Meet the 6 players who committed to UNLV Lady Rebels...

[KUNV News]

The UNLV women's basketball team will have a lot of new faces on the team in the 2019-20 season, as six players have signed national letters of intent to play for the Lady Rebels starting in the fall of 2018-19, Head Coach Kathy Olivier announced Wednesday. This is the largest group of signees UNLV has ever inked during the fall signing period, and the largest of Olivier's 11 years at the helm of the Lady Rebels. Comprising the class is Melanie Isbell, Tianna Carter, Keyana Wilfred, Isis Beh, Anna Blount and Jacinta Buckley. The class is also currently ranked 60th in the nation by Blue Star Report and 96th by the All-Star Girls Report.

 

"This is an amazing group of recruits," said Olivier. "I can't tell you how excited everyone is for these six to get here at UNLV. We are anticipating each one to help us immediately."

 

Isbell will be the third player off the Las Vegas powerhouse Centennial HS squad, joining her former teammate Justice Ethridge who is a freshman this season and Bailey Thomas, who played in 2015-16 for the Bulldogs. A 5-4 point guard, posted 9.2 points and 3.5 assists for Centennial while helping them to the state championship title last year, pushing their streak to four years. She is a two-time all-state and all-division honoree, and is the NVPreps No. 2 preseason player for the 2018-19 season, while ESPN has her ranked as the No. 27 point guard in the nation.

 

"A proven winner," said Olivier. "She makes sure her team is always in a position to win championships. Melanie is a great leader with a high basketball IQ as well."

 

"Mel is by far one of the most competitive, tenacious, and solid ball players I’ve ever coached," said Karen Weitz, her head coach at both Centennial and the Vegas Bulldogs club team. "Her love of the game and her dedication to being the best is unmatched."

 

 

 

Carter, a 6-1 forward from Tucson, Arizona, gave the Lady Rebels a verbal commitment in October of 2017. As a junior, she claimed conference player of the year honors after a season in which she averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks while leading Canyon Del Oro HS to the regional championship. She also picked up Defensive Player of the Year honors while earning first team all-region and second team all-conference accolades. Carter also competed on the track team in the 100m, the high jump and the javelin.

 

"A high energy worker with a nose for the ball," said Olivier. "Tianna is very versatile and will play multiple positions for us when she gets to UNLV."

 

"Tianna is a unique athlete with a very high motor and broad skill set," said Derrick Carter, the Arizona Mavericks club head coach as well as Tianna's father. "Her ability to rebound, run the floor and finish made coaching her a real joy. Tianna is very coachable and her determination to win separates her from others."

 

 

 

Wilfred is a 6-3 center from Mitchell, Nebraska. A three-time All-Western Conference selection, she also earned first team all-state honors in 2017-18 after leading Mitchell High School to the No. 1 ranking in the state. Over her career, she's averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game over 52 games for the Tigers, three-straight conference and district championship. Wilfred also played for the Tigers volleyball squad.

 

"Keyana has a big time body that likes to bang," said Olivier. "She can jump out of the gym and will really help us on the boards."

 

"Keyana is a big presence down low and will definitely help UNLV to a conference championship," said Larry Camacho. director of the Las Vegas Storm club program.

 

 

 

Beh is a 6-3 forward from Murray, Utah. She averaged 15.6 points, 10 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.5 steals per game while earning first-team all-region honors for the second straight season for Murray HS. Beh is also a standout on the volleyball court, as she is a two-time all-region and honorable mention all-state player for the Spartans and led them to a seventh play finish at the state tournament this fall.

 

"Isis is an ultra-talented athlete, who plays aggressive basketball and can play multiple positions," said Olivier.

 

"A great athlete with a good worth ethic that is just scratching the surface of her potential," said Dave Hammer, head coach and director of Salt Lake Metro Club. "We are excited to have her continue collegiately under Coach Olivier and Coach Collier at UNLV, two proven winners with a great track record of player development."

 

 

 

Blount is a 6-1 forward from Stockton, California. She earned all-league honors a season ago after averaging six points and 5.3 rebounds per contest, and also posted 153 rebounds, 38 assists and 45 steals while playing for a stacked St. Mary's High School squad that was ranked fifth in the nation.

 

"Anna loves the challenge of playing someone bigger, and that's something she has experience with her high school team," said Olivier.

 

"Anna is a captain level leader who gives her all every game," said Elbert Kinnebrew, director of Cal Sparks Nike EYBL. "A fierce rebounder who defends well, and a great teammate who will thrive in the Lady Rebels team culture."

 

"Anna is one of the best leaders I've had," said Saint Mary's HS head coach Tom Gonsalves. "She plays with incredible energy."

 

 

 

Buckley is a 6-1 guard from Spokane, Washington. She was a GSL First-Team selection as a junior, and helped Lewis and Clark HS to runner-up finishes in the league and district as well as an appearance in the state playoffs. As a junior, she posted 15.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.2 steals per contest.

 

"Jacinta has a very high basketball IQ and can really do it all on the court," said Olivier. "She makes the game look easy."

 

"Jacinta is a two-time adidas All-American who started on the US Select Team last summer in Europe that beat the Italian 20U National Team," said Steve Klees, the Northwest Blazers club head coach. "She can play all five positions on both sides of the ball and is the consummate team player."

 

UNLV is home against Gonzaga Saturday at 3 pm in the Cox Pavilion The game will have a live video stream available both on Facebook and on Stadium, which can be accessed through WatchStadium.com, Stadium mobile apps and over-the-top connected devices (such as Apple TV, Roku, Sling TV, Amazon Fire and XBox) as well as UNLVRebels.com. The radio call featuring Adam Candee will be on ESPN 1100 AM, while Wyatt Tomchek and Curtis Stelzer will call the action on the video stream. Single game ticket prices for the Lady Rebels this season are $8 for adults, $5 if bought online at UNLVTickets.com, while kids 17 and under are free at all UNLV Lady Rebel home contests.

 

SOURCE: UNLV