NEW ORLEANS – After a recording-breaking season the New Orleans women's basketball program was set to lose eight student-athletes.
So what did head women's basketball coach
Keeshawn Davenport and her staff of
Wyketha Harrell,
Alpha English and
Kristin Moore do?
They went and added eight signees between the fall and spring periods to go with a mid-year transfer to bring the grand total of new Privateers to nine in what is one of the best recruiting periods for the program in recent memory.
SPRING SIGNINGS
- Tiana Gibson, Guard (Transfer from Highland Community College)
"Gipson is coming off a sophomore season where she posted an average of 20.2 points per game (first in her conference) and connected on a 49.5 percent clip from the field. She also shot 41.6 percent from beyond the arc as she helped lead her program to a 21-4 record and a second-place finish in the KJCCCD DII.
The Kansas City, Missouri native added averages of 2.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 steals per contest. She ranked third the country in made three-pointers (107), 13th in points per game, 16th in three-point percentage and 18th in field goal percentage.
After the standout season Gipson was honored as a NJCAA Division II All-American Third Team selection, a member of the NJCAA Region VI All-Region First Team and a KJCCC DI All-Conference First Team award.
For her Scotties career, she finished with 886 points in 54 games for a career scoring mark of 16.4 points per contest. Gipson shot 42.5 percent from three in her two seasons with the program and closed out her Highland career as the all-time school leader in made career three-pointers (189)."
- Erin Randle, Forward (Transfer from Highland Community College)
"Randle just wrapped up her sophomore season at Highland CC where she recorded 11 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. The Houston, Texas native shot 57.1 percent from the field (ranked seventh in NJCAA) and added 2.2 assists, 1.8 steals and two blocks per contest. She tallied 11 double-figure rebound games and reached double-digit scoring across 14 games.
With her impressive year, Randle was named a First Team All-Conference honoree to go with a NJCAA Region VI All-Region selection.
The 6'1" forward helped her team to a 21-4 record during the 2019-20 season along with a second-place finish in KJCCC DII."
- Zoe Cooper, Forward (Ramsay High School)
"The Birmingham native is a 5' 11" playmaker that looks to be a stretch forward at the collegiate level. She is another exciting forward that New Orleans has brought in to contribute as the Privateers lost all but one of its front court (
Dionjhae Thomas returns who works out of the 3) from last season's record-setting group to graduation or transfer.
Cooper played AAU ball with the outstanding Alabama Heat Elite program based out of Birmingham. She is following in the footsteps of her uncle, Chris Cooper, who also played collegiate basketball."
- Caleigh-Rose West, Forward (Montverde Academy)
"The Orlando, Florida native is a 6-foot plus forward with a very versatile game. The lefty can operate in the post and also has nice touch from range and slashing ability to go with her work on defense and the glass.
West just helped her Montverde Academy team to a 18-6 record overall and a runner-up finish in the National Christian Independent School National Championships."
- Bri Ellis, Guard (Palm Coast High School)
"Ellis helped lead her high school squad to a 18-7 record and a District 1-7A Championship during her senior campaign, her seventh season overall playing at the varsity level. She averaged team-highs in points (13.7), assists (3.8) and steals (3.1).
She was also a back-to-back selection to The Daytona Beach News-Journal All-District team after her junior and senior years.
Ellis scored 16 points and added a team-leading six assists in the District Championship victory."
MID-YEAR TRANSFER
-Abigail Johnson, Forward (Transfer from Northwest Florida State)
"Johnson joined the Privateers mid-way through the 2019-20 season and will look to step into a contributing role this upcoming year. The forward stands at 6' 3" and already has NCAA Division I experience (two years at St. Bonaventure University/Atlantic 10 Conference).
Johnson is a very seasoned player as she gained her experience playing against some of the best the world has to offer in the sport. Before coming to the United States, she was the leading rebounder for England's U16 squad at the European Championships. She then played for the Barking Abbey of the Women's British Basketball League (WBBL) where she averaged 7.6 points and 9.1 rebounds on 53 percent shooting.
Johnson also represented Great Britain in the 2017 FIBA European Championships where she led the tournament in rebounds."
FALL SIGNINGS
- Ericca Richardson, Guard (Trinity Christian High School)
"The Dallas, Texas native won the TCAL 3A State Championship Title with her high school program during her senior campaign. It was the second straight championships the team has won. She was named a First Team All-State student-athlete and was picked to the First Team All-Tournament team during the post season.
Richardson has extreme range as a scorer and can attack the defense in multiple ways. She also plays spirited defense."
- Kyla Davis, Guard (L.D. Bell High School)
"Davis can knock down three's in bunches as she led her L.D. Bell program with 87 made three-pointers during her senior season. She also averaged 12.5 points per game. The talented scorer and shooter will be a good add to the Privateers backcourt.
Chose New Orleans because of the strong academic program and that it would give her the opportunity to further her career the most."
- Zanaa Cordis, Forward (Manhattan High School)
"Another talented two-way forward as Cordis joins the Privateers after leading her high school program in scoring, rebounding and shot blocking during her senior season. She also set the single-season program record for highest field goal percentage.
After the standout campaign, Cordis was selected to the Kansas All-Stat team as a forward."
