UTEP Women’s Basketball Signs Six For 2012-2013

Keitha Adams knows that as great as the 2011-2012 was, college athletics is all about 'what have you done for me lately.'  The microscope for the UTEP women's basketball team is not as intense as say UCONN or Tennessee, but Keitha Adams is not content with simply making the NCAA tournament.

Today, Coach Adams announced that the Miners have signed six players for the 2012 campaign.  The group is comprised of four domestic high school prep stars, a junior-college transfer and the Miss Basketball from Lithuania. There are three guards and three forwards, with each of the post players checking in at least 6-1.

Below is a brief profile on each player, with a quote from Coach Adams.

Tommitrise Collins

6-1, Forward

Macon, Ga. (Westside HS)

Centerpiece for Westside HS who led her team to a 22-6 record as a senior … earned All-District accolades after providing 14.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 3.5 steals and 3.0 blocks … swatted 101 shots as a junior, her first season as a starter … also chipped in 7.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg … all-around athlete who was also on the school’s track & field team.

Adams on Collins: She’s an athletic forward who can really run the floor and rebound the basketball. She plays hard!

Destinee LaFountain

6-1, Forward

Simi Valley, Calif. (Ventura College/Royal HS)

Became the first player at Ventura College since 1993 to average a double-double for her career … tabbed Honorable-Mention All-American and the California Co-Player of the Year in 2011-12 … two-time All-WSC selection … led VC to a 32-2 record while posting 12.4 ppg and 11.0 rpg to go along with 91 blocked shots in 2011-12 … started all 30 games as a freshman, netting 13.4 ppg and 11.4 rpg and registering 80 rejections … finished her career as the program’s second-leading rebounding (715) and No. 18 scorer (765) … at the prep level she was a two-year All-CIF honoree while twice earning team MVP accolades for Royal HS.

Adams on LaFountain: She’s a power forward who plays very hard! She really hits the boards hard, and she comes to us from a winning tradition.

Jamie Madden

5-8, Guard

Detroit, Mich. (Inkster HS)

Rated No. 103 point guard in nation by All Star Girls Report … earned second-team All-State honors after leading Inkster HS to a 25-2 record and the 2011 Class A State Championship … also tabbed first-team All-District and the Defensive MVP as a junior … contributed 15.6 ppg, 6.9 apg, 4.5 rpg & 2.3 steals while guiding squad to final record of 21-6 and a spot in the state’s Final Four in 2011-12 … reaped honorable-mention All-State and All-Metro accolades for her efforts … played with adidas Top Ten AAU team

Adams on Madden: She’s a very skilled player with good basketball IQ.  She can play point guard and the off guard position. She comes from a winning tradition, which we love.

Diamond Posey

5-7, Guard

Detroit, Mich. (Cody HS)

Ranked as No. 106 guard in country & assessed a grade of 87 by ESPN HoopGurlz … recognized as All-PSL, All-Metro and All-State following her senior season with Detroit Cody HS… explosive scorer who had 23.5 ppg while also recording 7.1 apg, 6.0 rpg and 6.0 steals … quality student earned placement on her school’s academic honor roll … recognized as the Salutatorian of her class.

Adams on Posey: She’s a scoring guard who really shoots the basketball well, and she is very athletic.

Cameasha Turner

5-9, Guard

Dallas, Texas (Lincoln HS)

Rated as No. 74 point guard in country & assessed a grade of 86 by ESPN HoopGurlz … was voted as an All-District, All-Region and All-State honoree while starring at Lincoln HS … also chosen as the District 12 4-A Offensive Player of the Year … provided 15.2 ppg, 4.2 apg, 3.8 rpg and 3.2 steals as a senior … excellent student who landed on the district’s All-Academic squad and was the Valedictorian of her class.

Adams on Turner: She’s an upsize guard who is a very well-rounded player. We will look for her to be a great defender. She’s a competitor.

Vita Zilinskaite

6-3, Forward

Vilnius, Lithuania (Vilniaus Vytauto Didžiojo)

Honored as the Miss Basketball in Lithuania in 2011-12 … has represented Lithuania at the European Championships, competing at the U16 event in 2009 and the U18 tournament in August 2011 … contributed 11.9 ppg and 8.5 rpg in 2009, which was aided by a trio of double-doubles … overall appeared in 17 combined games at the tournaments, connecting on 57.7 percent (45-of-78) of her shots from the floor.

Adams on Zilinskaite: She’s a skilled international player who can play inside and out for us. She can score inside, shoots the ball well and rebounds it.

Courtesy:  UTEP Athletics