doesn't need a lot of time
because her release plan is so high on her pull up.
But yeah, I just love that her coming down And
I think too, I like how she just gets straight
into it, like yeah, I think that's another part of
her growth from last year of like just coming down
and knowing exactly what she wants to get to.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Yeah, yeah, not, I haven't waste any time. H Yeah,
right here, this is like, ah man, this is one
of my This is just about my favorite play of
the game. So I uh, what time was happened. It's
probably like nine o'clock at the point where probably like
eight forty five ish my dog was sitting like completely
asleep next to me, and then h Morgan Shelley made
(35:42):
this cut and I just like stood up and started
yelling my TVs. I'm like, that's how you fucking cut, man,
Like that's exactly how you cut. Like it's such a
good cut, like perfect timing, perfect angle, and more importantly,
like insane pass from Sarah, like I want this crazy
dude literally like gets into a post fame like already
sees Morgan coumbings, he's Morgan coming just like this. That's
(36:03):
the first point she sees her gets to the post
fade off one foot It's like, oh no, it's a
pass instead, and like what like that's so good? Like
that is you can't teach that shit. Like that's just
like seeing stuff and making things happen. And I was like, yeah, there's.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Like we discussed having her as kind of that soul
five quote unquote five men out there, like now you
have someone on the wing who she's playing the four,
but really like that's a guard, you know what I mean?
He he's forced to kind of guard on the perimeter,
and it's just so hard to guard versus five, you
know what I mean, she could probably just sit there
in the key and help.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Yeah. And it was also great too that they because
like I think part of the difficulty too is like
all right, in theory, you're like, all right, you think
she was the lowe man because you have asy there
and it can it just creates miscommunication. It's good. I
loved it. Great cut. I love a good cut. Kennedy.
Yeah this uh man like that quick like just hesitation
(37:03):
go is like sheesh, Like that's so difficult because then
that's I mean, that's how you get the extra help
from Ash and it's not the wrong play like you
need the help. But I think that's the point, Like yeah,
yeah again.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
For me, it's just a quick it's a quick decision
making like she's she's she notices at half court or
at the logo right, Like okay, page is already on
my hip. I don't need to like pull it out
and dribble and call for a screen or like wait
until what we're doing. She's like, she's on my hip.
I have an advantage created, Like that's the only offense
you need, you know what I mean? Yeah, And I
think that was so helpful for them. Obviously they they're
(37:38):
kind of like rotating through a lot of point guards
right now. But I feel like like when she's able
to do that, it just takes so much like pressure
off the rest of them. Do you know what I mean? No?
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Absolutely, Like I think, like, you know, what she brings
us an athlete and like a dynamic player that can
score it all three levels. But then when it becomes okay, cool,
I'm using my eyes and my head to score, and
I'm like this far out and I'm already like making
a decision because it's like obviously it's already tough enough
to guard her in the half court, But then when
it becomes you know, I'm crossing half court and I'm
(38:10):
already I'm not even thinking, like I'm just making a
decision on what to do. That's different. Like that's really
hard to guard because I think, like, I mean, a
lot of last year, like if you guys weren't play
out of transition, it was generally slower, like a little
bit more methodical, having to like kind of run through stuff,
so like speeding things up and having that difference is
just like, I mean, such a tough.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Dynamic because you can't like obviously they're a bit loaded
up still, but like it just makes it harder to
load up as she becomes quicker in her decision making
and like it's just getting like my favorite thing about
you is like when she just can get the rebind
and go, like the faster she can initiate that, Like
the defense is just they're not set up, do you
know what I mean? Like she's having to help off
strong side. It's just the easy corner kick and again, yeah,
(38:50):
shout out Kennedy.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Yeah I thought she Dude, I'm so excited for Kennedy's career. Man,
She's going to be so good. This is like I
think this is the best passage's career, Like insane, just
nasty pass Like obviously I think right here, I saw
a bunch of people saying that this should be a foul
on Kaitlyn Chen. I just don't agree, especially with how
(39:13):
this game was getting called, like there was contact, but
I thought it was kind of both ways, Like I
don't that I don't want to live in a world
where we're calling this foul is my point, Like, but
this I mean, this pass from you is just like
I like right here off one foot across the body
and like we're saying like she sees avery right here,
like no, it's okay, cool, Every's open, everybody's crashing in
(39:35):
on me in the pocket and bang. Also, every had
a couple of nice buckets in this. I was excited
about that. She's gonna be really good.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
I say, with heck, I think she had only two
or three buckets, But I thought.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
Dude, my favorite thing about Kaylee Heckel she's like from
the Marinohanness school of like I will not take a
normal layup, Like it's so funny, dude, because the one
the layups she had and the I think it was
the first quarter of the Notre Dame game was like
the spin cycle Tony Hawk layup, and I was like,
it's just hilarous because she's always been like that from
(40:08):
from when I started watching her, like just has like
a real knack for taking shots like that.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
Now too, I'm pretty sure she was like the highest
oh yeah or something like, which is crazy because obviously
there's some athletes on that team.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
Yeah, no, I believe it. Well, yeah, that closes up
for clips, is there anything else you want to hit
on for you out here.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
I think I touched on everything I wanted to, but
I guess just just all in all, like that game
was that game was that was good hoops. That was
good hoops.
Speaker 1 (40:37):
Yeah. No, that was probably my favorite game of the season.
I'm excited to watch more and just kind of see
how things go for both these teams, because obviously, I
think the goal is both teams want to obously get
to the final four and go go from there, you know,
Like I think that's the goal for any team that's
in the top ten right now. But I think both
these teams have the have the juice to make it work.
