UConn freshman guard Stephon Castle was named Big East freshman of the week for the second time this season after his clutch performance helped beat St. John's.
UConn guard Stephon Castle was named Big East freshman of the week on Wednesday after he returned to the starting lineup in the Huskies’ 69-65 win over St. John’s on Saturday.
It is the second freshman of the week recognition for Castle, the conference’s preseason freshman of the year, this season.
After scoring four points with two assists, two blocks, a rebound and a steal in the Huskies’ loss at Seton Hall, Castle was critical in UConn’s winning effort against the Johnnies. Making his impact mostly on the glass early on, Castle missed his first six shots from the field and was scoreless until he pushed UConn’s lead to five from the free throw line with six and a half minutes left.
He scored six of the Huskies’ last 10 points to close out the win and finished with eight points, seven rebounds and two assists.
He came up clutch in @UConnMBB’s conference home opener. @StephonCastle is the Freshman of the Week after scoring scoring 6 points in the last 6:30 of the 69-65 win. pic.twitter.com/YaJYj5i8E4
— BIG EAST MBB (@BIGEASTMBB) December 27, 2023
“I think he found something late there,” head coach Dan Hurley said after the game. “He can’t put too much pressure on himself to try to be this electrifying guard who’s doing all of this stuff off the dribble and playing like he’s Dame Lillard out there. That guy just needs to fly around defensively and use his athletic ability, get on the glass, cut, get out in transition. His second half was huge and he was a hair away from getting another steal that would’ve really sealed it for us.
“But I think now he’s got a template that he can build from.”
Castle, the former McDonald’s High School All-American and a potential lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft, has averaged 5.6 points (12 of 32), 3.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 18.6 minutes through five games since returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss six games during the nonconference slate. He opened the year with 12 points and five rebounds in his college debut against Northern Arizona and followed that performance with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists against Stonehill.