Ossining's Chong Could See Expanded Role With UConn Women's Team

OSSINING, N.Y. – It appears Ossining native and University of Connecticut freshman Saniya Chong is going to play an integral role for the school’s women’s basketball team over the next few weeks.

Ossining native Saniya Chong, a freshman at the University of Connecticut, could see extended playing time after injuries to two key players for the Huskies.
Photo Credit: *UConnHuskies.com*

Tom Renner

11/15/2013 4:00 p.m.

Chong, who already saw significant floor time in the Huskies’ first two games, may see even more with inuries to Morgan Tuck and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis. On Wednesday, UConn announced that Tuck would be unavailable for 4-6 weeks after undergoing successful knee surgery. Mosqueda-Lewis is out indefinitely with a nerve contusion of the right elbow. She injured the elbow in a scary fall during Monday’s win over No. 3 Stanford.

The top-ranked Huskies play No. 8 Maryland on Friday and No. 13 Penn State on Sunday, both of them on the road.

Chong played 17 minutes for UConn in Monday’s win over Stanford. She came off the bench early in the first half and hit two 3-pointers to spark the slow-starting Huskies. She ended up with six points, three assists and two steals.

Chong played 23 minutes in her college debut against Hartford, scoring eight points to go with four rebounds and two assists.

Mosqueda-Lewis was a starter for the Huskies, and Tuck was one of the first players off the bench. With the injuries, UConn coach Geno Auriemma could even consider Chong to make her first collegiate start in Friday’s game at Maryland.

Chong averaged 34.4 points for Ossining High School last year in leading the team to the first New York State Public Schools championship in school history. She was named the 2012-13 Parade All-American Team's Girls Basketball Player of the Year

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