The RoundHouse | 12/20/2021 10:17:00 AM

 
Jane Asinde plays with an energy that is striking. That ferocity starts with moments of reflection before each game.
 
Asinde, a 6-foot-1 junior forward for Wichita State, quietly recites Bible verse Joshua 1:9 as she prepares. It reads "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."
 
"I memorized it in my heart," she said. "This is my encouragement verse before I play. I say it in the locker room, on game days, when I'm going to the court."
 
Once on the court, Asinde appears afraid of nothing. In her first season at Wichita State, she averages 10 points and 8.8 rebounds in 21.3 minutes a game. She has four games with double figures in points and rebounds. Over a recent five-game stretch, she averaged 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds, while shooting 54.2 percent.
 
The Shockers (9-2) play Kansas (8-1) at 6 p.m. Tuesday (ESPN+) in the first appearance in Wichita by the Jayhawks since an 84-58 Shockers victory during the 2002-03 season.
 
Asinde, from Kampala, Uganda, started playing basketball at 16 to follow in the footsteps of her sister Caroline Otto, who played for the Ugandan national team. Asinde watched her siblings play pickup basketball as a youngster before gravitating to the sport.
 
"I'm still learning every day," Asinde said. "I didn't know how to dribble. I didn't know how to lay up. I just fell in love with the game."
 
Six years later, Asinde is playing a major role in Wichita State's best start since the 2013-14 team also went 9-2.
 
"She brings some intangibles that are awesome," Wichita State coach Keitha Adams said. "She's a hard-worker, very coachable. When you're talking to her at practice, 90 percent of the time she's 'Yes coach.' Very receptive. Very positive."
 
 

🗣 AND-1

Jane is putting the team on her back. pic.twitter.com/wZdFkVRadF

— Wichita State Women's Basketball (@GoShockersWBB) December 4, 2021

Asinde needed little transition time to show off her energy. Even as she adapted to the speed and skill of NCAA Division I, her hustle and athletic ability impressed teammates.
 
"Jane is a great, great rebounder," center Trajata Colbert said. "When I first met her, she was very, very active on the boards and a great finisher. Very fun to watch."
 
The Shockers rank first in the American Athletic Conference with a plus-12.3 rebound margin and 16 offensive rebounds a game. They rank second in the AAC in percentage of offensive rebounds grabbed at 41.2 percent and second in defensive rebound percentage at 72.9.
 
Asinde teamed with Colbert and returner Asia Strong to give the Shockers a strong trio of post players – and guard Seraphine Bastin helps with her average of 7.4 rebounds a game.
 
"The intensity is high here," Asinde said. "You have to be more aggressive, and you have to be consistent. I feel like my shot has really improved, and if I work on my three's, I know they're going to be great, too."
 
The American portion of Asinde's journey to Wichita State started at Grayson (Texas) College, where she played for former Shocker assistant Bill Damuth. Damuth saw video of Asinde, through a coaching connection, and signed the first of several women from Uganda.
 
"It was an automatic 'yes,'" Damuth said. "I loved her athleticism, her rebounding the ball."
 
Asinde – who has three seasons of eligibility at Wichita State because of COVID-19 rules - averaged 18.9 points and 12.5 rebounds as a sophomore at Grayson. She earned NJCAA All-American honors in 2021. Damuth, who spent seven seasons with Adams at UTEP before coming to Wichita State with Adams in 2017.
 
Asinde's energy is important off the court. Damuth described her as the kind of person who never has a bad day and was always willing to help pick up equipment after practice, volunteer for tasks and help teammates. At Grayson, she worked in the cafeteria.
 
"Amazing work ethic," Damuth said. "School, practice, work in cafeteria. People are lucky to know her."
 
He saw a good fit between Asinde and Wichita State. Shocker coaches saw her play in person in 2019-20 before COVID-19 restrictions limited recruiting.
 
"I knew that they would be able to use her abilities," Damuth said. "I knew they would take good care of her. That's two things you're not really guaranteed."
 
Asinde calls her family the inspiration for her basketball career – she is the youngest of seven siblings.
 
"They are the reason why I'm still pushing," she said. "Them calling and checking up on me gives me the morale (boost) to know I have people who are close to me. I do miss them."
 
Paul Suellentrop covers Wichita State Athletics and the American Athletic Conference for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.