SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. The Seton Hall women’s basketball team has signed two high school seniors to national letters of intent, Pirate head coach Phyllis Mangina announced Tuesday. Ebonie Williams of Hagerstown, Md., and Deree Fooks of Camden, N.J., will join the Seton Hall program for the 2007-08 season.
“We couldn’t be happier to have Ebonie and Deree join our program,” Mangina said. “Our assistant coaches did an outstanding job of cultivating relationships with both of them. They are both outstanding student-athletes coming from successful programs and excellent individuals as well.”
Williams is a 5’7 point guard for Notre Dame Academy in Middleburg, Va. The standout leads a group of returnees that has the school ranked No. 20 by the USA Today preseason rankings after helping her school to the state large school independent championship and a 28-3 mark as a junior. A First Team All-State selection, Williams averaged 15 points per game last year, while also earning Honorable Mention All-Met honors by the Washington Post. A McDonald’s All-America nominee, she has helped Notre Dame to a 76-10 record over three seasons and entered her senior season ranked as the No. 89 recruit in the country by Blue Star Index.
“Ebonie brings a different dimension to the backcourt,” Mangina said. “She can shoot off the dribble or set up her teammates. Her head coach, Mike Teasley, did a fantastic job with developing her game and she will play a big role on what he has made a Top 25 team in the country at Notre Dame Academy.”
A 6’1 forward for Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, N.J., Fooks needs just 350 points to become the school’s all-time leading scorer after eclipsing the 1,000-point plateau last year. She has been a four-year starter and led the Tigers in scoring during each of her three seasons. Fooks was a starter on the 2005 team that won the Tournament of Champions and was MVP of the state championship. She earned All-South Jersey First Team honors as a junior after averaging 17 points, 10 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. Fooks is also a three-time First Team All-Conference pick and a two-time First Team All-Group selection.
“We’ve kept track of Deree for a while and her commitment to Seton Hall is an important development for the program,” said Mangina. “She is a multi-dimensional player and we feel, not only one of the best wing players in New Jersey, but in the country. She has played an important role on one of the top team’s in the state under head coach Al Dyer.”
Seton Hall returns to action on Tuesday, Nov. 21, when it hosts Iona in a 7:00 p.m. game at Walsh Gym.
