Kaitlyn Chen is a force on offense (UCWBB Weekly)

[BRS24]

Film Room: Kaitlyn Chen is a force on offense

The Princeton transfer will provide a different look at point guard compared to Nika Mühl.

www.uconnwbbweekly.com

Chen is at her best in the mid-range. She loves to get into the lane and use her quickness to pull up around the free throw line.​

​

UConn will feel the loss on Mühl on the defensive end, but it brought in Chen for her offense. She’ll provide the Huskies with another ball-handler but she won’t be solely handle point guard duties. Chen is more than capable of sliding off the ball, which will allow the Huskies to play all three ball-handlers at once and be more creative in using them.​

 

[yhun89]

not many realize how huge of a pickup she is. She may be another guard, but we are so so lucky to get her commitment. I was able to watch her play live a few times, and boy was she a menace. Super quick on defense (think KK without the fouls) and sudden pulls ups that no one sees coming, and dropping 20 points on people’s heads every night. She’s a decent foul baiter as well; she likes to lean into her defense of jump shots to draw contact. For an Ivy Leaguer, dropping 20 points on at the time Top 5 ranked UCLA is tough.

 

[JellyBean]

We shall see how it all develops, but I do like this addition to the squad. Chen brings that extra intensity, extra Bball IQ, and skill set to the squad. So no matter if she starts or comes off the bench, there is no drop off in intensity on offense or defense. I love her game and can't wait for the season to start!!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I saw several of Kaitlyn's games on TV at Princeton and she always struck me as a UConn Guard in a Princeton uniform!

 

[Bone Dog]

I remember the disaster it was whenever Nika couldn't play over the past two seasons. An injury or fouling out was almost impossible to recover from. It wasn't about offense or defense. It was about presence on the court. Paige brings that too, but to play at the level Geno means the Huskies to, it can't just be Paige. KK will step up into that role, but I bet she'll appreciate having Kaitlyn there to help her.

 

[oldude]

Yes Chen is an outstanding offensive player. But don’t underestimate her defensive ability. She’s not Nika (Who is?). But she is smart, tenacious and quick, and capable of giving opposing guards real difficulty getting open, getting the ball and executing on offense.

 

[ABCDFE]

Nika is one of a kind, no doubt. But I have great expectations for KK, Shade, Cheli, Azzi and Paige, Ayanna, Jana on defense. Because of injuries over the last several years, I don't think we saw the rest of the roster play up to their defensive capabilities because we couldn't afford to be in foul trouble. I also think Ayanna has the potential to guard probably 1-5 because she's that athletic, and if Aubrey comes back close to 100% she's a lock down defender as well.

 

[Bone Dog]

Nika is one of a kind, no doubt. But I have great expectations for KK, Shade, Cheli, Azzi and Paige, Ayanna, Jana on defense. Because of injuries over the last several years, I don't think we saw the rest of the roster play up to their defensive capabilities because we couldn't afford to be in foul trouble. I also think Ayanna has the potential to guard probably 1-5 because she's that athletic, and if Aubrey comes back close to 100% she's a lock down defender as well.

Yup. Defense is the name of the game at Storrs.

 

[Skeets]

In tight games Chen will be the steady had on the tiller (for those who are nautically inclined). How the heck does Geno play Paige (GOAT in waiting), Chen, Azzi, Ash, Jana, Azzi, KK, Aubrey, Ice, Strong, any everyone else? This is a good problem to have. Everyone needs to be happy with 10 - 12 minutes. Good luck with that.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I did not favor bringing her in, but Geno did not ask for my opinion. Now I hope all the things mentioned as part of her game are true. She's a Husky and I'm going to support her all the way.

 

[RoadMaster]

 

[Gus Mahler]

View attachment 100963

Does this put her in the Allison Feaster neighborhood?

 

[NYCHUSKIES]

I like the idea of Chen and Shade coming off the bench to replace KK and Paige during games. It gives our starting guards some breathing time and you're replacing them with two ball handlers who can create their own shot from.anywhere on the floor.

