Does anyone know why she didn’t get in the game against Nebraska?
Ava Heiden
- Thread starter Striderhawk71
- Start date
Coaching deficiencies.
I know posters were wishing/hoping for a reduced roster size number with minutes. I don't think anybody thought Ava Heiden would be the one to get 0 minutes.
Whatever minutes AOG got should go to AH and whatever minutes AH got should go to AOG. There is nothing that AOG does that can't be done by AH. But AH can do so much more.
Jan and her staff have an issue on their hands. She thought Hannah could pay the 4, but she just doesn't have the skills set to play outside the lane on offense. So now having to move her back to the 5, (on some games at least) that leaves our highest ranked post player ever sitting on the bench, when she COULD be one of the 3 or 4 most impactful players on the roster. So what happens next season if we are in the same boat and we have another highly recruited athletic 6'5" post coming in. Are Hays and Heiden both going to be sitting on the bench alot? That just can't happen. Priority one for the coaches to figure out. We'll be solid in the backcourt with Guyton and Deal backed up by Houston and Stremlow/Levin. The hole in the lineup is that 3/4 spot Jan wants Hannah to play, but she's struggled. We really need Mellegni to step into that spot next season.....
AOG finishes better now, when she gets it right where and when she needs it. Ava having a hard time finishing but yeah, WTH, she needs minutes.
Agree- meleggni is a true 4 like Warnock. She is a good three point shooter in warmups but too much adrenaline makes her game threes always a bit long.
She looks really good as a freshman. Let her play! Vets didnt get it done and gone after this year.
Heiden should start tomorrow. She's from Oregon, a town about 100 miles from the campus. After not getting in at all against Nebraska, why not start her and give her a long first-quarter leash. This could be her chance to establish herself for the rest of the season and to help Iowa break that 4-game losing streak.
What is the downside, as some coaches used to say . . .
I think it would be great for the team as well as for Ava. Something needs to give this team a spark. Getting Heiden the start might be it.
What is the downside, as some coaches used to say . . .
I think it would be great for the team as well as for Ava. Something needs to give this team a spark. Getting Heiden the start might be it.
Finally figured out something and got Stuelke back at the 5. I don't think they should keep tweaking that unless Stuelke isn't effective or too short to defend. Run run run.
Sure though, bring Heiden in first off the bench. Stay with the most effective player.
Sure though, bring Heiden in first off the bench. Stay with the most effective player.
My point being on defense alone we need Heiden to keep engaged. She's the only post we have who has any chance to defend the bigger posts in the league like Betts, Williams, or Markowski, and she didn't play a minute against Nebraska.
That will be a thing, but realistically they need to find a way to win the games they can. They aren't keeping up with the L.A. schools regardless. They DO have a lot of cumulative fouls to give, so that could help.
If Stuelke is is having one of those days bricking bunnies, I'm curious if Jensen will sit her.
Next year? Depends on how good Hays might be, but that position presents a minutes problem.
Sean Sullivan was quoted in Jeff Linder's pre-game article in the Gazette today about converting Ava to a 4. "She has the athletic ability. It's something we might look into in the offseason." That way Hannah could still be the 5 with Layla her understudy. However, Ava would then have to compete with Teagan for minutes at the 4. A good problem to have.
Stuelke is only effective in an uptempo offense. She can beat other players down the floor. After that, not much except sit with Jada and giggle.
Can't put AVA at a 5. I don't think she is quick enough to guard 4's in the Big Ten. I doubt she can shoot from the outside either since she has probably played a 5 her entire career based on her size. She would have the same problems Stuelke has. A quick 4 is able to drive right by Stuelke on numerous occasions.
The bad part is that Addie came in with a midrange and outside shot, but is slated to play only inside. She cant play the 4 on defense, but could space the floor better than Stulke on offense. Addie improved this year, but Hannah and Syd did not. So we are stuck where almost every other starter is out of position by one. Hannah is better at the 5 than the 4, Syd is better at the 4 than the 3, Lucy is better at the 2 than the 1. So to allow them to play thier best positions you increase an already bottlenecked 5. If Hannah doesnt improve ball handles and get an outside shot she has zero chance at the wnba. So I guess the question for he is does she want to play at the next level, and if so how bad? I remember at the start of the year they asked her if she talked to Clark, and her answer was that Caitlin constantly asking if she was in the gym.
Can Heiden hit a jump shot? I believe she can.
Article by Kyle Huesmann on 10/10/24.
"Ava Heiden may be the answer at the five. A freshman, four-star center from Sherwood, Oregon, Ava is an athletic post player than can run the floor, finish around the rim, grab rebounds, block shots and shoot the mid-range jump shot."
"She's starting to separate herself", freshman center Ava Heiden impressing in year one
Iowa freshman center Ava Heiden is impressing in practice and could be headed towards the starting lineup in year one.
A large photo of Heiden hitting a recent jump shot above or at the FT line against IN is worth $499 nowadays.
Against BYU...
"Ava Heiden makes a jump shot from 13 feet out. Hannah Stuelke with the assist."
Currently, I rather have Heiden taking a jump shot than Stuelke. However, the offseaon could change that. Also, I rather have Stuelke guarding a 4 over Heiden. A potential option, if it pans out, would be playing Heiden at the 4 and Stuelke 5 on offense, but switch on defense. However, according to Sean Sullivan in the interview video above, this is something to look at next year, not this year.
Don't forget another talented 6'5" post (Layla Hays) is coming in next year.
The problem is stuelke isn’t really a good offensive player at the 4 and only good at the 5 against other short players or ones that can’t jump. So bad teams she’s ok and good teams she’ll struggle.
Hannah has been awful on offense, there’s no other way to say it. Her turnovers for a non ball handler have to bee near historic highs.
Either high low offense or Hannah sits more.
Hannah has been awful on offense, there’s no other way to say it. Her turnovers for a non ball handler have to bee near historic highs.
Either high low offense or Hannah sits more.
AH sets up too low. It's a tactic issue. I do think she is better defender, and defensive rebounder. She is quicker than AOG and more vertical. It will be interesting to see her as a forward next year. If so, we have a game changer.
She was an unheralded MVP against ISU the way she was able to constantly make their big girl physically work. It really wore her out.
the latter. AG still has very bad hands, no vertical, and sloooowww, but she has a nice touch around basket
when not challenged by a taller player or one that can't jump AOG is ok. When a threat is there, so is not real good offensively.
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