I think my thing that I didn't highlight that I
(40:59):
would say I continue to be like really happy with
seeing how Kekey is improving it, like making plays out
of the middle of the floor. I think like in
that Notre Dame game, like we talked about, there are
some moments where like, okay, cool, as soon as she
pivoted off the catch, like they were sending help from
from the opposite slot, and she struggled with that in
that game. And she had plays in this game where
(41:20):
I thought she just made some really great reads where like,
you know, all it takes is you know what gravity
she has as a post scorer, So being able to
like just like quickly move the ball after you draw
too is so big and next level stuff and helping
this team here. So excited to see her pep building
off that for sure. Well, everyone watching Horse keep up
with everything Kenzie Forbes is doing our very own world
(41:43):
traveling lobe trotter Hooper Hans there anything you want to
shout out for you out here?
Speaker 2 (41:51):
No man shots got that dub be up there.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Yeah, it only took me a year to figure out
what it means. Fight on h
Welcome into the episode they've gotten now. I am really
excited to be joined today by favorite hooper from down Under.
I guess I don't know is New Zealand down Under?
I think it's down Under. It's close enough. It's right
by Australia, Kensie Forbes. Back in the United States, we're
here to chop it up about some basketball. Kenzie, how
you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I'm doing great. Happy to be here with you, Mark.
I love chat hoops with you.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
So likewise likewise, I gotta ask you real quick before
we even get started on Uh. We're obviously here to
talk about usc U Coon, which was arguably the game
of the year so far in college basketball. But a
guy who spent most most of the last year coaching
you that you you got to be around, Chris Coklanis
just got hireds Dallas Wings head coach. What's what's first
(00:47):
vibe thoughts from somebody who had, you know, first first
hand perspective being coached by him.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Oh, Chris, Like couldn't say enough good things about him,
obviously had the whole year with him last year. Just
in terms of player development, I think grew my game
so much like film breakdown and just his ability to
communicate like changes or like reads that he's seeing, Like
I feel like he's he's one of the best that
(01:13):
I've ever experienced. And obviously I think he has that
that resume in the W to show for it, and
I think he's gonna be great. And obviously being under
Kurt like for so many years, like I don't I
don't know if anyone's too surprised at that higher but
I love it. I think he's going to do great
and I'm super happy for him.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yeah, no, I don't know him personally, but just you know,
hearing from anybody who's been around him in Connecticut, SC
nothing a good thing. So I'm excited to see what
that looks like now because we also got Washington's hired today.
We finally have all the coaches in the W set up.
So it feels like I have no idea how it
happened all in one month, but we're here finally. So
(01:52):
excited to see how kind of like the rest of
the off season unfolds, because I have a feeling it's
going to be an absolutely insane one. But you know,
diving into this game, obviously, I think USC and Yukon
of both ironically both struggled a little bit with some
stuff early on in the season as they're kind of
figuring themselves out, as we already know they're going to
(02:12):
be really good teams, but being like that top flight
contender where they both want to be dealing with Notre
Dame and strugglers that came with those games separately. What
was kind of your feel as a USC Lumpson was
on this team last year, what was your feel headed
into this game for what it could look like for
the Trojans.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Yeah, I definitely was excited. I think after the Notre
Dame game, like obviously there was like some areas to
improve for them, and I think I was just excited
to see that growth. And I feel like I did
like the way that they came out on the road
in Connecticut. I feel like there was an assertive an
assertive attention to detail to the game plan, and I
(02:50):
felt like that was one of Lindsay's main gripes. I
think it was like a halftime interview against Better Dame,
but I felt like everyone was locked in on the
game plan and they really came out aggressive and at
I was happy to see it as an alum, and
you know obviously got their their look back a little
bit from that Elite eight heartbreaker. So it feels good
as an alum to see the way they came out.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
It's kind of funny too because like just thinking back
about that Elite eight game, like a lot of difference
on both teams is kind of like wild thinking about
like obviously, yeah, like you have like kind of the
bones there, like it's Page versus Juju, but like Edwards
was on that team. You know you look back obviously
me Ka mule at us see you, Like I think
this team I want to say I looked at it yesterday.
(03:31):
I think there was like fifty seven percent of the
minutes that that you guys had as a team last
year or back in twenty twenty four to twenty five.
A lot of freshmen playing and getting their footing under
Kiki obviously coming in and taking on a whole new
system and role and kind of figuring that out. Like
so it was a lot of similarity but also a
lot of change from this last season. I wanted to
(03:54):
ask you just in general, like when you prepare for
that Elite eight game and playing Yukon with especially with
what they do offensively, Like I think that hasn't changed
as much. What was that like? Because I think it
can be easy if you're not in it, like playing
against it or you know, like looking from a top
(04:16):
slowing everything down, you don't really see it. But like
there's so much that happens in that offense. And I thought,
I mean that was the biggest thing that I takeaways.
Like I thought USC's defense in this game was phenomenal.
But like when again, like yeah, going back to you,
like when you prepare to play that kind of offense,
what was that like last year? And yeah, and kind
of like getting an insight under that.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Yeah, I'm not gonna lie Elite daid is. It's a
one day turnaround, So like it was tough, Like it
was a tough scout and obviously if you haven't played
a team like that, like not a lot of teams
in the Pac twe over running that kind of offense.
So like it was a tough turnaround for that scout.
And obviously you have page you're trying figure out, Okay,
how are we gardener on the pin on how we
(05:00):
got around this? And with Paige, you know, if you
mess up one time, you know she's going to make
the correct read, she's going to get her back doors.
So I mean I thought that as a team, you know,
we were locked in trying to do the best we could.
But I think it's low key like a whirlwind of
like the turnaround and the scout and like you just
you're on the high from the last game and you know,
(05:21):
I thought we went out there and like tried our best.
