Breanna Alford
Brooke Copeland gives Florida and inside-out post presence. *Photo by Chris Hansen.
As is the case every year, the break in between the two July viewing periods sees the first real rush on verbal commitments for the 2014 class. So as the teams and players repack for the second half, we look at some of the recruiting highlights during the dead period.
Florida Lands Copeland
Right after helping her Tennessee Flight summer team take the championship at this years Battle of the Boro, class of 2014 forward Brooke Copeland of Cleveland, Tenn., called coach Amanda Butler and her Florida staff and made the verbal pledge to play for the Gators. Copeland, a 6-foot-2 forward-post, will give the Gators a traditional face-up four on the offensive side of the floor and a rugged physical interior defender on the opposite side of the floor. Copeland joins another four-star prospect, 6-3 center Haley Lorenzen of Iowa City, Iowa as the second member of the SEC schools recruiting class.
George Mason Gets Hot
George Mason was able to secure verbal commitments from three class of 2014 prospects, all in a short period of time from each other. Point guard Cydni Cole of Glen Burnie, Md., shooting guard Qierra Murray of Randalstown, Md., and forward Taylor Dodson of Harrisonburg, Va., all decided to end their recruitment and call it for the Atlantic-10 school. What makes this group of commitments even more unique for coach Nyla Milleson and her staff is that all three players were once teammates on the Boo Williams-Maryland club team for the previous two summers. The familiarity and bond is already there.
AROUND THE RIM
Jordyn Holmes to Tulsa: Holmes addition to Tulsa will give them a versatile guard-forward with good athleticism. Holmes can score the ball and defend multiple positions for the Golden Hurricanes.
Claire Ricketts to Iowa State: Ricketts, who had originally committed to Texas Tech before a coaching change, made an unofficial visit to Iowa State shortly before the NCAA evaluation period. During the break Ricketts decided to close out her recruiting and give her verbal pledge to the Big 12 school. Rickets, a 6-3 post player gives Iowa State a true center to bolster their frontline. Rickets becomes the fifth member of Iowa States 2014 recruiting class, joining point guard Nakiah Bell of Florissant, Miss., wing Emily Durr of Barneveld, N.Y., post Bryanna Fernstrom of Center City, Minn., and Blaire Thomas of Waterloo, Iowa.
Makayla Johnson to Clemson: With the addition of 6-4 post player, Johnson of Columbia, S.C., to the 2014 Clemson recruiting class, the Tigers have added size and depth to their roster. Johnson joins 6-2 post Ivy Atkism as the current members of Clemsons recruiting class. With the size they have added early in the summer recruiting process look for Clemson to add some athletic wings and a point guard with its remaining scholarships.
Chelsea Woods to St. Josephs Woods of Philadelphia, Pa., has decided to stay close to home and play her college basketball at St. Joes, as it is known in the city of brotherly love. Woods gives St. Joes a physically gifted forward who can score the ball in a variety of ways.
Wendy Knight to Rice: Knight is a very good perimeter shooter with good size to play the wing in college. Her addition to the Rice program gives the Conference USA school a skilled shooter with playmaking ability.
Sacramento State lands Breanna Alford: The Hornets dialed up the Cal Stars program to land their first commitment in the 2014 class. Alford, a 5-11 forward from Walnut Creek, Calif., brings a face-up game and good strength to front court while being able to keep up in Sac States fast-paced offense.
McKynzie Fort to Oregon: The Ducks continue the rebuilding process by adding more athleticism in the 2014 class, complementing their 2013 class. Fort, a 5-9 combo guard from Fontana, Calif., should do well along side 2013s Morgan Toler and Chrishae Rowe. She is the Ducks first commitment in the 2014 class.
Chris Hansen contributed to this report. Follow @KeilMoorePSB
