This is clearly a case of the awards not quite fitting the players, and so they fudged a little. That is not to say that Brink and Jones are not deserving--I think they are--but fitting the player to the available awards was certainly awkward.
Brink as defensive POY could be questioned, given that she has had so many problems fouling while on defense. She has improved, and so perhaps they were looking at her defensive performance late in the year. And her presence in the paint probably affects the other team long before she even has to make a defensive play. But I would have thought both Lexie and Wilson are better defenders at this point.
Jones, too, has some issues in my book--with turnovers and sometimes defense, and sometimes she has these infuriating, passive, offensive lulls. However, she has more raw talent than anyone else in the league, and she has those intangible qualities that make her a winner, as evidenced in the final four last year and at Oregon this year. So this is a reasonable selection, I think, and is well deserved.
Ideally, Jones and Brink would have been Co POY and Wilson or Lexie Defensive POY. Or make Jones and Brink Co POY and leave out the defensive award altogether. Brink's merit comes equally from both ends of the court.
Tara certainly deserves the award this year. I'm sure they would like to share it around, but what can you say? She simply is the best, and she is having a good year.
Iriafen would no doubt have made the freshman team if she could have had more minutes, but she will be there with a vengeance in the future.
I am indeed curious about Jayda Curry.
Brink as defensive POY could be questioned, given that she has had so many problems fouling while on defense. She has improved, and so perhaps they were looking at her defensive performance late in the year. And her presence in the paint probably affects the other team long before she even has to make a defensive play. But I would have thought both Lexie and Wilson are better defenders at this point.
Jones, too, has some issues in my book--with turnovers and sometimes defense, and sometimes she has these infuriating, passive, offensive lulls. However, she has more raw talent than anyone else in the league, and she has those intangible qualities that make her a winner, as evidenced in the final four last year and at Oregon this year. So this is a reasonable selection, I think, and is well deserved.
Ideally, Jones and Brink would have been Co POY and Wilson or Lexie Defensive POY. Or make Jones and Brink Co POY and leave out the defensive award altogether. Brink's merit comes equally from both ends of the court.
Tara certainly deserves the award this year. I'm sure they would like to share it around, but what can you say? She simply is the best, and she is having a good year.
Iriafen would no doubt have made the freshman team if she could have had more minutes, but she will be there with a vengeance in the future.
I am indeed curious about Jayda Curry.