Indiana high school junior Shade commits to Uconn

Hours before the Uconn women’s basketball team took on Butler in Indianapolis, the Huskies already scored a win in the Hoosier State.

Noblesville, Indiana, guard Ashlynn Shade, the No. 5 ranked player in the class of 2023 per ESPN, is headed to Uconn, she announced via social media Wednesday morning.

Shade, who visited Storrs this past weekend and was at Uconn’s game against Creighton on Sunday, joins point guard KK Arnold as the Huskies’ class of 2023 commits thus far.

Shade’s final eight schools included Indiana, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Stanford, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

“I like the history behind [Uconn] and how competitive their basketball program was and currently still is,” Shade told The Indianapolis Star in August. “I want to play at a high level, so I like that aspect of it.” According to the Indy Star, Shade was offered by Uconn in July.

Premier Basketball’s Shane Laflin describes Shade as a 5-foot-10 comboguard who can lead an offense but also score the ball herself. He adds that her pull-up jumper with elevation is “arguably the best in the country in terms of consistency.” Laflin said Shade has expanded her shooting range throughout her high school career but is also strong around the rim.

It’s the intangibles that stand out most to Laflin. He says her competitive spirit and edge remind him of current Uconn sophomore Nika Mühl.

“She is the ultimate competitor,” Laflin said. “When you’re talking about translating to the next level, not just skills and talent gets it done. She’s got a maturity to her approach to the game and her player development that I think is going to really serve her well. It has already, and it just sets her apart. And that’s not just basketball stuff. Her conditioning, her strength, you can tell she works on her body. Having experienced it before you get to the next level is going to serve her.

“That tough, gritty, serious competitor, figure-it-out type, find a way to win, that’s Ashlynn Shade.”

As a junior at Noblesville this year, Shade is averaging 20.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.9 steals through 18 games. She is Uconn’s second incoming player from the state of Indiana, alongside 2022 signee Ayanna Patterson, who is from Fort Wayne.

Shade and Patterson actually faced off on the high school circuit in November, with Shade’s Noblesville team beating Patterson’s Homestead, 69-48. Patterson guarded Shade at times and finished with a team-high 24 points, while Shade tallied a game-high 25 points on 17 shots, going 4-for-7 on 3s.

“Every time I see her I’m like, ‘Wow, she’s awesome,’ ” Shade said of Patterson, according to the Star. “It was super great to play against her again. It was a great matchup, great competition.”

“[Shade’s] game has grown a lot since her freshman year. It’s crazy,” Patterson added. “Hopefully one day she is bleeding blue at Uconn. She’s a great player and I hope to play with her one day.”

With the commitments of Arnold and Shade in November and January respectively, the Huskies’ future is coming into focus. Between a gritty backcourt capable of scoring but also setting up their teammates for success in Arnold and Shade, plus the physicality that Patterson and fellow 2022 signee Isuneh “Ice” Brady bring in the front court — not to mention Patterson’s “ridiculous” athleticism — Uconn is not just amassing talent but putting pieces together.

“That’s certainly what’s happening here,” Laflin said.