Chen really is the steal of the portal because of her experience and leadership at Princeton. You can almost see uconn having two sets of starting 5's as a team. Geno can sub three athletes at the same time. That's a treat and the one thing we haven't had at Uconn in the past couple of years. Now we can play Notre Dame and add Chen on that list of defenses who'll be tasked to guard Hidalgo for example. The options we have on this team is what's setting us apart from everyone else in the country, just my opinion. God, and then there's Sarah Strong.. pure fire.

 

[Bone Dog]

Chen really is the steal of the portal because of her experience and leadership at Princeton.

This is how I see it, too. Iriafen and Beers were obviously great portal targets. But 6 or 7 months from now other coaches will regret seeing her in Husky blue. And for Kaitlyn as for Lou, this will be a great opportunity to leverage her odds in the W draft. I also think it will be very good for KK to get to play one more season with a very steady confident veteran next to her.

 

[pvdoggy]

Does this put her in the Allison Feaster neighborhood?

I just read her story in Harvard Magazine online. Wow... that is one impressive woman.

The Irresistible Allison Feaster | Harvard Magazine

A basketball star's journey from the Harvard hardwood to the Celtics front office

www.harvardmagazine.com

 

[Bone Dog]

I have a feeling this is exactly what we’ll see from Sarah in Storrs next season, the kid who knows how to take her great aunt’s advice:

Her aunt, who attended the games with Feaster’s mother—both women had been basketball players themselves—offered a stern directive that would come to define a core element of Feaster’s game: “She said, ‘Whatever you do, rebound. You’ve got to box out and rebound,’” Feaster remembers. “So I had this in my head, and I’m just aggressively boxing the boys out. Just trying to go for every rebound. And scoring?” She laughs. “Forget about the scoring.”

Don’t worry, Sarah will score too, and in bunches, just like her mom did. But that foundational element will be there supporting the entire team.

 

[yhun89]

I like the idea of Chen and Shade coming off the bench to replace KK and Paige during games. It gives our starting guards some breathing time and you're replacing them with two ball handlers who can create their own shot from.anywhere on the floor.

Chen really is the steal of the portal because of her experience and leadership at Princeton. You can almost see uconn having two sets of starting 5's as a team. Geno can sub three athletes at the same time. That's a treat and the one thing we haven't had at Uconn in the past couple of years. Now we can play Notre Dame and add Chen on that list of defenses who'll be tasked to guard Hidalgo for example. The options we have on this team is what's setting us apart from everyone else in the country, just my opinion. God, and then there's Sarah Strong.. pure fire.

The best part being Chen may adjust to the UCONN system fairly quickly because Carla Berube was her coach. Berube says that the program she runs at Princeton is primarily based upon her UCONN experience.

On guarding Hidalgo, I honesty think we have no one who can take her. The most we can do is force her to her weak side on the drive and show up big in the post to drive her back to the perimeter. Hidalgo is probably faster than anybody in the NCAA, Chen included. Chen is fast for sure, but if Hidalgo blew by KK like it was nothing, she'll blow by everyone. The only way we stop her is by getting a big presence in the paint and cutting off the fast break to the basket.

 

[Bone Dog]

The best part being Chen may adjust to the UCONN system fairly quickly because Carla Berube was her coach. Berube says that the program she runs at Princeton is primarily based upon her UCONN experience.

On guarding Hidalgo, I honesty think we have no one who can take her. The most we can do is force her to her weak side on the drive and show up big in the post to drive her back to the perimeter. Hidalgo is probably faster than anybody in the NCAA, Chen included. Chen is fast for sure, but if Hidalgo blew by KK like it was nothing, she'll blow by everyone. The only way we stop her is by getting a big presence in the paint and cutting off the fast break to the basket.

