Prep school forward 'a great get' for Loyola
When it came to the evaluation of Chen "David" Cai, every Loyola basketball coach had his say.
Greyhounds assistant coach Luke D’Allesio discovered the 6-foot-8, 240-pound power forward on a trip to Lee Academy in Maine to scout point guard Rodney Beldo. D’Allesio evidently liked what he saw of Chen.
Loyola assistant Greg Manning checked out Chen for himself during Lee’s game against Maine Central Institute.
“It was David’s coming-out party in the sense that he could play against high-level competition,” said Lee Academy coach Andrew Papaefthemiou. “Greg went back and told Coach [Jimmy] Patsos, ‘I think we should get on that guy.’ G.G. Smith came to the next game, and Coach Patsos came next week. The whole staff got the chance to see David play. I feel like coaches should be rewarded for how hard they work [in recruiting]. They definitely did with David.”
Chen, who was also recruited by Maine, Santa Clara, UC-Santa Barbara and Utah Valley, committed to the Greyhounds last week. The prep school prospect averaged 12.5 points and seven rebounds for the Pandas (18-23), shooting better than 40 percent from the field, 37 percent from 3-point range, and 75 percent from the foul line.
Before playing for Lee Academy, Chen – originally from China – starred for Maranatha Christian High in San Diego. He was embroiled in an improper benefits scandal and deemed ineligible as a senior, but Papaefthemiou said he was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing and will have no NCAA eligibility issues.
On the court, Chen’s talent has never been in question.
“David’s a great pick-and-pop guy,” Papaefthemiou said. “We used him a lot with pick and rolls. He can stretch defenses very well, as well as score on the block. He can go both ways. He has good handles for a big guy, and he’s a face-up 4. He’s pretty crafty with the basketball.”
Papaefthemiou said he thinks it’s reasonable to expect Chen to get 10-to-15 minutes per game as a freshman, with the potential for much more down the road.
“I think it’s a great get for [Loyola]," Papaefthemiou said. “He’s a kid that’s very coachable, and when you get a chance to see him play, I think you’ll be surprised at the type of kid they’re getting.”
