STORRS — Inês Bettencourt was due to welcome a freshman at Northwest Florida State University on August 17th.
The Portuguese point guard completes all the necessary paperwork and visa documents before joining the Fraiders programme, which is part of a sports division with only four sports (men’s and women’s basketball, softball and baseball). was In 2019, the junior college Undergraduate population about 5,000.
But Betencourt never made the trip to Florida.
Instead, she’s now playing in some of the country’s most iconic college programs. UConn Women’s Basketball.
“When I got the offer, I expected to go somewhere else, so it’s really crazy. I couldn’t say no,” Betencourt said Thursday at the Huskies’ practice gym at Worth Champions Basketball Center. said in
The newest Husky arrived at Storrs on August 29th after making a commitment to UConn official 26th augustShe doesn’t have time to practice yet, but her new teammates, especially the other four international players, have already embraced her.
“Ines, I love her. years old,” said Junior Nika Mühl from Croatia. “…she looks a little confused. She’s going to be great this season.”
UConn assistant coach Morgan Valley first made contact with Bettencourt less than 20 days later.
Bettencourt represented Portugal at the 2022 FIBA U18 Women’s European Championship, Division B in Bulgaria in the final week of July. She led her country and ranked fourth overall in the tournament with 14.4 points per game, 4.6 steals, 3.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.Bettencourt led Portugal to the championship her game.
August 1 UConn Star Paige Bookers I tore her ACL at a pick-up game on campus. Compete in the 2022-23 seasonWith Mule likely to replace Bookers, the Huskies needed a backup point guard.
After Valley reached out, Betencourt knew he couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
“I mean, it’s UConn. We couldn’t refuse an offer like this,” she said.
Betencourt resubmitted all the necessary paperwork to UConn last Sunday and flew from the Azores to Connecticut with his parents on Monday.
It was her first time in the US when she set foot in the states on Monday. She hasn’t had time to explore yet, but she said she misses her hometown food in Portugal.
Betencourt joins Ayanna Patterson and Ice Brady as part of the Huskies’ freshman class.
France’s Lopez Senechal says he has little experience practicing with his new UConn teammates, but wants to be able to help Bettencourt in any way he can.
“As a freshman who’s never been to America, she’s going to need support, but she seems like a stable person,” Lopez-Senechal said. I know I will be there in and help her with whatever she needs.
Bettencourt lives in an apartment with Bueckers, Amari DeBerry and Dorka Juhász.
Juhas, who hails from Hungary, said he was really excited about Bettencourt and the addition of international players to the team.
“The first year is really hard, so it’s always nice to have someone to help you,” says Juhász. “For example, she remembers when she was a freshman. Her second language at school was quite difficult, so we help her.
“I think her English is great and she’s already spoken to us, so I think we’ll have a nice little international team mixed with Americans. It was fun.”
The team hasn’t had a formal practice yet, but they train together in the gym and weight room. Bueckers said that during his pick-up games, international players sometimes face off against US players.
“She came here out of the blue. It was a big surprise for all of us,” Mule said. “… I feel very tough mentally. That’s how it was from her. So I’m sure she’ll do well. We old men can count on her. We’re wrong.” She doesn’t have to worry about anything, she just has to work hard and I have no doubt she will.”
Bettencourt said he has been following UConn for several years, especially thanks to Bueckers.
A player who likes to “play fast” her game, she describes herself as a playmaker when needed while sharing the ball. It is highly likely that you will fall off the bench.
‘Ines is a true point guard,’ says UConn coach Geno Auriemma “She likes to distribute the ball and can hit shots. She has European-style ball movement, ball screens, many two-man games, and three-man games,” she said in an additional press release. I’m used to playing games.I think she’s a tough girl and a great competitor.I’m thrilled to have found her.”
Bettencourt is the program’s first player from Portugal. For the past few years, she has considered playing college in the United States because she wants to be able to play while completing her degree.
“In Portugal, it’s really hard to get a college major while playing basketball,” she said. “You are more focused on one thing than another, so in the US it’s much easier to do it all at once.”
Bettancourt will turn 18 later this month. Her first birthday without her parents away from home. It’s overwhelming and scary that she’s in a new country, that she doesn’t know anyone, that she doesn’t speak her native language, but that she’s already found her new family to take care of her. I know.
“They were better than I expected, because as an international player you don’t know what to expect, right?” she said. “…the campus is great, the team is great, the staff are great, and I’m looking forward to starting practice and game day. increase.”
maggie.vanoni@hearstmediact.com