I don't think we were horrible, but I think this
year you could definitely tell, okay that scout was prepared
and they worked on things for a week, do you
know what I mean? And I think they came out
and executed that like a lot better, especially like in
terms of on page. So I was impressed by that.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Yeah, No, I think that's such a good point because
like you could feel that in this game, Like I
I was just thinking to myself today, like watching it
was like this felt like watching like an NBA playoff game,
Like we're at that level of like scout preparations. I
think both teams had had like almost a week off.
It's been a lot of time in between, and you
get to this and it's like being able to have
(05:58):
that kind of separation is huge, right, like being able
to like just take that time, be able to like
break everything down, see what's happened throughout the year, Cause
like you said, I mean breaking down and having a
scout ready and like it's not actually twenty four hours,
because really you got to be ready so much faster
than that, actually be able to game plan and have
the scout out, like actually go through the scout and practice.
Like no, it's like no time. I can't even imagine,
(06:21):
so like having that entire like you could feel that
in this game. And I think it's so interesting because,
like I understand why some fans get frustrated watching the game,
like oh, both the offenses suck this and that, Like
really the offense isn't sucking this game, first of all,
But secondly, I think especially like it happened a lot
with the WNBA Finals in game five where like everything's
(06:42):
slogged down, everything was a slog from Minnesota, New York,
like they know everything exactly they know. Like the reason
it looks like a slog is because like even if
if you want to take that second half when USC's
offense slow down a little bit because they run through
five six actions in Yukon Guards incredibly well. Same thing
with like guarding Yukon. Like, I think that's what separates
(07:04):
a lot of stuff from like when you're looking at
conference play when you have a game every two or
three days to okay, when you have a week off
or you know, four or five days before you have
a big time primetime matchup, Like that's just such a
difference in preparation and being able to like hammer home
some of these points and seeing that play out was
really fun. So especially like watching the way that this
(07:27):
team got guard. I think one of the things that
stood out was like number one, they didn't want usc
didn't want anything with Page on slips. I think everything
was almost switching everything one through five, at least one
through four, and then anytime Page was a screener, don't
don't switch and don't let her slip.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Like there's one play Actually when I rewatched it today,
I think it was like Tvo and maybe Kennedy, but
Tvo chases it because Page was a screener, and then
it ended up slipping. I think it went back to
Shade and she got a drive and I could see
Tvo'd be like, we're not like, we're not switching, bro. Yeah,
and I was like, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Yeah, so it was like really fun watching that play
out game plan wise. I think for for Yukon watching
their game plan, it was I think part of what
was really fun in that game. Number One you can
see like obviously this Yukon team is trying to really
figure some things out roster wise, is they've dealt with
a lot of bumps and bruises. I think asy was
only a lot to play like ten minutes in this game,
(08:23):
if that, But watching them go from like early on
playing double big to just fully leading into Sarah Strong
at the five in the second half, which is where
we like really saw things hit for their offense. And
I think even though they lost this game, I'm fascinated
see what that looks like going on moving forwards. I
believe this is the first game we really got that
(08:43):
lineup of playing with Sarah Strong at the five and
getting like a full four guards in Sarah. I'm really
excited to see if they lean into that in Big
East play, because I think that's their best lineup with
what they have this year. And I know a lot
of people like, oh, well you really need to have
Janna or you know, now, i'f your Ice really figured
it out at the five, and honestly, I just think
it's at the point where, like with what it does
(09:05):
opening everything else up for them, I just think best
line up Sarah at the five, man like especially like
that because you look at this, like obviously this SC
team is like I think that's the biggest difference from
last year's like playing because like Katie was a four
last year, but I feel like Kati is like so mobile,
She's like a garden a lot of ways. Kiki is
a true big and like obviously she's very mobile too,
(09:26):
but like you're playing true double big with her and Rea.
So I think watching that kind of chess match go
back and forth of like playing small and playing against
the team with like I mean, everybody is long and
has a lot of activity on that USC roster. Like,
I think that was my favorite part of the game,
just kind of getting to see that go back and
(09:47):
forth throughout because I mean it was I want to say,
it was what like a ten oh run in like
about eighty seconds when they switched to Sarah at the five.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
Pole league.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Yeah, it was nasty and it wasn't just like lucky buckets,
like there was some force turnovers knowing me wrong, but
it was like you just see the sheer difference and
how the floor changes in tilts because like you watch
and we're gonna go through some cliffs at the end
of this, but like you watch and it's like, Okay,
at the beginning, when Sarah and Ice around the floor together,
or if Janna and and and uh Sarah on the
(10:21):
floor together, it's like, okay, cool, Ray is down below
the free throw line. And there was even like some
cross matching too, so it's typically like Keiki would stay
on Sarah and Ray would take whoever and uh or
I guess, I mean it was crossmatching later on in
the game, but it was like, okay, cool, let's we're
just staying below the free throw line. You know, we're
gonna make this hard. We're not giving you anything. And
(10:43):
that was fascinat too, because even like you kind of
they started doing a little bit of like kind of
pitch and catch stuff with the five just to like
work against that, and then you saw some change up
from there, and like, I don't know, it was just
again like a lot of really fun stuff with with
how all that played out.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Going off that, though, I think we can start by
talking about Juju, because like I think Juju is, like
I mean, she is the player we have to talk
about with this game. There's a lot we can talk
we have to and we'll talk about with this game.
