Lady Gator Hoops Welcomes Five Signees
Wednesday, November 14, 2001 | Women's Basketball
University of Florida head women's basketball coach Carol Ross today announced the National Letter of Intent signings of five players comprising the 2001-02 recruiting class:
Brittany Davis (6-2, Forward, Gainesville, FL/Buchholz HS)
Dalila Eshe (pronounced: da-LEE-la ES-shay) (6-2, Forward, Chattahoochee, FL/Florida HS)
Sarah Lowe (pronounced: LOW) (5-7, Guard, Wynnewood, PA/Lower Merion HS)
Bernice Mosby (6-2, Forward, Brooksville, FL/Hernando HS)
Danielle Santos (5-10, Guard, Marietta, GA/Wheeler HS)
"This 2001-2002 recruiting class is not only great quality, but is a great quantity. Depth has been a bit of a factor for us the past couple of years because of injury so we're excited about the quality of players we have," Ross said. "I don't know if we've ever had a class this deep with the amount of quality in it. This group has a chance to be very special. We're happy that we were able to keep what we consider the cream of the crop of the state of Florida here, in Bernice Mosby, Brittany Davis and Dalila Eshe. Joining those three are two outstanding out-of-state players in Sarah Lowe and Danielle Santos. This is a great signing class for the Lady Gators and our future looks extremely bright. "
Brittany Davis was named The Gainesville Sun 2001 Class 4A-6A Player of the Year, in addition to earning 5A All-State First Team honors. She is a 2001 adidas Top Ten Camp and 2001 Street & Smith All-America Honorable Mention. Her junior year averaged 22 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and one steal per game. She is the first player from Gainesville to sign scholarship papers with the Lady Gators since Tammy Jackson in 1981. Jackson played for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team and has been a member of the WNBA's Houston Comets since the team's inception.
"It's not too often we can have a Gainesville Gator, so having Brittany join our team is a great source of pride," Ross said. "It's a tremendous day for us and we look forward to having Brittany finally wear the Orange & Blue."
"She has the most refined post game of any player that I've seen in the last few years with her back to the basket," Buchholz Coach Chris Gardner said. "She's also becoming a very good player facing the basket, like a small forward role. She'll go into Florida as somebody that can do whatever Coach Ross needs — step out and shoot the basketball, can pass and can also post up at the low and high post."
Dalila Eshe is a 2001 Nike All-American, in addition to being named a 2000 adidas Top Ten Camp Underclass All-Star, a 2001 Blue Chip Best of the Best and a 2001 Street & Smith All-America Honorable Mention. Eshe is a two-time 2A First Team All-State, who averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks per game her junior year.
"Dalila Eshe has always been a good player, but became a great player over the summer," Ross said. "She really has blossomed. She's going to be a great player at the next level. She works extremely hard to improve her skills."
"Needless to say, Dalila is a great player," Florida High School assistant coach Lisa Kelly. "It's easy to say that because when I look back to the difference she has made in her game and her ability over the last four years has been remarkable. She is constantly in the gym trying to improve her game. At the end of practice, she is always the one who is shooting more free throws. The University of Florida has found themselves something special in Dalila Eshe."
Sarah Lowe is a 2001 Street & Smith Honorable Mention All-American, while being named a 2001 adidas Top Ten Camp and a USA Today Player to Watch. Lowe averaged 15.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.6 steals and 5.0 assists her junior year, when she led Lower Merion to the league finals. She was named All-County as a junior by the Philadelphia Inquirer; and played with the AAU Philadelphia Belles U15 team. Lowe attends the same high school as NBA star Kobe Bryant.
"When you can sign a point guard out of Philadelphia, that's about as good as it gets. Sarah is a great Philadelphia point guard," Ross said. "She comes out of a great AAU program. She's the type of young lady who plays with a lot of enthusiasm and plays extremely hard every time she takes the floor. She's a great leader, has great knowledge of the game and she has great skill. I believe that Sarah will continue that great line of point guards we've had here at the University of Florida."
"Sarah is probably the finest basketball player I've coached in my career," Lower Merion High School coach Lauren Friel said. "Her work ethics are rare for a high school athlete. She works hard all year long; and has made drastic improvements year to year. Her talents are many, but she is most recognized for her ability to score, her unselfish play, exceptional ballhandling abilities, all-around savvy play on both ends of the floor. Sarah Lowe's play can be described in one word: exciting! She's a crowd pleaser."
Bernice Mosby was named the St. Petersburg Times All-Suncoast Girls Basketball Player of the Year as a junior, when she led Hernando High School to the Class 4A regional final with a 23-4 record and averaged 22.7 points and 12.8 rebounds. She is a 2001 adidas Top Ten Camp Upperclass All-Star, a 2001 Street & Smith All-America Honorable Mention, a 4A All-State Third Team member, the Region Player of the Year and was named All-Conference First Team. In addition, Mosby was a 2001 AAU 16U All-American.
"Bernice is an exceptionally talented young lady," Ross said. "She can do so many things on the court. She's a natural forward. She has a great nose for rebounding the basketball. She's a great player from here in the state and we felt it was very important for her to be a Gator."
"Bernice is the most tenacious rebounder I've ever see," Clearwater Green Wave AAU Coach John East said. "She has an all-around game and has even played the point during her career. She has incredible quickness. Bernice works extremely hard at her game and it shows."
Danielle Santos recently was named as a nominee for the first-ever girls' McDonald's All-America High School game. She was named 2001 First Team All-State in Georgia and is a 2001-02 Preseason Top 10 Player in Georgia entering her senior year. In addition, Santos was named All-Metro Atlanta First Team and All-Area First Team. As a junior she averaged 13.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6.0 steals and 5.6 assists per game, leading Wheeler to a 27-4 record and the Elite Eight of the state tournament, losing to the eventual champion.
"Everyone is familiar with the men's McDonald's All-America High School game because of the men's program, but this is the first year they have produced a women's team and Danielle Santos was named a candidate for that team," Ross said. "That recognition says a lot about her ability. She comes from a tremendous Wheeler High school Program and has been coached by Krista Kilburn so her talent has really been refined."
"Danielle is such an enjoyable player to coach," Wheeler Coach Krista Kilburn said. "Even more importantly, she's a better person to be around. A coach from another school said that Danielle was the most explosive player in the state of Georgia and has the potential to dominate every game she plays. I agree. Carol Ross is going to enjoy coaching her."
Seniors on the 2001-02 Lady Gator squad include Brandi McCain, Monique Cardenas and Lindsey DeLoach.
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