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A detour from Florida

carl adamec, journal inquirer, manchester, conn.
·4 min read

Sep. 2—STORRS — When August began, Inês Bettencourt knew she'd be headed to the United States for the first time, but to Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Florida.

There would be a detour, though, following a season-ending knee injury to Paige Bueckers, phone calls from the UConn women's basketball team's coaching staff, and a scholarship offer from coach Geno Auriemma.

The 5-foot-9 guard from São Miguel, Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, arrived on campus Monday and began September meeting the media at the Werth Champions Center.

"It is really crazy because I was expecting to go to another place, Bettencourt said Thursday. "But when I got this offer I couldn't refuse it. I mean, it's UConn."

Bettencourt, who turns 18 on Sept. 29, becomes the fifth international member of UConn's 12-player roster joining Aaliyah Edwards (Canada), Nika Mühl (Croatia), Lou Lopez Sénéchal (France), and Dorka Juhász (Hungary).

She represented Portugal at the 2022 FIBA U-18 Women's European Championship B Division and averaged 14.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 4.6 steals. Portugal finished second to Slovenia with Bettencourt scoring 11 points in the final. She was named to the all-tournament team.

After the event, she said she received interest from colleges in the United States. It was a call about two weeks ago from assistant coach Morgan Valley that got the ball rolling in UConn's direction and the remainder of the staff reached out to her and her parents to convince her this would be the right place for her.

"When I got to the senior team people would ask, 'Do you want to go to the USA?' and I would say, 'Yes, I'd love to,' " Bettencourt said. "In Portugal it's difficult to play basketball and have a major at a university at the same time. You focus on one thing or the other. Here in the U.S. it's much easier to do everything at the same time. One thing I want to do is play professional basketball.

"I had to go through the process. But I had everything done by Sunday and Monday was here. It is different. I've never been to a college before. It's big. But after a couple of days I know where I'm going."

That's an accomplishment for any freshman trying to navigate the UConn campus here at first, let alone someone about 2,500 miles from home.

She has a number of teammates who have been through what she's going through.

"It's similar and I have talked to her about it," Juhász said. "Her English is awesome. I was very pleased. She is very talkative, not shy. I took her to classes the first day to show her around and she was very comfortable. I was shocked because I remember my first days at Ohio State just being quiet and trying to find my way around. She's doing great. And she's living in our apartment and I've told her, and Lou I know has to, that if she needs anything to come to us and we'll help her anyway we can."

Sénéchal recalled arriving at Fairfield University four years ago and how her teammates got behind her.

"As a freshman and someone who has never been to the United States before, Inês is going to need our support," Sénéchal said. "Me and all the girls will be there for her. Being far away from home there will be ups and downs, missing your family. I want to make sure she feels comfortable and knows she has the support she needs this year."

At UConn, Bettencourt will wear No. 21, the same number that Portuguese guard Ticha Penicheiro wore at Old Dominion and in the WNBA on her way to being inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Penicheiro now follows Bettencourt on Twitter.

"At first I didn't know it was her number but when I learned I was really happy," Bettencourt said with a smile.

Bettencourt said she has watched UConn play on television so there is some familiarity with the Huskies' style.

She'll add depth to the backcourt that minus Bueckers — who had surgery for a torn ACL in her left knee Aug. 5 — still includes Mühl, Sénéchal, Azzi Fudd, and Caroline Ducharme.

"I like to play fast," Bettencourt said. "I know I can shoot the ball but I think my strength is to run the fast break and in transition. That's how UConn plays.

"In the beginning it's going to be hard because it is a different country, a different way to play from European basketball. But I think I'll settle in."

For coverage of all sports in the JI's 18-town coverage area, plus updates on the UConn women's basketball team and head coach Geno Auriemma, follow Carl Adamec on Twitter: @CarlAdamec, Facebook: Carl Adamec, and Instagram: @CarlAdamec.