But I think we talked about this beforehand, and I
said it during the game with about a quarter ram
but I was like, this is like the most not
that Juju hasn't been ployees before, like obviously have to
(11:22):
be to be the level of player she is and
do what she did last year, but I think the
vision and patience that we saw from her in this game,
to me was like that's the bestest look from her
in college ended periods since I've started watching her. Like
she's always had like all of the incredible dribble moves
and ability to do things at her size, but I think,
(11:42):
like it feels like she's really starting to weaponize and
figure out how that stuff can manipulate a defense. And
we saw that go from like it happened a couple
of times in the first quarter. It's like, oh no,
now I'm starting to like kind of pick apart what
she want to do. That's really exciting stuff because that's
just like you think about what that means movie before
and like wow, because that was pretty wild to watch
(12:03):
in real time.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
Yeah no, I think like I was mentioning to you
as well, like just the way she was initiating offense
with like discernment. I think that was the word that
came to mind for me, because like she's just coming
down and she knows what she wants. She's getting into
her pitch and play or her touch and play, and
I obviously it's just so hard to guard with her,
(12:24):
like you go on, you're screwed, you chase her over
the top of you're screwed. And I think like you're saying,
like now she's using her headies to really manipulate because
she knows, now, okay, help's coming from here. I have
my corner kicks, whatever it may be. But I feel
like she was just so elite an initiating offense in
this game. It was almost like like we were saying,
like she was damn near like the point guard, you know.
So it was impressive.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
Yeah no, especially with like I mean you as soon
as you get stuff going in early offense with her too,
Like that's just so tough because like I don't know.
I just don't think. I think one of the things
that I struggled with is like I just don't think
people recognize how big Jusual is, which is like the
hard part, right because I think people are like, yeah,
she's like six feet tall, she's really six two, and
like it doesn't sound that like crazy in your head,
(13:07):
but like okay, cool. Well, like Tamika Catchings was six
foot two, six foot three, like and as incredible as
Tamika was, like she didn't have the level of ball
control and like just sheer pop that Juju has, like
nobody does. That's the point, but like having that at
that size, like it's just it's a very tough element
(13:28):
of like, Okay, how do we guard this? Because there
was a point where I want to say it was
the second quarter, like mid second quarter, where I actually
thought Ashl and Shade had a really good pickup point.
She picked up Juju probably like six feet above the arc,
which is where you have to honestly, it goes right,
Ray is about the screen. Juju just says, no, goes
forward anyways, goes right ashean is a pretty good job
(13:49):
scene with it, and then Juju snatches back gets the
ree screen from Raya, which awesome play from Raya.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
I'm gonna say I thought did a great job of
being in the spot.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Yeah yeah, yeah. And then just I mean she's splashed that.
I was like, I was just thinking about I'm like,
there's nobody can guard that, Like you can't guard that, literally,
Like how.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Is feeling good early in the game too, Like now
she just has whatever she wants because.
Speaker 1 (14:11):
Obviously, yeah, the pull up was so tough in that,
and we're gonna like like we said, we're gonna dive
into some plays on that. But again, like that, I
just I don't know how how else illustrate people, Like
I think, jus you continue to grow as a playmaker,
Like it's been a pretty rapid growth the last couple
of years, and to see where it's starting to get
to now, I think this is a really exciting jumping
(14:33):
off point because like once you start, I'm sure there's
stuff that's been like seen and practice tons, but like
once it happens in a game, you can really pinpoint
that and then start continuing to build off that. Really
exciting for sure.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
I think even just the growth in the what was
it two three weeks since her name, Like that's insane
and it.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Was massive and if yeah, it only being that long,
it's kind of crazy to think about it, but yeah,
I mean that that shift in that growth was monumental
going off that though. I mean, let's talk about Page
a little bit, because I think it was fun because
you really got to see them guard one another, like
coming right out the gates doing that. Obviously USC switched
a ton, but in general, like they were their primary assignments.
(15:14):
So I love seeing that, just kind of getting to
see that that kind of like movie that this game was.
In a way, I thought Fox did a really great
job of building this up honestly as like just being
a really great matchup between two good teams. I love
watching Page, man, I think the tough part of her because,
like I gets so interesting, Like I I struggle so
(15:35):
much with like how much comparison happens and stuff, like
it's always like, oh, well, this player and that player
in that player, and like, I think part of what
makes it so fun is watching how differently these players operate,
even though like yeah, like maybe black scores and results
can be similar, Like it's just like the difference, and
to me, it's like Page's shiftiness is just so different,
(15:55):
Like there's a a play I want to say, let
me pull up my notes because I know, like I
don't want to get the timing room. But there was
just like a cut she had, and that's that's the
hard part, Like anytime she gets a screen, like she's
one of the few players where like can like I
would actually consider like cutting like a mode of creation
for her because she's just so good at doing it
(16:16):
and setting things up and selling it like anything. Like
there was a playoff out of Chicago Action just like
pinned down into a handoff where she just like totally
jukes out. I think it was Avery sends her right
into kk Arnold and then just comes like tightly off something.
I think that's what's so on about watching Pages, Like
everything she does looks so easy and effective, but like
(16:40):
it's because it's so freaking hard man, Like that's I
Like I watched her how she how she moves, and
my knees are just like ah, brother, Like.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Oh, even like the hight thing too, you're saying about
you like Page might be like six to one bro
like having all I'm like, Okay, She's not one of
those like oh, all the guards like to say, they're
six feet now you I mean, like she's really taught.
I was think of that same thing too. I'm like, like,
how did she always get these back doors? Bro? But
it's like her setup is just so elite and her
movement is efficient. She doesn't waste any movement, like you know.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
What I mean. So yeah, and it's fun too because
like she has like no wagging how she moves either,
like if she wants to do something just happens, like
there's no like thought. It just happens like she's And
that's that's tough because you can't teach that. And they
got a lot out of like doing stuff back door.
