Rockets add to ’14 hoops class
Multiple area athletes commit to various college programs
11/14/2013The University of Toledo basketball team on Wednesday announced the signing of Orlando combo guard Stuckey Mosley.
Mosley, who committed to the Rockets in September, will join the team for the 2014-15 season. He is 6-foot-3, 180 pounds.
“We’re really excited to add Stuckey to the Rocket Basketball program,” coach Tod Kowalczyk said in a statement. “He’s a combo guard who can really shoot the ball, possesses some great toughness and adds a lot of value to our perimeter. Stuckey is also an Ivy League-caliber student and is someone who really fits what we’re looking for to represent our program.”
Mosley, who averaged 13.4 points and 7.5 rebounds last season for Timber Creek High School, chose Toledo over Florida Atlantic, Creighton, Rice, Boston College, and Columbia.
Kowalczyk has two more scholarships available to use in this class.
■ There was no need for three members of Rogers girls basketball team to continue contemplating future college plans.
Plenty of figuring and weighing of options had already been done by Rams seniors Sasha Dailey, Toriana Easley, and Marquelle Price-Williams, three of the area's top returning basketball talents on arguably the area’s top team heading into the 2013-14 season.
They've known their college plans for a while and decided to make it official on Wednesday by signing national letter of intent forms on the first day of the early signing period (Nov. 13-20) for college-bound student-athletes enrolling for the 2014-15 school year.
Dailey and Easley signed to attend Eastern Michigan while Price-Williams signed to attend Lamar University.
"I’m very proud of all three young ladies for going off to the next level to continue with playing and their education," Rogers coach Lamar Smith said. "It’s good for them to get it [signing] out of the way. Now they’re focusing on looking forward to their senior year.
"I’m probably most excited about they’re going to get their college education."
A National Letter of Intent is regarded as "a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and a National Letter of Intent member institution" such as a college or university.
This current early signing period is designated for basketball and sports other than football, field hockey, soccer, track/cross country, and men's water polo.
The Rogers trio lead a list of area student-athletes signing with their colleges during the early signing period.
■ Notre Dame Academy also had three student athletes sign on the first day of the early signing period.
Four-year varsity basketball participant Jayda Worthy signed with Radford University. Cassandra Gillespie signed with Akron University to continue her softball career while Madeline Smyth signed with Wheeling Jesuit University to continue playing volleyball.
■ Perrysburg's Sarah Baer and J.P. Newton formally committed to colleges.
Baer will continue her basketball career at Bowling Green State University and Newton will wrestle at Ohio State.
"Growing up, I've always been an OSU fan," Newton said. "It is my dream school. I took a visit earlier this year and it felt like home already."
The 152-weight class wrestler has won three Northern Lakes League championships, finished third in the state this year, and his coach Sam Cotterman said he's predicted to win the state championship during his senior year.
For Baer, a forward, BGSU was her dream, as both of her parents went there.
"In May, I was visiting and getting a tour when they offered me," she said.
"Right away, I said yes — there was no other option. I love the coaches and campus, I always wanted to go somewhere close to home."
As a junior, Baer averaged 13.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in leading the Yellow Jackets to a 23-2 record. She was named to the All-Northern Lakes League team, was first team all-district, and second team All-Ohio, and on the All-Blade team.
■ Three Ottawa Hills athletes also signed a letter of intent.
Basketball standout Geoff Beans signed with Furman and teammate R.J. Coil signed with Marist College. Beans was First Team All District last year. State runner-up golfer Ben Silverman signed early with Duke. Silverman led the Green Bears to a State Championship this fall.
Also, Owens Community College received a national letter of intent form from Bellevue senior Amara Hemenway.
Don Emmons, Ryan Autullo, Brian Buckey, and Matt Thompson contributed to this report.