High-flying newcomer on Wichita State women’s basketball can ‘play around the rim’
It won’t take long for Jane Asinde to become a fan favorite on the Wichita State women’s basketball team.
In her first game in a Shocker uniform, last week’s exhibition against Missouri Southern State, the 6-foot-1 junior-college transfer scored a game-high 17 points to go along with eight rebounds, a block and a steal in 18 minutes of work. She dominated with her athleticism and leaping ability.
She didn’t have to do as much work in Wichita State’s regular-season opener on Tuesday afternoon against overmatched Chicago State in a 78-34 rout, as Asinde chipped in six points and four rebounds in 10 minutes off the bench. Still, Asinde can do things that no one else can on the WSU roster.
“She can play around the rim,” WSU coach Keitha Adams said on her radio show on Monday. “She can really elevate. She’s a really good jumper and I think that was fun for us to see her play around the rim (in the exhibition). She can jump out of the gym. Very long and athletic and she’s going to be a really good player for us.”
That combination of length and athleticism is a big reason why Asinde was rated as the 18th-best junior-college prospect last season by the World Exposure Report. Playing at Grayson College, Asinde averaged 18.9 points and 12.5 rebounds and earned NJCAA first team All-American honors.
Joining a veteran WSU team that brings back a core of Asia Strong, Seraphine Bastin, Mariah McCully, Carla Bremaud, Trajata Colbert and D.J. McCarty, Asinde figures to push for playing time immediately with her ability.
“Her arms go for days, so she’s really long and she’s a young lady who comes in every day and works hard,” Adams said. “She has a really good attitude and demeanor. We’re really excited to see her and Asia Strong play together. With the two of them out there, that’s some serious athleticism in the forward spots.”
Even before her breakout performance in the exhibition, Asinde — originally from Uganda and one of eight foreign players on WSU’s roster this season — was performing well in practices against WSU’s veteran forwards. McCarty said she has made a strong impression in her short time with the Shockers.
“I don’t think it surprised me,” McCarty said of Asinde’s exhibition performance. “She’s looked really good. She’s done that in practice, so I expected her to go and show out. She did a really good job of giving us a boost.”
A play that really stuck out to Adams in the exhibition game was when Asinde used her length and athleticism to jump the passing lane for a steal, then showed off impressive handles to lead the fast break the other way that ended with a trip to the foul line and two made free throws.
For a team that wants to play faster and create more havoc this season, Adams loved to see the newcomer set the tone.
“What she did on that play is the style we’re wanting our defense to be,” Adams said. “We want to deny and extend ourselves and not let people reverse the ball easily. She did a great job of shooting the gap and denying and then with how long she is, she made a great steal. We need to have more of plays just like that. That’s what we’re looking for in our defense this year.”
WSU was picked to finish eight in the preseason poll by AAC coaches, a prognostication the team felt was a little low considering how well they played at the end of last season after going through so much adversity dealing with numerous complications from the COVID-19 protocol.
Strong, who became the first Shocker to earn preseason all-conference first team in the AAC, gives WSU an elite player to lean on. Bastin and Bremaud are three-year starters who bring plenty of veteran experience. McCully gives WSU another scoring punch and Colbert is a reliable presence in the low post.
The pieces are there for the Shockers to push for their best season yet under Adams, entering her fifth season at the helm.
It was the ideal opening game on Tuesday, as WSU swarmed Chicago State on defense, holding the Cougars to 17% shooting, grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and finished with 17 assists on 30 made baskets. Not to mention Adams was able to empty the bench and play all 14 minutes on the roster.
McCully led all scorers with 13 points and added four rebounds, five assists and four steals, while Strong had 10 points and seven rebounds and Bastin, a 5-8 point guard, grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Wichita native Ella Anciaux also impressed in her Division I debut, finishing with 10 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
Now the challenges begin for the Shockers, which will go on a road swing where they will play at Wyoming on Saturday afternoon and at Denver on Monday night.
This story was originally published November 9, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
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