So that was fun to watch.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
After the ATO, I think it was like two forty
left in the fourth maybe when he called the time
out they tried to get something for Sarah out of
the time.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Oh yeah, yeah, yep, it was yeah. In that that cut,
I know that was the hard part because like going
like I don't so I don't have that clip pulled up,
but like literally from that one, I think part of
what was so fun. Actually, honestly, I think I could
pull it up right now. One second part what was
so fun in that play. It's exactly like you're saying,
(17:57):
because they like that was just so good execution wise
and like thought process because it was like, all right,
well let me actually I'll get it pulled up because
I want to make sure that I can actually show it. Yeah,
so literally, like this is just this is phenomenal stuff, right,
all right, so you get up especially right now, like
(18:18):
automatically with everything playing like we talked about with like
Sarah plane at the five. If they go and they
go five out, you actually have to play and guard
it like it's five out. So instead of like if
Morgan Shelly right here was Ice Brady, like and I
don't mean this is like Ice, it's just how it
was getting played, Like Kiki has a flip in the paint,
if this is Ice Brady. Instead Morgan Shelly has already
hit a three at this point and you have to
(18:38):
guard so automatically stationer over there. Get Juju away from
this play too, because she's been a menace off the
ball defensively, which we didn't even talk about. But get
Sarah out top and this is the hard part, right,
So like automatically cool page is a screener. Caitlin comes off,
you switch that because you don't want to give anything
up off of a pop or anything like that. And
(19:00):
then oh hey, I'll just put this instead, And like I'm.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
So worried about her getting the ball. That's why the
back door works so well, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Yeah, Like it's so sudden, like okay, cool, it's like
half a second she's already selling into her move as
soon as TVO is like switching this and getting onto it.
Is a great pass by Sarah too, like perfectly.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
It's so underrated to have literally just a reliable passer,
like when you're when you're in an ato and you're like, okay,
who's passing the ball in? Or who who's making the read?
Like I just feel like Sarah is so elite in
that and it's like that's not that shouldn't be underrated skilled,
you know what I mean, Like he knows all in
her hands, like she knows the reason she's going to
make the right play. Yeah, freshman is it's it's impressive.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
No, absolutely, And like even going off that too, like
thinking about the last second, last play that they have
when I think it was thirty seconds left, they took
another time out. You kind of did, and they put
the ball in Sarah's hands again, except this time it's
an emptied out corner for Sarah and Paige. And I
think it's fun because it plays right off this place.
So here you get Paige off the back door with
her cutting ability. Pages, the inbounder in the thirty seconds
(20:05):
left play gives it to Sarah. Sarah has the opportunity
for for dho but automatically fix it because Kennedy just
like walls off like Page is kno getting the ball.
But that's the thing too, Like Sarah doesn't think at all.
She just goes and like gets a half step on
rayas basket and I think, like again, like being able
to have all those built in things to me is
like that's the stuff. That's just like, ah, it's so tough.
(20:27):
It's so fun to watch because even in this like
you watch that last play that that Lindsay calls with uh,
that that that sent juju to the line like start
out in flat Raya comes up to set the screen,
then immediately goes out Hey roll replaces Ray goes to
(20:48):
the dunker spot, and Kiki sets screen from opposite side,
so Sarah's middle of the floor she's not technically in
help Juju rejects goes downhill on it's one on one,
and it's like that kind of stuff again, like it
you watch it in real time and it's like, okay, cool,
like Juji went to the foul and but then you
think about all this stuff like okay, cool, Well you
took the only big on the floor out of play,
and by having the fake at the beginning, you don't
(21:09):
give an ability to pre switch and make something like
just kind of like difficult and load up and I
don't know, like that stuff is so fun to watch
and makes you think so much more about it and
just thinking to like seeing like you know the way
that this stuff is called out in thought through them,
Like I can't even imagine having to do that in
game myself as a coach. So it's like, yeah, it
was just such an elite chess match in like the
(21:31):
last three four minutes of this game, the whole game,
but especially the last couple of minutes I was like
really impressed with. But I mean, on that notion, let's
talk about Sarah Strong, because man, she is good, Like
what a player, dude, I know she missed, Yeah, she
missed that last shot. I don't care. I think it's
(21:51):
so like it's honestly hilarious because I was so impressed
with that last shot from her because like, obviously set
up high balls green, Sarah goes out and Page going
away pitches it back to Sarah off the pop and
she didn't think at all. She just let it go.
And like, to me, that was what I was most
impressed by. Says like, you're a freshman in that moment,
(22:13):
in a time when you need the shot and you
need the game, and obviously she gets the foul from you,
and like, I just love that from Sarah. It's like, yes,
again she misses the shot technically, but at the same point,
I don't care because like she gets the foul because
she doesn't think, like and you have to guard her.
Like she's been so lethal as a shooter, Like and
seeing her go from just being like, Okay, cool, I'm
(22:34):
hitting spot up to now I'm doing some stuff as
a movement threat is wild. Like I mean they're running
inverted pick and roll and stuff for her, Like they're
doing so much that is like being this level of
player with the composure and feel for the game she
has already is just like absolutely nutty to me. But yeah,
I want to hear what you have to say about
Sarah because like watching her players, Yeah, it's it's so
(22:55):
fun man.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
Yeah. No, I was thinking the same thing on her
three ball, like even just I told you I was
setting some of their games, like leading up to this matchup,
Like that's the first hand I was like, she does
not think about that three ball, bro Like she shoots
a lot of threes with like hand in her face,
like where a lot of people, like you're saying, are like, oh,
like I don't, like I couldn't get it off, you
know what I mean, Like I feel like she has
no conscience in that regard, and so like I agree
(23:17):
with you, Like I love that last shot from her,
And like you're saying, like if she hesitates or pump
fakes maybe or whatever, like she's not gonna get that
foul that foul call. But yeah, I just feel like
her poison, her feel sends out the most for me.
I know we're going to go through some clips later
of her ability to pass out of the post, and
I think, like we just showed him that clip, like
she makes it seems like she makes the right play
(23:38):
every time which is so impressive for a freshman. Doesn't
matter if she's an initiator, being a passer, being a
hub like with Page coming off, or or if they
just throw it down to her in the post. There's
another action too where I think they go too high
and she just seals keky like yeah, protected grad see
this kid's eighteen.
