[jonnyss]

Maybe the strategy was to prevent Onyenwere from driving to the hoop. The midrange stepback isn't easy. Credit to her for hitting them, as well as some other even more difficult shots.

I think this may be correct.

I noticed during the game that when Jones was guarding Onyenwere and Onyenwere tried the mid range jumper--usually on a step back or spin move--Jones backed up half a step and never raised her arms.  I kept thinking that was odd--everyone else defends by at least raising arms straight up, but Haley just watched O shoot.  That had to be coaching and intentional.  So long as O took the kind of shots we wanted her to take, we just let her have them.  It was so odd to see the defender's arms not going up.

good point. i wondered about that as well. another possible factor is that onyenwere drew a few fouls by ripping through our defenders' straight-up arms as she shot (see james harden), so maybe tara told haley to avoid that possibility.

[jonnyss]

Maybe the strategy was to prevent Onyenwere from driving to the hoop. The midrange stepback isn't easy. Credit to her for hitting them, as well as some other even more difficult shots.

I think this may be correct.

I noticed during the game that when Jones was guarding Onyenwere and Onyenwere tried the mid range jumper--usually on a step back or spin move--Jones backed up half a step and never raised her arms.  I kept thinking that was odd--everyone else defends by at least raising arms straight up, but Haley just watched O shoot.  That had to be coaching and intentional.  So long as O took the kind of shots we wanted her to take, we just let her have them.  It was so odd to see the defender's arms not going up.

good point. i wondered about that as well. another possible factor is that onyenwere drew a few fouls by ripping through our defenders' straight-up arms as she shot (see james harden), so maybe tara told haley to avoid that possibility.