ROUX: Lady Cajuns sign Barnes and Bell

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. – Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns women’s basketball program has received National Letters of Intent from two prospects during the early signing period, co-head coach J. Kelley Hall announced on Wednesday. Signing on to play for the UL women’s basketball program in 2007-08 are Jasmine Barnes and Lyndra Bell – both Louisiana high school products. Bell is from Lafayette-based Teurlings Catholic High School. Barnes hails from Baton Rouge’s Broadmoor High School. Bell is a 5-foot-10 forward who has been a member of the All-District 6-3A team for three years. She was a first team selection as a sophomore and second team pick last year. Bell averaged 16 points and five rebounds last season. She was instrumental in helping lead the Lady Rebels to the Sweet 16 in 2004 and 2005. She has been nominated for McDonald’s All-American honors. “She possesses great size and has tremendous athleticism,” Hall commented. “What excites me the most is that she is a left-handed wing player, which will be the first for our program since I’ve been here.” Barnes is a 5-foot-8 combo guard. She too has been an All-District 7-4A performer for the past three years. All three years she earned district MVP honors and was selected as Broadmoor’s female athlete nomination for the Wendy’s Heisman Award for 2006. Barnes averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for BHS last season. She currently has 1,730 career points entering her senior campaign. “Jasmine (Barnes) is a very quick, very athletic and high-energy type of player,” Hall said. “What makes her more appealing is that being a combo guard we will be able to utilize her at different slots in the lineup.” LOUISIANA SI

[DaddyCajun]

Congrats to the Halls! Would like to know a little more on these signees if anyone has anymore info.

DaddyCajun

Going to the games!!

[NewsCopy]

Lyndra Bell wanted to get the recruiting process done and out of the way. The Teurlings Catholic basketball standout gave the UL program a commitment in mid-October. Wednesday, on the first day of the early period for signing the national letter of intent, she took care of the signing formalities. "I really felt like I wanted to stay home," Bell said. "I wanted to make it easier on my parents to watch me play." The 5-foot-11 Bell was one of two women's basketball signees for the Cajuns on Wednesday. Coach J. Kelley Hall also got a signed letter from 5-foot-8 combo guard Jasmine Barnes of Baton Rouge and Broadmoor High. "Both of them are very athletic, and that's what I really liked about them," Hall said. "Lyndra gives us a left-handed wing player that can play the three position, can drive it hard to the rim and finish. That's a huge advantage." The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com