LSU women’s basketball coach Van Chancellor added a mix of youth and experience to one of the youngest teams in women’s college basketball.Chancellor signed three early recruits — guard Bianca Lutley and forwards Adrienne Webb and Jasmine Nelson.He inked point guard Taylor Booze in the late April signing period. Chancellor will gain another player in 2009 when transfer guard Erica Williams will be eligible to play after transferring from Southern Mississippi.Scout.com five-star guard Bianca Lutley headlines Chancellor’s 2009 class. The Florida native played at American Heritage High School her senior season.She averaged 22.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists her junior season at Pensacola High School, earning Class 4A All-State honors. Lutley became the fastest player in Pensacola history to exceed 1,000 points.”She’s a real good outside shooter and a good passer,” Chancellor said. “We need her outside shooting.”Chancellor said Lutley’s playing time will be determined by her work ethic in the summer.”That’s left up to her,” Chancellor said. “Players determine playing time.”Lutley and Webb will be new to college baksetball, while Nelson, Booze and Webb have experience at the junior college or Division I level.”I’m ready to start next season right now,” Chancellor said. “I’m excited about our returning players. I’m excited about our players that we have coming here.”Booze has been the only recruit to sign in the late signing period.The Trinity Valley Community College point guard averaged 10.1 points, 4.5 assists and 1.7 steals in 2008. Dallas-native Booze will be a junior for the Lady Tigers in 2009.Booze was the second Trinity Valley player to sign with LSU. Nelson, a 6-foot-2-inch forward, was a 2009 State Farm/Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association All-American.Nelson averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks per game. The forward led Trinity Valley to a 26-7 overall record.”She can run; she can shoot,” Chancellor said. “She can do it all.”LSU has had connections with Trinity Valley. LSU assistant coach Kenya Larkin-Landers was an assistant coach and former player at the community college. Her husband, Michael Landers, was the head coach at Trinity Valley.Sparkman High School forward Webb averaged 22 points and six rebounds her junior season, leading her team to a 28-5 record.Webb was a state tournament MVP as a sophomore and led Sparkman to a Class 6A state title. The 5-foot-10-inch forward is a Scout.com four-star recruit. “[Webb] is a heck of a wing player out of Alabama,” Chancellor said. “She’s an all-around outstanding defensive player, a scorer and a rebounder.”Shooting guard Williams, a transfer from Southern Mississippi, will be eligible to join the Lady Tigers in 2009. She played one season and averaged 4.7 points and 1.4 rebounds for the Golden Eagles.”She’s been working out with us all year,” Chancellor said. “She’s exactly what we need here.”The Gonzales native averaged 21.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists her senior season at Dutchtown High School. “Williams is a great shooter,” Chancellor said. “[She] gives us depth from the outside.”—-Contact Michael Lambert at [email protected]
Women’s Basketball: Chancellor nabs five recruits
April 29, 2009