UConn women’s basketball: 6-foot-5 center Piath Gabriel commits to Huskies

UConn women’s basketball added its fourth player to the class of 2020, receiving a commitment from forward/center Piath Gabriel. Listed at 6-foot-5, Gabriel will bring some much-needed size to the Huskies next season.

Gabriel plays at Branford Christian Academy in New Hampshire — where former UConn men’s basketball player Scott Hazleton is athletic director — and the Lady Rivals on the AAU circuit.

While she isn’t ranked in the top 100 prospects by ESPN, Gabriel had plenty of interest from Power Five schools such as Louisville, UNC and Pittsburgh, among others. Here’s the scouting report on her from High Post Hoops:

Gabriel is a prolific shot blocker on the inside and a terrific rebounder. While her offensive skillset will certainly need to improve in order to become an impact player at a Power-5 school, Gabriel has all of the tools to do so. In the past two seasons, her offensive game has improved immensely. She can score in the post, is capable of hitting the face-up jump shot, and has stretched her range a bit as well.

She’s a versatile big, something Geno Auriemma and his staff value. Via Anonymous Eagle, here’s Northeast Girls’ Recruiting’s take on Gabriel:

[Gabriel] has ball handling skills that allow her to help break pressure and take the ball all the way to the hoop...[she] is an aggressive rebounder...has three-point range.

Gabriel comes from a basketball family as well. Her brother Wenyen starred for Kentucky from 2016-18 while her sister Karima played Division I at DePaul, Boston College and Cal State Fullerton.

With the addition of Gabriel, UConn has 10 scholarships filled for 2020-21. While the Huskies may not be done in 2020, they now have a well balanced class with two guards (Paige Bueckers and Nika Muhl) and wing/forward (Mir McLean) and now a big in Gabriel.

UConn also has one 2021 commitment in guard/wing Saylor Poffenbarger.

Here’s a look at UConn’s updated scholarship grid:

Daniel Connolly