Week 1 Movers of the Week: Chen Leads Eclipse Sweep of Top Six
Week One of Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball belonged to Kaitlyn Chen and the Eclipse squad, and it was the rookie point guard who led the charge.
Chen finished first overall on the leaderboard after a dominant three-game stretch that showcased her scoring consistency and ability to create opportunities for her team. She piled up 1,583 leaderboard points, including 120 MVP Points and 443 Stat Points, while leading the only 3-0 team through the opening week.
Chen hit a season-high 18 points against the Glow and finished second in the league in field goal percentage. Her Week One performance earned her the top captain’s spot heading into Week Two, where she’ll lead the Gold Rush.
Chen’s Eclipse teammates dominated the top of the leaderboard alongside her. Rebekah Gardner finished second, Aneesah Morrow landed third, Asia Taylor claimed fourth, captain Alysha Clark placed fifth, and Mercedes Russell finished sixth.
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Cooke Breaks Through for the Glow
Zia Cooke was the first player to break up the string of Eclipse players at the top of the leaderboard, finishing seventh with 1,281 points. She led the league in assists and ranked in the top five three-point shooters in Week One, helping the Glow to a 2-1 record and taking home 60 MVP Points.
Charles Anchors the Paint
Tina Charles finished 10th with 1,081 total points and 90 MVP Points. She scored in double figures in all three outings in her debut week with AU, with her highest output coming on opening night with 17 points against the Rhythm. She also ranked in the top five in rebounds among all players on Sunday after grabbing eight boards.
Smith Returns in Championship Form
AU’s returning 2023 champion NaLyssa Smith jumped right back into captain’s duties and led the Glow to a 2-1 record. She finished with 1,033 total points, including 660 Win Points and 343 Stat Points. She’s averaging 13.7 points per game through Week One after posting a 19-point performance versus the Eclipse on Saturday. Smith ranked third in rebounds and first in three-point percentage while adding 30 MVP points to her Week One total.
Mack Leads League in Stat Points
Natasha Mack is the only player outside of the Glow and the Eclipse to land in the top 15, finishing 15th, but she didn’t need the Win Points to climb up the leaderboard. She led the league in Stat Points in Week One with 602 to add to her 1,022 total points, and she did so with a strong presence in the paint–leading the league in rebounds per game (14) and blocks per game (3.7) while ranking fourth in field goal percentage.
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Up Next
Week Two begins Wednesday, Feb. 11, when the Rhythm take on the Glow at 11:30 a.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. CT, followed by Gold Rush versus the Eclipse at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT. Both matches take place at Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, and will stream on the ESPN App. Tickets are available here.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