Speaker 1 (23:56):
Bro, Like yeah, that's I think that's the craziest yeah,
having her, because I think one of the things that
goes underrated, Like people just say, like has good footwork,
and typically you mean like one area, but Sarah has
good footwork in like so many different areas of the court,
and like that's difficult because like I can point out
a player who's like, okay, let's say somebody who has
(24:18):
like good foot like Juju has good footwork on the perimeter,
but she's not really Like I mean, I think she'll
be a post of threat and has like done some
stuff in that, but like if I put Juju down
in the post, she doesn't have the same level of
footwork as like being somebody who can create out a
triple threat in her jab series, but like Sarah can
just like I mean, dude, her footwork everywhere is crazy,
and especially like you said on that post, she did that,
(24:38):
I want to say she did that, did that in
the Notre game, Notre Notre Damn game as well, which
is that quick spin seal and like that's so nasty
because like so often like okay, you have to spin
and then seal as most players, Like that's how most
people do it. But like having that down in your
bag at eighteen is crazy, Like that was because I
mean she gets simple baskets just by doing little things
(25:01):
like that that are very fundamental, but also a lot
of players just don't have because that's I mean, it's
not easy stuff to like completely just wrap out and
get great at.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Another thing I'm thinking about too, is like even just
like the way she's scoring out of the post, Like
I'm pretty sure if we pulled every clip, like she
scored in a different way, like every time like she
gets to her fade, she gets to her like face
up job go right, Like no one clip. I think
it was on Ju where she just kind of gets
in like slight things but like gets into her body
and gets that angle to finish, like had the same
(25:31):
one on Rhya. Like it's it's really impressive, but I mean, yeah,
I think she's gonna be scary.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Yeah, exactly, that's the crazy part. Like she already is scary,
and like getting into even more of that is like wild.
But like you said on the baskets, like I think
she is. She like her and Page together is what
makes it so difficult, right, Like obviously they have a
whole roster and doing a lot of stuff with that,
but like everything Yukon was doing, in my opinion, was
to get to that two player game because that's where
(26:01):
they could put the most damage in on a defense.
And I think that was the really fun part to watch.
Excuse me, Like chess match wise, was like they didn't
want to give anything to Page off of a slip
or cut, particularly on anything forty five because like she's
just that's so you don't want anything going in the
middle of the defense. But like the hard part was
how do we stop Sarah from getting out on slips
(26:22):
because especially with this team coming out switching to really
take away anything from from Page, like it became okay, cool,
well we're taking this away from Page. But then here's
Sarah in the post with the mismatcher, and like this
is the again, the crazy part is like watching her.
There's a play where it's a middle ball screen and
she gets ah, I want to say she gets I
(26:44):
think she has kay Lee on her in like the
second quarter, and it's like right in the middle of
the floor. So like Ray is like in the dunker
spot like sort of like a little bit more to
the dunker spot slash middle on the left, and so
like Sarah gets her mismatching just standing there. She like
takes her down to the empty corner and I'm like,
little things like that is so big because like you
(27:06):
give yourself way more room to operate, you don't let
the help come over immediately, and then you can still
play one on one and she ends up getting just
like a quick post fade out of it, and like
little things like that because I.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
Think likes like he knows what she's going to when
she catches it.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
Yeah, it's it's nasty. She's so freaking good. But yeah,
like just seeing like all like the little intricacies of
her game are so fun. I do want to talk
on a couple more things before we get to this clip.
I do just have to highlight kk Arnold in like
the third quarter, her like that run that you can
put together. I don't know why she didn't really play
much in the fourth. I was a little bit surprised
(27:43):
by that because I thought she was so good and
instrumental in that third quarter, like obviously the on ball
defense helping force turnovers. But then she had some really
strong drives in the baskets, a couple of nice plays,
like had the play where forced the turnover and then
kicked it out the page for this for the side
step three, I saw she was a real energy bunny
(28:03):
and like making stuff happen in that game, in that
that stint where she really got to play. But even then,
like I thought, kaylen Chen like she played really good
defense on I was really impressed with that too.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Is good, like she's a good defender. Bro, I agree
with that.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
I think two other kind of more role player shoutouts.
Kennedy Smith I thought was huge knocking down open corner
three even just to start the game, like us, he
had so many deflections like that one. I think in
the first quarter she just kind of knocks out of
her body and it goes this way. The block she
had on the same block, like and obviously just knocking
(28:41):
out open shots, and like her on ball defense as well,
like as a point of attack defender, like I think
she might have been in limited minutes as well, still
and easy, but I thought I thought she was great in.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
Her Yeah, well that's exactly what we're talking about, because
like that's what makes that's part of what makes us
team so tough. Like you really can switch like one
through five if you one with this group, Like Okay,
Kennedy is so good and it's not like I think
one of my I don't even want to say grigs
one of the things. I do think there were some
moments where, like I'm sure Lindsay would say, like would
like to see it be like more aggressive switching, because
(29:12):
there was like some moments where it was like a
little bit of softer switching where they just kind of
let stuff happen in the second half when Yukon' would
run happened, but like in that first quarter, like every
switch was like nasty. It was like we're taking away
stuff instead of like you're you're just taking you're just
changing matchups. It was more like okay, no, we're taking
this away from you. We're closing down in the pocket.
And like when you have like Kennedy and you together
(29:35):
with that well. Also, like I mean, ray has been
one of the best defenders in the country this year.
She's already good last year, very good, but like its
just continue to get even better, Like the amount of
plays that you see Raya make, like I put together
an edit, like just going through I'm like, man, she's
just making play after play after play in this game.
