The Top Recruit Diamonds program out of Indiana lost its marquee player for 2013, but two veterans will be back to lead the way for the Diamonds this spring. When the team heads to the Deep South Classic in April the roster will include Kirsten Alexander and Raven Black, two Division I level recruits from the Class of 2014.
“We lost (2014 Iowa commitment) Whitney Jennings and Carley O’Neal (a D II Davis & Elkins commit) from last year, so we had some big shoes to fill,” said Coach Doug Alexander. “We do have a lot of kids back who have Division I potential, and we’re still working on a couple more players who could make an impact for us. The main thing with our team is that they play together as a unit, and they play hard on the defensive end.”
The 2014 Deep South Classic will be in Raleigh, NC, on April 25-27. 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.
While Alexander (5-11, SG) and Black (5-11, PF) will be leading the way, the coach is also expecting a major contribution from 2015 5-5 guard Katie Key (her sister, Kelsey, is a freshman at Northern Kentucky).
“Kirsten and Raven are talented, experienced players,” said Alexander, who is Kirsten’s father. “Kirsten is a scorer with excellent shooting range, and Raven is a competitor who is a rebounding machine. Katie is a little smaller than most guards, but she will take it at anyone. She is a great three-point shooter, and she is a great penetrator.”
“Kirsten is a skilled, intelligent athlete who really shoots the ball well,” added All Star Girls Report analyst Bret McCormick. “Raven is a blue collar type of player who does a lot of little things, and she can help a team on the boards. Katie is a quick, aggressive player who can attack the rim or hit the three-pointer.”
The current Diamonds will be getting a lift from a few older players. Jennings, Jordin Alexander (Kirsten’s sister and a sophomore at Brown) and Kelsey Key will all be serving as assistant coaches for the club.