Women's Basketball Completes 2003-04 Recruiting Class
05/13/2003 | 12:00:00 | Women's Basketball
May 13, 2003
Carbondale, Ill. - Southern Illinois University women's basketball coach Lori Opp announced earlier today that Daphney Desamours, Elyse Morris and Crystal Holbrook have signed national letters of intent to become Salukis next fall. The three signees complete the Dawgs' recruiting needs for the 2003-04 season.
A native of Miami, Fla., Desamours (5-5, G) attended Miami Jackson High School, where she averaged 14 points, five steals, four rebounds and four assists per game in her senior season. Also scoring 15 points a game as a junior, she garnered Freshman of the Year, Most Valuable Player and Most Improved honors during her prep career.
"Daphney is a very talented point guard with great speed," said Opp. "She also has tremendous court awareness and excellent passing skills. Her ability to push the ball will help our transition game."
Hailing from Prophetstown, Ill., Morris (5-9, G) joins the Salukis from Prophetstown High School, where she averaged 14.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game en route to leading her team to a 29-2 record as a senior. A two-time all-conference pick, she set both the school's single-season (190) and career (384) records in assists. In addition, Morris became just the fourth player in school history to surpass 1,000 career points, as she registered 1,145 in three varsity seasons.
"Elyse was a steal for us," commented Opp. "She was highly recruited and will add depth to our guard play. She has great court vision and delivers the ball with accuracy. She also has the ability to score off the pass or the dribble."
Rounding out the Salukis' 2003-04 class is Smithville, Mo., native Crystal Holbrook. Holbrook, a 6-3 forward/center from Smithville High School, registered 670 career blocks, which marked both a school and state record. A first-team all-conference, all-district and all-state pick as a senior, she averaged at least 10.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in each of her four prep seasons. Additionally, Holbrook established school records in career points (1,561), career rebounds (1,075) and triple-doubles (15).
"Crystal will present problems for opposing teams because she's a 6-3 kid that can handle the ball and shoot the 18-foot shot, or drive from the high post," concluded Opp. "She has tremendous timing on her vertical leap which helped her to be a record-setting shot-blocker in high school."
Desamours, Morris and Holbrook join Julie Madura (5-9, G, Schaumburg, Ill.), Laura Cooper (5-9, G, Xenia, Ill.), Bernettra Grayer (6-2, F, Gary, Ind.) and Clarise Jones (5-7, G, Chicago, Ill.) who committed to SIU during the early signing period.
