Owls Sign Three for Women's Basketball
11/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 14, 2005
Houston -
Rice women's basketball coach Greg Williams Monday announced the signing of three players. Kara Lawrence of Weatherford High School, Shyrelle Horne of East Gadsden (Fla.) High School, and Tara Watts of Brookswood Secondary School in Surrey, British Columbia, signed national letters of intent to join the Rice women's basketball program beginning in the 2006-07 academic year.
"We are pleased to add these three outstanding student-athletes to our program," Williams said. "They are all excellent passers and will fit our philosophy well, along with filling needs at positions we felt we needed to address with this class."
Lawrence, a 6-3 center, was a first-team all-district 4-5A honoree last spring after averaging 17.1 points and 7.9 rebounds a game for the Kangaroos. She led the team in blocked shots and shot over 60 percent from the field.
Williams said, "Kara is an excellent post prospect. She has a soft shooting touch with three-point range, which we like our posts to have. Kara has good basketball instincts and is an outstanding passer for a post player. She has a tremendous work ethic and desire to excel, which will make her a very good college player at Rice. She was our first commitment and really wanted to come to Rice, which means a lot to us coming in as a new staff."
Horne, a 5-8 guard, earned third-team all-state honors in class 3A last season and was named to the all-Gadsden County team and the all-Big Bend team as a junior. Her team played in the state final four, and she was rated as a top-20 point guard in the southeast by Roundball Journal. Horne also earned player of the year honors for her AAU club, the Florida Essence, and won a lifetime achievement award from the club.
"Shyrelle addresses our need at the point guard position," Williams said. "She has led her high school team to the state tournament three years in a row, so she knows how to win. Shyrelle is extremely quick and fast, making her a perfect fit for our up-tempo style. She is a good defender and will help with our pressure defense. She sees the floor well and is an exceptional passer into the post. She is an excellent ballhandler, can penetrate, and shoots the three well enough to keep the defense honest."
Watts, a 5-9 guard, is one of Canada's top young prospects. She played on the national under-17 team at the USA Basketball women's youth development festival last summer, and is a candidate for the Canadian under-18 national squad. Her school won the British Columbia provincial AAA championship in 2004 and 2005 and compiled an 86-0 record. Watts has averaged 12 points, five rebounds, three steals and five assists a game in her career, and twice has been named a tournament MVP.
Williams said, "Tara is a versatile, fundamental perimeter player who will be able to play any of the three perimeter positions for us. She is an excellent passer and handles the ball well. She comes from a tremendous high school program and certainly knows how to win. Tara can shoot the three, as well as create off the dribble. She is a very smart player who makes good decisions and understands the game."
Rice won the WAC title last year and advanced to the NCAA tournament. The team is picked to win the Conference USA crown in 2005-06.
