Less than 48 hours before Texas Tech hosts South Florida Saturday in the NCAA Tournament, the Red Raiders secured a verbal commitment from class of 2014 post, Claire Ricketts of Parker, Texas. By adding the 6-foot-3 center, coach Kristy Currys program has increased their chances of being in the tournament field of 64 for years to come. Shell give them a solid interior presence on a roster that graduates four front ourt players all 6-feet or taller at the end of the 2013-14 season.
Ricketts was a member of a John Paul II (Plano, Texas) school team that won a private school state championship this past season. Her former school coach, Katie Hensle, is in her first year on the coaching staff at Tech and Hensles presence surely gave the four-star post presence a comfort level that the other schools recruiting couldnt match.
Before pledging to Texas Tech, Ricketts sported scholarship offers from Auburn, Indiana, Kansas State, Northwestern and Oklahoma State, among others.
Ricketts joins fellow Texan Artavia Ford of Grapevine in the Red Raiders 2014 recruiting class. Ford committed on the same date last month. Together, they give Curry and her staff two legitimate four-star post options, though we would expect them to sign one more front court prospect in the class, if not two. Currently, the Red Raiders have been linked to several possible options including Tiara Davenport of San Antonio, Texas, Imani Littleton of San Diego, Calif., Michelle Nwokedi of Missouri City, Texas, and Tyesha Taylor of Temple, Texas.
#ProspectsNationTV: Analyst Brandon Clay takes a look at what the commitment of 2014 post Claire Ricketts means to Texas Tech:
Follow @BrandonClayPSBClay is the owner of Peach State Basketball, the JumpOffPlus.com National Scouting Report and serves as Executive Camp Director for the Elite Basketball Academy. He can be reached at brandon@prospectsnation.com.
