Four members of the West Virginia Thunder have already verbally committed to Division I teams, but recruiters should still take the time to check out the Thunder.
“We have four that have committed, and I really think we have four or five more players who are Division I prospects,” said Coach Chris Staten. “We have four other players who have gotten Division I offers, so we have a lot of talent.”
That talent will be on display at the 2014 Deep South Classic, which will be played in on April 25-27 in Raleigh, NC. Now in its 17th year, the Deep South Classic annually hosts many of the nation’s elite travel teams in a field that will eclipse 200 squads, and hundreds of collegiate coaches will be on hand searching for talent. The 2014 event will mark the second year that the Deep South Classic has been held at the Raleigh Convention Center. The venue was a tremendous success in its debut last year, with all games played at one site on 18 courts, and it is in a convenient central location.
Quality depth will be the key for the Thunder this spring. However, four players who may get the most attention will likely be Shayna Gore (2015, 5-9, CG), Madison Morris (2015, 6-0, F), Kristen Mayo (2017, 5-5, PG) and Naomi Grandison (2015, 6-1, F).
“Both Shayna and Madison are committed to Marshall,” noted Staten. “Shayna is a combo guard who can handle it, and she can score the ball. Madison is the best practice player we’ve had because she always goes full speed. She has a great mid-range game, and an improving three-point shot.
“Kristen is very quick and hard-nosed, and she isn’t built like a freshman. She is a facilitator who can hit the open shot, and she is a very good defender out front. Naomi’s father (Ronnie) played for the Celtics and the Heat, and we’re very excited about having her on the team. She has great fundamentals, and she grew about four inches in the last year.”