Saniya Chong: Blue collar effort, gold star results....

[DavidinNaples]

Five minutes into Tuesday's game against Memphis, Bria Hartley picked up her 2nd foul. Geno was faced w/ a decision and did something he has done every game this year. He put in freshman Saniya Chong. She ended up playing 23 minutes against Memphis and turned in her usual steady, workman-like effort. Saniya took only 2 shots, both from 3 pt, and made one. However, she also contributed 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Out of character, Saniya picked up 2 fouls and made 2 turnovers. The performance was typical of Chong, not "spectacular", but for a freshman, everything UConn has asked of her, and more..!! Consider the following:

1. Saniya is one of only five UConn players to stay healthy and play in all 20 games so far this season.
2. Chong has played 379 minutes for an average of 19 minutes per game. Only Stewie, Hartley, Dolson and MoJeff have more time on the court this year.
3. Saniya has made 20 three point baskets, the same as Stewie. She has a better 3 pt accuracy than Hartley and MoJeff.
4. In 20 games, Chong has only 19 personal fouls, but has managed 16 steals.
5. Saniya's 32 assists are twice her total of 15 turnovers. She turns the ball over only every 25.3 minutes.
6. She has 41 rebounds and 6 blocked shots, 4th best on the team.
7. Despite coming in off the bench cold, Chong is shooting 44% from the field and 81% from the free throw line. Her 117 pts are just 4 shy of Caroline Doty's total from last year. Her 5.9 pts/game is better than Jefferson's 4.7 her freshman year.

In a strange season that started w/ only 9 scholarship players, featured two walk-ons, multiple injuries to key players and some early games w/ foul trouble, Saniya Chong has given UConn a little of everything they've needed; scoring, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals, but none of what Geno doesn't want, freshman mistakes and turnovers. Go Saniya..!!

Edit - Apologies to DaddyChoc... missed his Chong post...sorry

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Five minutes into Tuesday's game against Memphis, Bria Hartley picked up her 2nd foul. Geno was faced w/ a decision and did something he has done every game this year. He put in freshman Saniya Chong. She ended up playing 23 minutes against Memphis and turned in her usual steady, workman-like effort. Saniya took only 2 shots, both from 3 pt, and made one. However, she also contributed 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Out of character, Saniya picked up 2 fouls and made 2 turnovers. The performance was typical of Chong, not "spectacular", but for a freshman, everything UConn has asked of her, and more..!! Consider the following:

1. Saniya is one of only five UConn players to stay healthy and play in all 20 games so far this season.
2. Chong has played 379 minutes for an average of 19 minutes per game. Only Stewie, Hartley, Dolson and MoJeff have more time on the court this year.
3. Saniya has made 20 three point baskets, the same as Stewie. She has a better 3 pt accuracy than Hartley and MoJeff.
4. In 20 games, Chong has only 19 personal fouls, but has managed 16 steals.
5. Saniya's 32 assists are twice her total of 15 turnovers. She turns the ball over only every 25.3 minutes.
6. She has 41 rebounds and 6 blocked shots, 4th best on the team.
7. Despite coming in off the bench cold, Chong is shooting 44% from the field and 81% from the free throw line. Her 117 pts are just 4 shy of Caroline Doty's total from last year. Her 5.9 pts/game is better than Jefferson's 4.7 her freshman year.

In a strange season that started w/ only 9 scholarship players, featured two walk-ons, multiple injuries to key players and some early games w/ foul trouble, Saniya Chong has given UConn a little of everything they've needed; scoring, assists, rebounds, blocks and steals, but none of what Geno doesn't want, freshman mistakes and turnovers. Go Saniya..!!

Fine post David.

 

[DaddyChoc]

yeah... geesh you could have added it to my fine post lol

 

[meyers7]

So you're saying...she's pretty good.

 

[winlots]

DAV: super on your part....and pretty darn good on hers as well. In addition to your nice stats on rebounds and blocks and steals, her on-the-man defense has been more than might have been expected, given that she was probably not known for her defense in high school.

 

[HGN]

Great job Dave.

 

[chrissaran]

Yes, Saniya was known more for her scoring and passing in high school, but she did play D, rebounded, blocked shots and had her share of steals. It's what will make her a special player in the near future.

 

[DavidinNaples]

I'm not going to dignify, w/ a direct answer, the poster in another thread who said Saniya is having difficulty playing in MoJeff's shadow. From his couch, he has noticed a lack of confidence in Chong due to MoJeff's "assertiveness." There isn't a shred of evidence to support that claim. There is, however, the statistics above and the quote below to reinforce the notion that Chong will do whatever she is asked to do AND do it happily...

Despite her reputation and ability as a scorer (108 three-points in 27 games last season) Chong said she anticipates having no trouble putting those instincts aside to play the type of team game that Geno Auriemma and his coaches require.
“I will do anything to help my team win; if that means one game I need to just pass, one game I just need defense, one game they just need my support,” Chong said. “Being a team is the No. 1 priority for me.”

Go Huskies..!!

 

[Zorro]

The young lady is a treasure. She has proved to herself and to the world that, when necessary, she is a multi-dimensional scoring machine. If she seems at times to be deferring a little too much to her teammates, a quick look at who those teammates are ought to be sufficient explanation; no pop-psych is necessary. When the situation calls for it, she is dynamite. We are very, very fortunate to have her. She may be, no doubt is, the very best #76-rated player in the history of ratings. She reminds me of no one more than Kelly Faris, in her attitude and effort; praise does not get any higher.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I have a tiny quibble with her game. She needs to smile more often. She has a lovely smile.

 

[Zorro]

Did Kelly smile?

 

[TimeWillTell]

I have a tiny quibble with her game. She needs to smile more often. She has a lovely smile.

Yes, Saniya does have a lovely smile......................here's the proof LINK!

 

[TimeWillTell]

In another thread, a poster said they thought Saniya’s confidence has slipped a bit…….I don’t believe so……She is going to have up and down games, especially as a freshman. At Ossining, she was asked to be the BE ALL / END ALL type player. At UConn, she is being asked to do something completely different…….come in, off the bench, as a freshman, and contribute to the flow of the team, both offensively and defensively ……….get a few points, a few assists, a few steals and rebounds……spell the starters for a while and contribute in whatever way possible for a team victory.

When Saniya is on the court, it is obvious to me she is deferring to her older teammates constantly, as well she should! On occasion, she’ll shoot an open shot or be more assertive and create a lane to the basket for a dish, or shot at the rim……..but mostly, Saniya is looking to facilitate her older teammates and help put them in advantageous offensive/defensive positions on the court. As Saniya gains more experience, in the months and years ahead, I’m sure Geno will ask, and expect, her to be more assertive on the offensive end of the floor…….and, with a smile, I’m sure she’ll be glad to comply!

One last thing I wanted to mention…….it’s about Saniya’s speed/quickness. A poster in another thread said Saniya seems very smooth and deceptively fast……and she is…..but she is also very, very conservative with the use of her top speed/quickness. Moriah’s great speed seems on display continually while she is on the court………but with Saniya, you’ll almost never see her use it on the court...........only when she’s in an advantageous position, and HAS to use it to accomplish what she wants…….…and then, for a split second, she’ll move like a blur......... like you’ve never seen her move before. A few weeks ago Geno said to the media .....did you see that drive to the basket by Saniya, she was a blur!. As Saniya gains more confidence playing the Division I college game and assumes a more primary role rather than a secondary role, you’ll see her top speed/quickness more on display, along with her increased aggressiveness. Right now, she’s just trying to fit in with her older teammates and help them be spectacular.