And like you go from that too to like I thought,
(29:55):
Kiki had some really great moments as well, like just
switching out, like there was a late container in the
four when all it takes is like a slight breakdown
on something, especially like again with how well Sarah has
played in that game and how well Page has played
and how easily she can get her shot off, Like
all it takes is like a slight hesitation miscommunication mess up,
(30:15):
and then Page is wide open at the end of
that quarter. Instead, Keiki has a great switch out contains
gets her hands up and jumps early to force Page
to have the shot clock run out. And like there's
little things like that, like the amount of like the
amount of length that this team has collectively, especially again,
like Kennedy is six to one and plays like she's
six seven at times like Juju is just insane, Like
(30:39):
some of the blocks she had, like obviously like that
one she had, because that was the crazy one to you,
like Page, that one. I want to say it was
second quarter first No, actually might have been first quarter
because that was early in the game when Juju had
that like just like astic block then to the rim,
but it was like Page just had like the sick
(30:59):
move to shed Kiky off her and then Page is
not Paige, and then ju just comes down of nowhere
and spots it. And like the fun part too, is
like she swats it through herself, like always keeps the
ball in play. I don't know how she does that
because like so many people people just want to like
send the ball into the into the stands. But yeah, dude,
(31:19):
like I think it's kind of crazy because like even
with usually like as good as her offenses, which is
like I mean that's saying something like her offense is insane.
But like I think she has the chance to be
like one of the greatest defenders of all time, like
with what she does, what.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
She brokes doesn't even like tech, and there's so.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Much more that she can like even like quote unquote
clean up. But like at the same time, like she
kind of bucks the trend of like doing some things
where like I doesn't even necessarily need to clean things
up because her recovery ability is so nasty, because even
like the second block she had on page was like
I think it was technically a blown coverage. She helped
out on the wing and then just closed out and
(31:57):
like you know it was it was Ashley Shade, not Paige.
It's just like, you know, stuff like that. I'm like, man, like,
how do you even do? Yeah? And it's like, yeah,
it was just nasty stuff. But I think last role
player shout out and have Morgan Shelly. I liked her
minutes a lot. In this game, we actually have a
(32:18):
player we're gonna run through from her as well that
connects with Sarah. But like in general, I'm like, somebody
I've always liked was really good at Archbishop MIDI, very
good in AAU, somebody who I think is gonna have
a very good college career and from there too, especially
like she was so big in them opening up that
that lineup with playing with Sarah at the Fly was
(32:38):
like I was really impressed with her ability to play
with at the four with physicality, but then also like
they use their screener a bunch got her off the
pop at one point, and then that's where it's like, oh, shoot,
we have to like really guard everybody. Like I'm excited
to see how they kind of keep veering into that
and what that can look like. Because I was just
really impressed with her play overall. Yeah, I mean automatically,
(33:00):
like god, dude, just like starting in this game.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Yeah, I just love the pitch and play with her
and Reya at the top.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
Yeah, that was one of my I like you bring
that up because that was one of my favorite parts
about this game from jew Is, Like how much she
started to work that, so I think that was kind
of an area for growth that she could get into.
Was like, so just to like, I don't know you
all right, I want to hear from you, Like when
you're talking about like pitch and play, what that can
open up for a player. Why do you like that? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:28):
I just love it for jew one. I think sometimes
when you're such a ball dominant player. I think for
us last year too, like it just so ball screen heavy,
Like sometimes it's nice to just get that pitch and
play just to get it out of your hands because
now you can play off the cut as well, and
I think you're less predictable, like in terms of coming
off of it, do you know what I mean? Yeah,
not cut it, you know what I mean, all that
(33:49):
type of stuff. So I think for you, like once
her three ball is hitting, now I'm in the pitch
and play, you kind of have to chase over the
top because if you go under obviously was he what
happens here? And now next time just go over And
then now you're on her hip and she's playing heavy,
which I think we have one later, and so I
just love it her because it just gets it out
of her hands quickly, Like she's so hard to guard
(34:10):
in this, do you know what I mean? It almost
makes a big the big has to respect the ball
in Ray's hands for at least a second, you know
what I mean. So it makes it harder for Sarah
to kind of take that step over and show really
which would obviously like help the on ball defender.
Speaker 1 (34:24):
Yeah, no, I love that because exactly what you're saying.
I think it's like it's just like as like a buffer,
like just like something where you have to like it
makes you think it's a defender right, like you just
you don't just get to like play straight up in
isolation of her.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
Hands, like she could go anywhere, you.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
Know what I mean, And she exactly. I mean, like
she's so fast, she's so dynamic, like moving where she
wants to go that it's like, I mean, what do
you do? It's not even bad defense from page it's
just like, what what do you want me to do
in the situation? It's great screen from Raya, Like I
think obviously the goal is you don't want to go
under on this, but at the same time, too, like
it's not easy to just fully go under on this, so.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
The thing is too like I mean, she gets there
with contests, but jud doesn't need a lot of time
because her release plan is so high on her pull up.
But yeah, I just love that her coming down And
I think too, I like how she just gets straight
into it, like yeah, I think that's another part of
her growth from last year of like just coming down
and knowing exactly what she wants to get to.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Yeah, yeah, not, I haven't waste any time. H Yeah,
right here, this is like, ah man, this is one
of my This is just about my favorite play of
the game. So I uh, what time was happened. It's
probably like nine o'clock at the point where probably like
eight forty five ish my dog was sitting like completely
asleep next to me, and then h Morgan Shelley made
(35:42):
this cut and I just like stood up and started
yelling my TVs. I'm like, that's how you fucking cut, man,
Like that's exactly how you cut. Like it's such a
good cut, like perfect timing, perfect angle, and more importantly,
like insane pass from Sarah, like I want this crazy
dude literally like gets into a post fame like already
sees Morgan coumbings, he's Morgan coming just like this. That's
(36:03):
the first point she sees her gets to the post
fade off one foot It's like, oh no, it's a
pass instead, and like what like that's so good? Like
that is you can't teach that shit. Like that's just
like seeing stuff and making things happen. And I was like, yeah, there's.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
Like we discussed having her as kind of that soul
five quote unquote five men out there, like now you
have someone on the wing who she's playing the four,
but really like that's a guard, you know what I mean?
