When Ferriday sophomore Monique Jones received a request to participate in the prestigious Adidas Top 10 National Camp, her response was as quick as her turnaround jumper.

&uot;When I received the letter, I knew right then I wanted to go,&uot;&160;Jones said of the camp which begins Saturday in Pittsburgh, Pa. &uot;I knew they invited girls from all over, but I didn’t know they would come way down here to little Ferriday.&uot;

The Adidas Camp invites the top high school girls from across the nation.

The 5-foot-8, 147-pound Jones averaged 21.3 points and 9.5 rebounds a game for the Lady Trojans as a freshman last year.

&uot;There will be a lot of scouts and coaches there,&uot; Jones said. &uot;They are paying my way and there is no registration, so all I have to do is get there.&uot;

Jones has previously attended only one camp, the Southern University Basketball Camp in Baton Rouge, La., last summer.

Jones has spent most of the summer in the Ferriday Junior High gym shooting and dribbling.

&uot;I’m also trying to improve my endurance and quickness by jumping rope a lot,&uot; she said. &uot;I’ve been working on my 3-point shot and dribbling more to learn how to take better care of the ball.&uot;

Jones said she knows the talent in Pittsburgh will be among the best.

&uot;I know it’s going to be tough and there are going to be some great players,&uot; she said. &uot;But I’m not intimidated. I’m just going to do my best.&uot;

Jones said the camp will help her overall game. She said she knows a good outing will help her with offers from colleges.

&uot;Really in Louisiana there are only two schools I would consider, and that’s LSU and Louisiana Tech,&uot; she said. &uot;If there is something far off, I would consider it.&uot;

Jones, whose favorite player is Chemaka Holdsclaw, said she has high expectations for next season.

&uot;I’m planning on going all the way,&uot; she said. &uot;We had a young team last year. In junior high we were winning every game and now everybody has adjusted to high school ball. Most of the girls have been in the gym practicing, so I think we are going to have a great season.&uot;

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