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Phnom Penh, Cambodia (AP) -- Arunny Sen is in most respects like other 16 year-olds at Sihanouk Preparatory School. She likes cheeseburgers, adores Suly Pheng, and even engages in social media. Arunny also practices cello—religiously, 3 hours every morning, 3 hours every evening. She hopes to one day play professionally. Her family struggles financially, and things but could be better. But she’s not complaining. There are, however, two things that separate Arunny from your typical Southeast Asian millennial. The first is her height—which is 6’10”. The second is her 3-point shooting—which is idiosyncratic and spooky. Think Chantal Osohor by way Stephan Curry. I’d heard the rumors (including that she once sank 105 consecutive shots from behind the arc). On assignment, I visited her in Prey Kei Ka, just outside downtown Phnom Penh. After a brief introduction and tea with her parents, we adjourned to a local packed dirt court. There, I watched in silent astonishment as she sank 62 three-pointers before finally missing
Arunny’s “shot” is not a thing of beauty. It is, however, practically indefensible. She grips the ball in the manner of an old-school set shot, palms firmly cradling at 3 and 9 o’clock. Her arms then extend straight and vertical, directly above her head, a good 9’ 6” from the floor. She then “flicks” the ball in a soaring arc that culminates in a perfectly centered splash through the rim. She then does it again. And again. And again. And again. And again. “There’s no way to defend it”, says Ed Scollan, Head Coach of Cambodia’s men’s national team. “Our tallest players can’t get a hand high enough to check the shot.” In the games she’s played to date, opposing players stand around helplessly, hoping for a miss that never seems to come.
One might think this all but guarantees Arruny a bright future as a star in the growing galaxy of international women’s basketball. Trouble is Arruny does not have any other noteworthy basketball skills. Dribbling is a challenge. She struggles setting screens, passing, even shooting free throws. Still, some European and North American coaches have started showing interest. Others, including Geno Auriemma at the University of Connecticut, are dubious. “Yeah; somebody told me about her. I haven’t seen her play. But I have a hard time believing there’d be a way of integrating that kind of player into our system. I mean, we have a way of doing things at UConn. We teach basketball. Not just shooting. Still, it would be a great challenge to develop Arunny into someone who excels at all phases of the game.”
As for Arruny, it is not at all clear whether there is any basketball in her future. “I’ve never really felt much of connection to playing sports. My brothers say I’m a poet at heart, not a warrior. I’m most myself when practicing at the conservatory. The crowds, the noise, the aggression. It’s just not me. But who knows? I might consider it.”
Finny Chides is an AP field reporter covering international women’s athletics.
Arunny’s “shot” is not a thing of beauty. It is, however, practically indefensible. She grips the ball in the manner of an old-school set shot, palms firmly cradling at 3 and 9 o’clock. Her arms then extend straight and vertical, directly above her head, a good 9’ 6” from the floor. She then “flicks” the ball in a soaring arc that culminates in a perfectly centered splash through the rim. She then does it again. And again. And again. And again. And again. “There’s no way to defend it”, says Ed Scollan, Head Coach of Cambodia’s men’s national team. “Our tallest players can’t get a hand high enough to check the shot.” In the games she’s played to date, opposing players stand around helplessly, hoping for a miss that never seems to come.
One might think this all but guarantees Arruny a bright future as a star in the growing galaxy of international women’s basketball. Trouble is Arruny does not have any other noteworthy basketball skills. Dribbling is a challenge. She struggles setting screens, passing, even shooting free throws. Still, some European and North American coaches have started showing interest. Others, including Geno Auriemma at the University of Connecticut, are dubious. “Yeah; somebody told me about her. I haven’t seen her play. But I have a hard time believing there’d be a way of integrating that kind of player into our system. I mean, we have a way of doing things at UConn. We teach basketball. Not just shooting. Still, it would be a great challenge to develop Arunny into someone who excels at all phases of the game.”
As for Arruny, it is not at all clear whether there is any basketball in her future. “I’ve never really felt much of connection to playing sports. My brothers say I’m a poet at heart, not a warrior. I’m most myself when practicing at the conservatory. The crowds, the noise, the aggression. It’s just not me. But who knows? I might consider it.”
Finny Chides is an AP field reporter covering international women’s athletics.
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