He he's forced to kind of guard on the perimeter,
and it's just so hard to guard versus five, you
know what I mean, she could probably just sit there
in the key and help.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Yeah. And it was also great too that they because
like I think part of the difficulty too is like
all right, in theory, you're like, all right, you think
she was the lowe man because you have asy there
and it can it just creates miscommunication. It's good. I
loved it. Great cut. I love a good cut. Kennedy.
Yeah this uh man like that quick like just hesitation
(37:03):
go is like sheesh, Like that's so difficult because then
that's I mean, that's how you get the extra help
from Ash and it's not the wrong play like you
need the help. But I think that's the point, Like yeah,
yeah again.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
For me, it's just a quick it's a quick decision
making like she's she's she notices at half court or
at the logo right, Like okay, page is already on
my hip. I don't need to like pull it out
and dribble and call for a screen or like wait
until what we're doing. She's like, she's on my hip.
I have an advantage created, Like that's the only offense
you need, you know what I mean? Yeah, And I
think that was so helpful for them. Obviously they they're
(37:38):
kind of like rotating through a lot of point guards
right now. But I feel like like when she's able
to do that, it just takes so much like pressure
off the rest of them. Do you know what I mean? No?
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Absolutely, Like I think, like, you know, what she brings
us an athlete and like a dynamic player that can
score it all three levels. But then when it becomes okay, cool,
I'm using my eyes and my head to score, and
I'm like this far out and I'm already like making
a decision because it's like obviously it's already tough enough
to guard her in the half court, But then when
it becomes you know, I'm crossing half court and I'm
(38:10):
already I'm not even thinking, like I'm just making a
decision on what to do. That's different. Like that's really
hard to guard because I think, like, I mean, a
lot of last year, like if you guys weren't play
out of transition, it was generally slower, like a little
bit more methodical, having to like kind of run through stuff,
so like speeding things up and having that difference is
just like, I mean, such a tough.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Dynamic because you can't like obviously they're a bit loaded
up still, but like it just makes it harder to
load up as she becomes quicker in her decision making
and like it's just getting like my favorite thing about
you is like when she just can get the rebind
and go, like the faster she can initiate that, Like
the defense is just they're not set up, do you
know what I mean? Like she's having to help off
strong side. It's just the easy corner kick and again, yeah,
(38:50):
shout out Kennedy.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Yeah I thought she Dude, I'm so excited for Kennedy's career. Man,
She's going to be so good. This is like I
think this is the best passage's career, Like insane, just
nasty pass Like obviously I think right here, I saw
a bunch of people saying that this should be a foul
on Kaitlyn Chen. I just don't agree, especially with how
(39:13):
this game was getting called, like there was contact, but
I thought it was kind of both ways, Like I
don't that I don't want to live in a world
where we're calling this foul is my point, Like, but
this I mean, this pass from you is just like
I like right here off one foot across the body
and like we're saying like she sees avery right here,
like no, it's okay, cool, Every's open, everybody's crashing in
(39:35):
on me in the pocket and bang. Also, every had
a couple of nice buckets in this. I was excited
about that. She's gonna be really good.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
I say, with heck, I think she had only two
or three buckets, But I thought.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
Dude, my favorite thing about Kaylee Heckel she's like from
the Marinohanness school of like I will not take a
normal layup, Like it's so funny, dude, because the one
the layups she had and the I think it was
the first quarter of the Notre Dame game was like
the spin cycle Tony Hawk layup, and I was like,
it's just hilarous because she's always been like that from
(40:08):
from when I started watching her, like just has like
a real knack for taking shots like that.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
Now too, I'm pretty sure she was like the highest
oh yeah or something like, which is crazy because obviously
there's some athletes on that team.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
Yeah, no, I believe it. Well, yeah, that closes up
for clips, is there anything else you want to hit
on for you out here.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
I think I touched on everything I wanted to, but
I guess just just all in all, like that game
was that game was that was good hoops. That was
good hoops.
Speaker 1 (40:37):
Yeah. No, that was probably my favorite game of the season.
I'm excited to watch more and just kind of see
how things go for both these teams, because obviously, I
think the goal is both teams want to obously get
to the final four and go go from there, you know,
Like I think that's the goal for any team that's
in the top ten right now. But I think both
these teams have the have the juice to make it work.
I think my thing that I didn't highlight that I
(40:59):
would say I continue to be like really happy with
seeing how Kekey is improving it, like making plays out
of the middle of the floor. I think like in
that Notre Dame game, like we talked about, there are
some moments where like, okay, cool, as soon as she
pivoted off the catch, like they were sending help from
from the opposite slot, and she struggled with that in
that game. And she had plays in this game where
(41:20):
I thought she just made some really great reads where like,
you know, all it takes is you know what gravity
she has as a post scorer, So being able to
like just like quickly move the ball after you draw
too is so big and next level stuff and helping
this team here. So excited to see her pep building
off that for sure. Well, everyone watching Horse keep up
with everything Kenzie Forbes is doing our very own world
(41:43):
traveling lobe trotter Hooper Hans there anything you want to
shout out for you out here?
Speaker 2 (41:51):
No man shots got that dub be up there.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Yeah, it only took me a year to figure out
what it means. Fight on h
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