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UConn Huskies coach Geno Auriemma caught a glimpse of what his team would get from Kaleena Smith after watching Ontario Christian’s clash against Christ the King at the Hoophall Classic on Friday.
Smith, who is On3’s No. 1 overall prospect in the Class of 2027, balled out in front of Auriemma, leading Ontario Christian to an 87-75 win over Christ the King.
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With the Hoophall Classic taking place at Springfield College, Auriemma took advantage of the short distance between the college and UConn’s campus to watch Smith and other potential recruits.
The 5-foot-6 point guard did not disappoint Auriemma, dropping 26 points, 12 assists and five steals and shooting 10 of 13 from the field.
Smith’s performance was a good one, as the Ontario, California, native is scheduled for an unofficial visit to Storrs on Saturday. Although nothing has been decided yet, UConn is currently leading the race for the No. 1 prospect.
However, Smith was not the only star that showed out in front of Auriemma. Despite being on the losing side, Olivia Vukosa, a Croatian international, also had a game to remember, dropping 25 points, nine rebounds and three blocks.
Meanwhile, Tatianna Griffin also chipped in 26 points on 10 of 16 shooting, including four 3-pointers for Ontario Christian.
Geno Auriemma’s high school experience could convince Kaleena Smith
While Kaleena Smith’s visit to UConn on Saturday is an unofficial one, the point guard could be swayed by Geno Auriemma’s knowledge of college basketball.
Auriemma is an 11-time NCAA champion, having managed over 1000 games as a coach. He has been UConn’s coach since 1985, winning eight national Naismith College Coach of the Year awards.
With his wealth of knowledge, he could convince Smith, who is averaging 25.7 points, 4.8 steals and 7.9 assists per game this season, to choose UConn. However, it remains to be seen if Smith will commit to the Huskies. UConn is not the only college interested in her, as she also has offers from South Carolina, LSU and USC.
Kaleena Smith has taken unofficial visits to UCLA, USC and Louisville, with UConn set to join the selected group of schools soon.