I don't agree about Hidalgo, or maybe I do with a caveat. Hannah is a handful -- I worked all morning on that phrasing -- but Husky defense is not about taking on superstars one-on-one. It's about team defense and we failed to do that last time. The scout had been obvious, "don't let her go to her right." But KK and Nika were repeatedly placed in positions in which they couldn't overplay that side. Credit ND's screening for creating those situations, but also recognize that our defense wasn't ready to cope with her yet. A month later it would have been a different story, I suspect.

 

[Zarathustra]

I just read her story in Harvard Magazine online. Wow... that is one impressive woman.

The Irresistible Allison Feaster | Harvard Magazine

A basketball star's journey from the Harvard hardwood to the Celtics front office

www.harvardmagazine.com

I loved the comment by Allison Feaster about her daughter, Sarah: " She (Sarah)
is a much better player than I was". Nice, from a player who is second to
Bill Bradley in IVY LEAGUE stats! Thank you, Allison... Welcome Sarah!

 

[hoophuskee]

I believe she'll start as long as she can defend well. Doesn't need to be better than KK at defending. IMO her keys will be how well she defends and how efficient of an open shooter she can be.

 

[JoePgh]

I like the idea of Chen and Shade coming off the bench to replace KK and Paige during games. It gives our starting guards some breathing time and you're replacing them with two ball handlers who can create their own shot from.anywhere on the floor.

Chen really is the steal of the portal because of her experience and leadership at Princeton. You can almost see uconn having two sets of starting 5's as a team. Geno can sub three athletes at the same time. That's a treat and the one thing we haven't had at Uconn in the past couple of years. Now we can play Notre Dame and add Chen on that list of defenses who'll be tasked to guard Hidalgo for example. The options we have on this team is what's setting us apart from everyone else in the country, just my opinion. God, and then there's Sarah Strong.. pure fire.

There is a name missing from this post: Azzi Fudd. Have you now designated her as the 5th guard in UConn's back court rotation?

And then there is Allie Ziebell. Where do you think she fits in?

 

[Alydar]

This is how I see it, too. Iriafen and Beers were obviously great portal targets. But 6 or 7 months from now other coaches will regret seeing her in Husky blue. And for Kaitlyn as for Lou, this will be a great opportunity to leverage her odds in the W draft. I also think it will be very good for KK to get to play one more season with a very steady confident veteran next to her.

I guess we have to start calling Bueckers "chopped liver"?

You are right that Chen will be a great role model for the underclassmen, especially considering that almost all the upperclassmen are recovering from one thing or another. Geno mentioned how LLS's pro-like attitude and practice habits rubbed off the other players.

 

[Bone Dog]

I guess we have to start calling Bueckers "chopped liver"?

You are right that Chen will be a great role model for the underclassmen, especially considering that almost all the upperclassmen are recovering from one thing or another. Geno mentioned how LLS's pro-like attitude and practice habits rubbed off the other players.

More like chopped plutonium. Paige may be too much for KK to imitate. She sets a standard that too steep a hill for almost anyone to climb.

But I was mainly thinking of someone to help KK fill the gap left by Nika. For that purpose, Kaitlyn may be just about right.

 

[Alydar]

More like chopped plutonium. Paige may be too much for KK to imitate. She sets a standard that too steep a hill for almost anyone to climb.

But I was mainly thinking of someone to help KK fill the gap left by Nika. For that purpose, Kaitlyn may be just about right.

Last season there was a gap at pf when Edwards moved to the post and Bueckers filled that gap admirably. I don't think she will have any trouble filling any hole at pg since it is her natural and preferred position. Chen may not bring the same level of fire but her offense will make up for that.

 

[JellyBean]

I just got the feeling that this addition of Kaitlyn, is going to help the offense and defense greatly. Just Kaitlyn's mindset "Doberman Pinscher-intensity, IQ, aggressive, and sleek" is going to fuel so many fires for the team. That is just my vision. I can't wait for the season to start! Everyone stay healthy over the summer.