PURDUE WOMENS BASKETBALL RECRUITING:
Women's Recruiting Update: Versyp still looking

Published: 4/02/2007
Author: Bob_Richards
© Old Gold Free Press Columnists

Versyp still hoping for Phillips, maybe a shooter

In Sunday's Journal and Courier, Versyp expressed a desire for a "bigger, thick post player", holding out hope that Phillips might fill Purdue's need for 2007. If not, the staff is looking at several players that fit that description in the classes of 2008 and 2009. Versyp also added the staff was in search of a wing an inside/outside game.

READ MORE: Journal and Courier

Class of 2007 prospect updates

Hoopgurlz has two updates on class of 2007 targets of Purdue interest. Glenn had a lengthy interview with Ta'Shia Phillips, and also a writeup on 5'9 shooter Jordan Jones of Suwanee, GA who just a month ago was released from her letter-of-intent with Texas Tech in hopes of playing closer to home.

READ MORE: Jordan Jones update
READ MORE: Phillips: Plenty Time & Choices

2007 Hall of Fame Classic field set

The 2006 Hall of Fame Classic game saw two players of major interest to Purdue battle to overtime in the noon game of the four-game Classic. With the field for the 2007 Classic set, Purdue fans will again be able to see some top Indiana prospects go head-to-head nearing the halfway point in the IHSAA season.

The lineup for 2007 -- Class 4A Greenfield-Central, Class 4A Huntington North, Class 2A Lapel and Class 4A Terre Haute South.

Greenfield-Central finished 13-8 in 2006-07, led by 5'8 junior Jordan Lewis who averaged 22.4 points per game. Lewis has given a commitment to Tricia Cullop's University of Evansville.

Huntington North also finished 13-8 in 2006-07 and were led by 6'3 junior post Amber Clark. Clark averaged 17 points and 12 rebounds and will continue her basketball career following graduation at Ball State.

The 2007-08 season will be Lapel's first year in Class 2A, following a Class A season that took them to the state semifinals. Lapel finished 22-5, and was led by 6'1 junior Kayla Skaggs. Skaggs averaged 14.2 points, followed closely by sophomores Elizabeth Jennings (13.5) and Courtney Prater (13.2). Lapel returns all five top scorers from their 2006-07 state semifinal team.

Terre Haute South makes their third appearance in the Hall of Fame Classic, returning all five starters from a 21-2 team. Leading the Braves is 6'3 sophomore Dragana Grbic, who Purdue fans have seen this season visiting Mackey Arena. Grbic averages 15.7 points and 7.6 rebounds, shooting 50-percent from the field and 70-percent from the freethrow line. Junior Megan Craft, a 5'4 point guard, averages 12.8 points and hit 62 three-pointers this season at a 45-percent clip. Adding to South's youthful lineup is 5'10 sophomore Tessa Johnson, who averaged 12.1 points per game and led the team in field goal percentage.

The Classic will tip-off at 10:00 a.m. on December 27th with Huntington North and Lapel, followed immediately by the 4A battle between Terre Haute South and Greenfield-Central around noon. Losers from the morning games will meet in the third-place game later that day at 6:00 p.m., with the championship game between the morning winners around 8:00 p.m.

Indiana Junior All-Star teams chosen

Matt Arnold, coach for the 16U Indiana's Finest Junior Select team, is a lucky guy. Not only is he the coach of Purdue-bound Brittany Rayburn, but he also is the coach of five of the six members of the just announced Indiana Junior All-Star core team. And he would have made it six for six if post Alex Guyton had not left the Indiana's Finest program last summer to join The Family. Arnold also landed two additional players on the junior teams, 6'2 Amber Clark made the Central squad and 6'1 Lindsay Enterline made the North squad.

The 2007 Junior All-Star teams have been announced, and 24 of Indiana's finest junior players will take part in three scrimmages against the 2007 Senior All-Stars. A core team of six players will join up with one of three six-member junior squads (north, central and south) to test the Senior All-Stars in three games in June. Although the sites have yet to be determined, the scrimmages will be played on June 13th, 19th and 21st.

Two Purdue-bound players will be featured on the junior teams. Purdue-bound Brittany Rayburn will play in all three games as part of the six-member core team, and Purdue volleyball recruit Tiffany Fisher will join Rayburn for one of the scrimmages.

For a complete listing of the teams, click the link below.

READ MORE: 2007 Indiana Girl's Junior All-Star Teams