[81alum]

I agree that Demetre would have been great to see in this game as she is money from mid-range and that is a total zone buster.  However I disagree about Brink’s mid-range.  She can hit the shot but she is far from consistent with it.  It’s a little like Jones can hit a 3-point shot but I don’t love her taking it.  I really like Brink’s current mentality (and presumably what the coaches have asked her to do) which is mostly drive from the high post and try to establish position in the low post.  They are such high percentage shots and when she has it going are pretty unstoppable unless she is double teamed.

It does seem that Brink as lost some of her confidence in her jumpshot, so I'm inclined to agree that I don't want to see her taking them this year until Tara is convinced her shooting form is back.  But last year Brink was 37% from three point range, and 65% from the free throw line.  Her ability to hit from distance and thus drawing a tall defender out to the perimeter was a part of how we opened up the interior.  This year she is 0/3 from three point range--has hardly taken any--and is 47% from the free throw line.  So something is not right with her shooting. 

On the other hand, I don't see Brink as heavy enough to play rockem-sockem robots in the paint with players who are her height and much heavier--she needs to have the threat of pulling them out.  Sabally got the better of Brink last night--Brink scored 5 chiefly because she only got 5 shots off, and had 0 offensive rebounds.  Sabally usually got position on her and it was rare when Brink could get the ball close enough to the basket for an easy layup.

A jump-shooting Brink would absolutely kill a zone as shorter guards would be responsible for defending her on the perimeter.   Or forcing heavier players like Sabally or Prince to come racing out to the perimeter in the man, which would have opened up all those back door cuts.

That is why I miss Brink's jumpshot, as spectacular as she can be inside against lesser players, I think last year's Brink was more versatile and dangerous.

[81alum]

I agree that Demetre would have been great to see in this game as she is money from mid-range and that is a total zone buster.  However I disagree about Brink’s mid-range.  She can hit the shot but she is far from consistent with it.  It’s a little like Jones can hit a 3-point shot but I don’t love her taking it.  I really like Brink’s current mentality (and presumably what the coaches have asked her to do) which is mostly drive from the high post and try to establish position in the low post.  They are such high percentage shots and when she has it going are pretty unstoppable unless she is double teamed.

It does seem that Brink as lost some of her confidence in her jumpshot, so I'm inclined to agree that I don't want to see her taking them this year until Tara is convinced her shooting form is back.  But last year Brink was 37% from three point range, and 65% from the free throw line.  Her ability to hit from distance and thus drawing a tall defender out to the perimeter was a part of how we opened up the interior.  This year she is 0/3 from three point range--has hardly taken any--and is 47% from the free throw line.  So something is not right with her shooting. 

On the other hand, I don't see Brink as heavy enough to play rockem-sockem robots in the paint with players who are her height and much heavier--she needs to have the threat of pulling them out.  Sabally got the better of Brink last night--Brink scored 5 chiefly because she only got 5 shots off, and had 0 offensive rebounds.  Sabally usually got position on her and it was rare when Brink could get the ball close enough to the basket for an easy layup.

A jump-shooting Brink would absolutely kill a zone as shorter guards would be responsible for defending her on the perimeter.   Or forcing heavier players like Sabally or Prince to come racing out to the perimeter in the man, which would have opened up all those back door cuts.

That is why I miss Brink's jumpshot, as spectacular as she can be inside against lesser players, I think last year's Brink was more versatile and dangerous.