IDAHO STATE JOURNAL: PG picks Idaho State
This entry was posted on 10/17/2007 10:51 PM and is filed under Girls Youth Basketball, Girls Basketball News.
Below is an article reprinted from the
By Heather Mangan
PG picks Idaho State
Sheila Adams begins practice with her Layton (Utah) High School basketball team Saturday. It's her last season, and as of last week, that is all she needs to worry about. The 5-foot-5 point guard verbally committed to Idaho State women's basketball team on Wednesday and will join the Bengals for the 2008-2009 season.
''I never really thought of going to Idaho State,'' Adams said. ''The more the letters came, the more I liked the coaches.'' Just a look at her stats, and it's obvious why she is a good fit for Idaho State. Last season, Adams averaged 15.7 points and 4.6 assists for Layton. She also recorded 55 3 pointers last year, leading the state and resting at seventh for season 3 pointers in Utah's history. She is also a standout in softball and tennis.
In a 10th through 12th grade high school, Adams started on Latyon's varsity team as a freshman. ''She is a very good player,'' said Layton coach Van Price. ''She was more of a role player in her first year and has been kind of a star the last two years.''
This weekend, she was named most valuable player at the Intermountain Hoops Fall Evaluation Showcase, which attracted 54 athletes from Nevada, Idaho and Utah. It wasn't long after last year's showcase that she started receiving mail with the Bengal letterhead. Adams looked at Eastern Washington and Utah State, but it was coach John Newlee and his staff that drew her to Idaho State.
''He is just a fun guy to be around,'' Adams said. ''He is really honest with me. I want a coach that is going to push me hard. I knew he was going to take me to my best potential.'' That's comforting to her current coach. Price encouraged Adams to make the early commitment as the Bengals coaching staff told her about the immediate impact she could make on the team. Their commitment to her put Idaho State at the top, Price said.
Reed Gym was also a selling point. Adams wanted to play basketball in a smaller place in which she could connect with fans. When she made her first visit to Pocatello two weeks ago, she realized Reed's 3,040 capacity could do just that. ''This is the kinda gym I am looking for,'' she said. ''It just felt right.''
Now, that a university is chosen, Adams can play with ease this season, but not with less intensity. ''I'm gonna go play just as hard,'' she said. ''But it's going to be relaxing knowing I am not playing for a scholarship.''
