Area may have two DI signees on Wednesday
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, April 15, 2003
Most of the basketball talent in this year’s crop graduating seniors have their minds made up of where they’ll continue playing ball.
But there are still a few undecideds out there.
Wednesday is national signing day for basketball, and three in the Miss-Lou are ready to make it official then. Others have done so already and will enter the junior college ranks.
The biggest is Ferriday High guard Monique Jones, who will make her plans to play for Baylor official Wednesday morning before sending in her paperwork to coaches at the Waco, Texas school.
Jefferson County may have two Tigers sign with four-year schools this week. Post Juan Wyatt, this season’s All-Metro Player of the Year, will sign with Alcorn after entertaining offers from Southeastern Louisiana and Southern Miss, head coach Marcus Walton said.
The 6-7 Wyatt averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds a game.
Teammate Dewones Smith hasn’t made up his mind but will visit Central Arkansas &045; where his dad played college ball &045; this weekend. Smith earlier visited Navarro (Texas) Junior College, Walton said.
Smith averaged 19 points, six rebounds and three assists for the Tigers.
Ferriday point guard LaShawnda Pryor whittled her choices down to Co-Lin and Hinds Community College, head coach Lisa Abron said. Pryor didn’t score high enough on the ACT to qualify for a four-year college but will take the junior college rout.
&uot;She’s been to Co-Lin already,&uot; Abron said. &uot;She’s got a visit on Wednesday to Hinds, and I think she’ll decide from there.&uot;
Pryor received interest from smaller Division I programs such as Grambling and Southeastern Louisiana, but there wasn’t much due to Pryor’s 5-5 frame. But with her quickness and speed on defense, Abron says the height factor may be deceiving.
Pryor averaged 15 points, eight assists and four steals a game for the 32-1 Lady Trojans.
&uot;I know if I saw her on a roster I wouldn’t think very much of her,&uot; Abron said. &uot;They came out to see Monique, but that’s how she got interest. But I think whoever gets her will get a steal. Her speed makes up for her size. She’ll be OK wherever she goes.&uot;
Vidalia forward David Wilson is trying to impress someone to continue playing. Wilson averaged 18 points and 13 rebounds a game in helping lead the Vikings to the Top 28 this past season.
Wilson attended a workout in Winnsboro in front of coaches from Illinois, Tyler (Texas) Junior College and Grambling. A similar workout is scheduled April 26 in Lake Arthur.
Wilson’s ACT score didn’t qualify for a Division I program.
&uot;Nobody has shown a lot of interest, but we’re going to different camps,&uot; Vidalia head coach Robert Sanders said. &uot;That (first workout) wasn’t one of his better performances, but we’ll see what happens. Playing for a Division I school for the next two years may not be a reachable goal, but hopefully in three years it may be.&uot;
Trinity Episcopal forward Mike Lickliter may end up at a junior college before everything is over. The 6-1 senior talked with a coach from St. Mary’s College, a Division III program in Leavenworth, Kan.
Lickliter, who averaged 13 points and seven rebounds a game, may catch on with either Co-Lin or Southwest Mississippi Community College as the signing period winds down.
&uot;If he wants to play ball, he’ll have to go the junior college route,&uot; Trinity head coach David King said. &uot;Co-Lin might step up at the end. I think he’ll be one of those last-minute commitments if they have anything left.&uot;
Five players have signed with junior colleges this week &045; Natchez High guards Karmethia Mazique and Gloria Lewis with Meridian Community College, NHS post Crystal L. Brown with Co-Lin,
Jefferson County forward Travalyn Smith with Co-Lin and Natchez High forward Derrick Martin with Co-Lin.
Jefferson County forward LaTresha Wilson will sign today with Southwest Mississippi Community College.