Tampa, FL (November 14, 2006) ? University of South Florida head women's basketball coach Jose Fernandez announced today another standout recruiting class with the signing of four players to National Letters of Intent during the current early signing period. All four of the signees are perimeter players ? two wing players and two guards ? and should contribute immediately during the 2007-08 season.
With the addition of six newcomers this season, four of which are solid post players, a major point of emphasis in recruiting this year was filling the void for wing players that will be left at the end of the 2006-07 campaign with the graduation of Jessica Dickson, Rachael Sheats, Nalini Miller and Tristen Webb, and USF seems to have accomplished that feat.
“What we're doing with this class is replacing the need for talented, athletic wings that can score,” said Fernandez. “At the level we are at all of the players that we have, have the ability to play in the BIG EAST Conference or I wouldn't have signed them. I want to give credit to our staff for working hard on these recruits. Jeff Osterman, our recruiting coordinator has really done a good job with this class and getting these kids on campus. One thing that speaks for ourselves is that we only had four official visits and we signed all four players. That has to say something about the type of kids that we are recruiting and I think it's recruiting smart.”
“I currently have USF's recruiting class as the 21st best in America,” said Dan Olson, founder and editor of the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report (CGBR). “They have tremendous talent coming in, but the fact is the talent that is coming in can still get much better.”
“USF has signed a good group of players that will keep them moving in the direction that are currently going in the BIG EAST,” said Chris Mennig, National Evaluator for the Nike Blue Star Basketball Report. “Overall I have them listed at 30th in the nation and that will certainly keep them in the upper tier of women's college basketball. They definitely have players coming in that will contribute quality minutes right away.”
Lonnie Terrell (Detroit, MI), a finalist for the Michigan Miss Basketball Award out of Inkster High School, joins the Bulls as the 38th best player in America and the ninth best wing player in the country as rated CGBR. A major factor on the perimeter, the 5-9 small forward/off guard has good mid-range skills and is a considerable offensive threat from deep. She also anticipates well defensively.
Terrell, who has been termed “a flat-out scoring machine who has been unstoppable in the Mega Conference this season” by Mick McCabe of the Detroit Free Press, is averaging 31 points, 6.5 rebounds, eight assists, and four steals per game this season.
“What can you say about a kid that is so versatile,” said Fernandez. “She can handle the ball, get to the rim, is strong and can shoot the three. You can definitely see what she is capable of when you look at her numbers from her season this year.”
“Lonnie Terrell is a strong, tough, left handed player, with unlimited potential,” said Olson, editor of the CGBR. “She had tremendous range, but can also take the defender off the dribble and hit the pull up jumper. Her impact at USF will be felt much sooner that later.”
For the second straight year, USF signed a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American. Last year the Bulls inked current guard Daiane Packer a NJCAA honorable mention All-American out of Trinity Valley Community College in Texas. This year, Jazmine Sepulveda (Brooklyn, NY/Abraham Lincoln High School), who is currently playing her final year at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, IA, signed with USF as the No. 1 junior college point guard in the country and the 12th best player overall by the CGBR.
Sepulveda, a 5-9 point guard, is an intense, tough and aggressive player who is also a tremendous leader. Offensively she can handle and distribute the ball and has a good shot from the three-point arc in. Last year Sepulveda was tabbed a first team NJCAA All-America after averaging 13.7 points per game, in 37 outings, and setting a school freshman record with 133 steals. In addition, she averaged 4.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.
In high school, Sepulveda helped Abraham Lincoln to the 2004 New York City Public School Athletic League semifinals while averaging 12.6 points, 9.3 assists, and 6.1 steals per contest. For her efforts she was named first team All-Brooklyn and second team All-City by Newsday.
“This young lady, I feel, is one of the best point guards out there on the junior college level and around the country,” said Fernandez. “She is a player that can come in you have options. You can move Tia (Current guard Shantia Grace) to the two and she can run the point. She can shoot the ball extremely well and drive to the basket and create for her teammates. That is a tremendous advantage in our system.”
“What sets Jazmine apart from other point guards with similar abilities is the fact that she has an outstanding basketball IQ,” said Olson. “She really understands the game, and is not just driven by a scorer's mentality. Jazmine is a good leader who is ideal for the up tempo game that USF runs, but is also smart enough and talented enough to run a half court offense when it needs to be done.”
Sequoyah Griffin (Columbus, GA), a 5-9 small forward/off guard, will join the Bulls after her scholastic career at Pacelli High School. Griffin is an explosive combo player who has good court awareness and can penetrate and finish. Labeled as a “complete guard” by the CGBR Griffin averaged 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists as a junior earning first team All-City.
“Sequoyah is a young lady that can take people off the dribble, she can shoot the three-point shot, and she's long and athletic,” said Fernandez. “We're really excited about what she will bring to our program. She is a versatile perimeter player who can really create and finish her own play.”
“The only way to describe Sequoyah Griffin is to say that she is a player with a real scorer's mentality,” said Olson. “Her body make-up is along the lines of (current USF guard) Rachael Sheats ? thin and athletic. She is a real speed merchant. One thing that gives her an edge against players along the lines of her ability is that she is such a fierce competitor that will never give up. She is a two-guard with point guard ability in her, and she can simply fill it up.”
The Bulls also signed their second player from Hillsborough County in the last four years. Joining current USF player and former Tampa Bay Tech standout ChiChi Okpaleke is Gianna Messina (Tampa, FL), a 5-6 guard from the Academy of the Holy Names. Messina led Hillsborough County in scoring last year averaging 20.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists and five steals per game.
An extremely hard worker with tremendous ability, Messina was named the Player of the Year in Hillsborough County and by the Tampa Tribune at the end of her junior season.
“Gianna is the second player that we have signed from Hillsborough County and I really like her versatility,” said Fernandez. She has a great work ethic and because of that her best basketball is ahead of her. When we signed ChiChi, a lot of people have questioned that signing. You look at her now, a couple of years later, and ChiChi, she has played in every game that she has dressed in. Gianna's stats can speak for itself. I see her doing what Jessica Jackson and Daiane Packer can do for us making us a three-point threat, but can also play the point and win positions.”
“Gianna is a local product from the Academy of the Holy Names who has an outstanding work ethic, is extremely coachable and has a no quit mentality,” said Olson. “It's those attributes are what set her apart from her competition. She is also a very good shooter and still has the ability to get much better and I have no doubt that she will improve under that direction of coach Fernandez.”
