SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. - The Seton Hall women’s basketball program has announced the signing of two more student-athletes to National Letters of Intent, bringing the total incoming class size to four. Gretchen Gaskin and Kashmere Joseph will join Deree Fooks and Ebonie Williams, who committed in the early signing period, in the class of 2011.
Gaskin, a 5’9” guard from Orland Park, Ill., was an All-SouthWest Suburban Conference selection as a junior and senior at Carl Sandburg High School. She averaged 11.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in her final season while also earning Daily Southtown All-Area, Star All-Area, and IBCA All-State Honorable Mention accolades. Gaskin, who won MVP honors at this year’s Moraine Valley All-Star Game and Chicago City-Suburban All-Star Game, was a two-year starter and three-year varsity member at Sandburg.
“Gretchen provides us with good outside shooting, and she brings a great knowledge and understanding of the game,” said head coach Phyllis Mangina. “She will improve the depth in our backcourt.”
Joseph, a 6’3” center from England, averaged 18.0 points and 9.0 rebounds with nine double-doubles this year as one of the top players in her country’s Junior Basketball League. She led her team to national titles at the under-18 level in 2005 and 2006, including an MVP performance last year for her 18 points and 16 rebounds at the national final four. Joseph has started on the English National Team for the past three years and she averaged 12.0 points and 10.9 rebounds at the last FIBA European Championship.
“Kashmere is a strong, physical player who will fill our need at the power position inside,” said Mangina. “She has great size and hands, and her post play is developing. You cannot teach the kind of size and competitiveness Kashmere brings to the table.”
Williams, a 5’8” point guard from Hagerstown, Md., led Notre Dame Academy to a 29-1 record and No. 5 ranking by USA Today as a senior. She was named the Washington Post Player of the Year and First Team All-Met while averaging 13.0 points, 8.5 assists, and 4.0 steals. As a junior, she led Notre Dame to the state large school independent championship with a 28-3 mark. 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. She was a McDonald’s All-America nominee and guided Notre Dame to a 105-11 record over four seasons. Williams 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."
A 6’1” forward for Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, N.J., Fooks was named to All-South Jersey First Team and the Associated Press All-State Second Team after averaging 19.5 points and 11.0 rebounds as a senior. She eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau as a junior, and was a starter and state championship MVP on the 2005 team that won the Tournament of Champions. Fooks also earned All-South Jersey First Team honors as a junior after averaging 17.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. She is also a four-time First Team All-Conference pick and a three-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."
“I think we filled our greatest needs, more offensive punch and power inside, with this recruiting class,” Mangina continued. “We have created tremendous competition within the team and built the depth needed for BIG EAST play.”
Also joining the fray next season will be Letitia Curry, a 6’0” forward who transferred mid-year from American University. She averaged 6.9 points and 7.2 rebounds in 10 appearances for the Eagles as a sophomore before coming to Seton Hall. Curry is a native of Pennsauken, N.J.
