Published: 4/21/2008
Author: Bob_Richards
© Old Gold Free Press Columnists
Poston named West Tennessee Player-of-the-YearChantel Poston has been honored as the Player-of-the-Year in West Tennessee by the Jackson Sun.
READ MORE: Milan's Poston is Player of the Year
Ohio prospect updates
Hoopgurlz has updates on both Emilee Harmon and Michaela Ruef from the Deep South Classic this past weekend. Purdue continues to be listed by both players, but both are far from unknown gems anymore. Harmon has an expansive list of 10, while Ruef lists Connecticut, Michigan State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Purdue and Stanford.
Mike Carmin of the Journal & Courier has a couple updates on Ohio players. Ruef still has Connecticut on her list despite the lack of an offer and multiple comments over the years to the media about the Huskies being her favorite team. We've seen stranger things happen to a player's favorite come signing day. Below is also an update on junior Alexis Rogers, who next to Kelly Faris is likely the player we have heard mentioned the longest as a priority 2009 recruit. Similar to Harmon, Rogers also has Purdue among a list of ten schools.
And finally, the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette has an article on their girl's player-of-the-year, Emilee Harmon. Harmon does share something in common with many Purdue fans, a distaste for the hubris of Ivory Latta.
READ MORE: Hoopgurlz
READ MORE: Journal & Courier
READ MORE: Journal & Courier
READ MORE: Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
Diggins, Rayburn named all-americans
Parade magazine has named Skylar Diggins and Brittany Rayburn two of forty players on their All-American teams for 2008. Diggins was named to the first team, while Rayburn was named to the fourth team.
READ MORE: Parade magazine
2008 Indiana Junior All-Stars announced
The 18-member Indiana Junior All-Star team has been announced and two guards high on the wish list of the Purdue staff have made the "Core" squad that will play in both exhibition games against the Indiana Senior All-Stars.
The exhibition schedule this summer will feature two games, down from the three in 2007, due to the shortened schedule of the home-and-home series between the Indiana and Kentucky senior teams. The first exhibition will be played on June 9th at Washington High School, where the 'Core six" juniors along with the "South six" juniors will team up against the senior team. Just two days later at Marion High School on June 11th, the "Core six" juniors along with the "North six" juniors will team up against the senior team in the final exhibition.
For complete "Core", "North" and "South" rosters, click on the link below.
READ MORE: Indiana Junior All-Star rosters
North-South All-Star Classic results
Alex Guyton shined in the 20th annual Indiana North-South Classic with a game-high 20 points, sharing that honor with teammate Kiara Butler, who is headed to IUPUI. But it was the North squad that pulled ahead in the second half to defeat Guyton's South squad, 87-76. Fellow Purdue recruit Brittany Rayburn had 11 points for the North, shooting 4-of-12 from the field and 1-of-2 from the freethrow line.
North Girls -- Drake 2-5 7-7 12, Enterline 1-8 2-2 4, Johnson 5-11 3-3 13, May 0-6 0-0 0, Rayburn 4-12 1-2 11, Adams 3-7 2-2 8, Buis 1-5 0-0 2, Craft 0-1 0-0 0, Fisher 3-7 2-4 8, Mattox 7-13 2-2 17, Phillips 1-4 3-5 5, Taylor 3-10 0-0 7. Totals: 30-89 22-27 87.
South Girls -- Brierly 1-3 0-1 2, Guyton 7-16 6-7 20, Havel 4-10 1-3 9, Matheis 0-3 0-0 0, Schoen 3-7 1-2 10, Bowling 0-2 0-0 0, Draughon 2-9 7-8 11, Butler 6-11 6-6 20, Falkenstein 1-10 0-0 2, Lewis 1-6 0-0 2, Marchino 0-7 0-0 0, Wilhite 0-4 0-0 0. Totals: 25-84 21-27 76.
Offers for Johnson grow
Illinois sophomore Michala Johnson holds a scholarship offer from Purdue, as well as Vanderbilt, DePaul, Illinois and nine other programs. Johnson, who recently was named to the Illinois All-State first team, averaged 18.2 points, 11.3 boards, 3.7 blocks and 2.7 steals while shooting 66-percent from the field as a sophomore. She has 1,249 career points and over 680 rebounds, and has risen to the No. 12 ranking among national sophomores by Blue Star.
Described as one of the most consistent players he has coached, Montini head coach Jason Nichols watches that consistency displayed regardless of the double and triple teaming that teams throw at Johnson. Her freshman numbers were nearly identical to her sophomore numbers -- 19.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game while shooting 68-percent from the floor.
Ashley Wilson honored
Ashley Wilson ended her junior season expanding her high school career record to 79-15, following a 28-4 2007-08 season at Wheeling. The 6'0 power"ful" forward averaged 15.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 1.5 blocks, making 59.2-percent from the field. She was named first team All-State by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association, second team by the Associated Press and Chicago Sun-Times, and the Mid-Suburban Leagues co-MVP.
Erinn Thompson to Virginia
Junior center Erinn Thompson, a player listing Purdue last year but with unknown interest in return from the Purdue staff, committed to Virginia over Notre Dame and Virginia Tech. It was interesting that Thompson has had Notre Dame posters on the walls of her bedroom for many years, yet she eventually chose to stay closer to home. It reminds me of the art project Katie Gearlds had in school where she designed some orange sneakers in tribute to her favorite school at the time, Tennessee. It just goes to show how priorities change when you sit down and consider what is really important in your life.
Big Ten Recruiting
Penn State has a 2009 commitment, Ford City 6'3 forward Marisa Wolfe. Wolfe's only offer was to Penn State upon her announcement, but she was also being recruited by Notre Dame and Pitt. Wolfe averaged 17.3 points as a junior, up from 13.4 points and 9.4 rebounds as a sophomore.
Illinois has lost four players this season, but recently replaced them with four late period commitments. Fabiola Josil, a 5'7 point guard from Coral Springs (FL), averaged 26 points, eight assists and nine steals per game while leading Coral Glades to a 17-3 record and a District 14 title in 2008. Eboni Mitchell, a 5'7 combo guard from Decatur (GA), averaged 10.7 points, 4.2 assists and 3.2 steals as a senior. She chose Illinois over Indiana, Temple and James Madison. TeAndrea Smith, a 6'2 rebounder from East St. Louis (IL), averaged 17.6 points, 17.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 3.2 steals and 4.5 blocks per game as a senior. Smith chose the Illini over DePaul, Kansas and LSU. And lastly Whitney Toone, a 6'0 junior college forward, averaged 7.6 points and 4.8 rebounds at Okaloosa-Walton College where she was named second team All-Panhandle Conference.
Quincy Notre Dame (IL) junior Chloe Barnes, a 5-9 guard, is being recruited by Ohio State, Southern Illinois and others. She averaged 16.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.9 steals per game as a junior.
READ MORE: Big Ten Recruiting: Commitments
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