Photo by Michael Wyke, Tulsa World
Alyssia Brewer, right, of Sapulpa High School makes a move to the basketball during the Oklahoma state girls’ basketball playoffs.
While a growth spurt in middle school moved Alyssia Brewer out of the backcourt, it didn't erase the guard mentality from her game.
"I've been taught from two different perspectives,'' said the 6-foot-3 women's basketball forward from Sapulpa (Okla.) High School.
The resulting versatility caught the University of Tennessee's attention and led to Brewer committing to the Lady Vols. She will sign a letter of intent in November, joining a recruiting class that has reached five and counting.
"It was that instinct, that gut feeling,'' Brewer said. 'I had to go there. Tennessee, in so many ways, it speaks for itself.'
Brewer, who picked Tennessee over Southern California and Oklahoma, has career scoring averages of 14.2 points, 8.4 rebounds , 3.6 blocks, 2.7 assists and 2.4 steals per game. She transferred to Sapulpa last summer and helped lead her new team to the 2007 Class 6A state championship.
"With Tennessee's offense, I think it will compliment her game,'' Sapulpa coach Darlean Calip said of Brewer. "She can handle the ball. I think her best asset is her passing skills."
Calip said that Brewer has played all along the front line for Sapulpa.
"She's cutting and slashing,'' Calip said. "She's very smooth, an effortless kid.
"I think you'd be taking away from her skills if you just posted her up."
Calip brought Brewer and the rest of her team to Knoxville for Tennessee's game against Notre Dame on Dec. 30. The team also watched a Lady Vols practice.Brewer described the experience as "a sneak peek."
"I felt it would be a style (of play) that she's really like,'' said Calip, a former assistant coach at Tulsa University. 'They really don't have the true post offense."
Brewer better like to compete. Fellow commitment Amber Gray projects as a forward and another member of the class, Shekinna Stricklen, has small-forward potential. Furthermore, Tennessee still is recruiting 6-3 forward Glory Johnson of Webb School and 6-5 Elena Delle Donne of Wilmington, Del.
The only commitment who is locked into a spot is 5-3 point guard Briana Bass.
"That doesn't bug me,'' Brewer said of the growing numbers. "Basically the more the merrier. Whoever it is, Coach (Pat) Summitt is going to be your coach. You're going to be a pretty good player. You're going to be helping out."
Tennessee will hope that Johnson and Delle Donne think the same way. The Lady Vols are open to signing a whopping seven players in the signing class. They figure to lose five players — Nicky Anosike, Alexis Hornbuckle, Candace Parker, Shannon Bobbitt and Alberta Auguste — after next season, which would leave them with six on the roster.
Johnson is choosing between UT and North Carolina. Webb coach Shelley Sexton Collier said Johnson will visit UT the first weekend in October and North Carolina the following weekend. Collier said that Johnson might move up the date of the Carolina visit.
"The one thing I know about Glory is she plays extremely hard,'' Collier said. "She can compete and go against the competition she has if she goes to Tennessee.
"As far as being afraid to compete and be challenged, I don't think she's afraid."
Delle Donne's situation is less clear. She essentially has taken a summer break from basketball. There's been media and Internet speculation that Villanova and Middle Tennessee State is becoming a bigger player in her recruitment.
Delle Donne has made unofficial visits to UT. The Lady Vols hope to get an official visit from her this fall.
Memorable moments in Pat Summitt's…
Tennessee's signing class for 2012
Phillip Fulmer through the years
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
Comments » 20
vol4jesus writes:
Coach Pat gets another gem apparently. Wonder if new futbol players from Tulsa helped to know locals there that could help steady transition from hs to college life. We have Jones and Nelson is Soph. Just curious. Always like aggressive post players. Anosike will be gone so that will help hopefully fill that slot down the road. GO LADY VOLS!!!
vol4jesus writes:
will you rwo guys get over it and comment on the signing and leave futbol out of it for once. Can you do that for just once maybe? Please...please.Coach did that how many weeks ago and you won't give it a rest. This is Lady Vol Bball article. So go to football article and let it rip to your cold hearts content.Thank you. Now to see if you will be compliant.
AllVol writes:
vol4Jesus, I am with you on this one. Give it a rest.
vol4jesus writes:
Crvol I've had it with you and negative...negative...negative!!! As Pres. to be Reagan said,"there you go again!" You are a broken record stuck on Anti-Vols. Don't say you aren't because we haven't seen a post pulling for them yet!You can quote stats and document points to ad nauseam that again are indisputable. But you comeon take me on pride/bravado ala Rambo is really pitiful. No I won't debate your stats cause they are accurate. All they ever do and are presented as are bash material on my Schools team and coach. Life must be tough when all one can muster up is the grumpy old man sentiment of life is hard and sour on all.
vol4jesus writes:
Mr. Nice guy. Always so complimentary. At least I acknowledged your accuracy. But then based on what I have seen I don't expect you to be polite or amiable. No problem with the truth. You obviously don't read my whole post for I have said your post are accurate. So give that angle up. I appreciate your continual uplifting comments about my academic standing also. So thoughtful, but then again sour on life comes through strongly. Unhappy camper is apparently where you are and that saddens me. For one so intelligent to be so down and miserable is truly disheartening. I know you don't want people to concern themselves with your unhappy(apparent)state but I do. Ask yourself what brings you more joy, ripping me or seeing Ben Martin only having a bone bruise? The mirror doesn't lie when we look in it at the end of the day. What do we see a contented soul or a tormented soul? I will purpose to still make comments but try to be fairminded whether you are or not. Thanks Coach for getting another young lady who wants excellence in her life.
vol4jesus writes:
Yessir. Restraint is good as I also have exercised it as well. AS marc_ash, who is a therapist, would say there is room for all of us in poster land. I already told you I don't expect one ,though miracles still take place. I want to apologise for creating angst in you. I mean that sincerely. Posting is on the bottom rung of the ladder when we weigh all things in the balance for daily living. So lets try to mutually enjoy life as the gift it is! I will try to be a kinder/gentler poster child enjoying the VOLS and their fans.
AllVol writes:
Just out of a morbid sense of curiosity, CR, what exactly is the point you want to make? You want a new football coach? Just say it. It won't change a thing. I don't get what you are trying to accomplish. I mean, you won't dampen my spirits, and you obviously put a lot of energy into your posts. I just don't get what you expect to harvest. You sound more interested in arguing than anything else. Just like my idiot brother who decided to become a Georgia fan--he just likes to hear himslf talk. He supposedly hates the Vols, but they're really ALL he talks about. Have you considered choosing a team with better stats?
AllVol writes:
Well, you reap what you sow, they say, but at least you state what it is you want. I think we want an SEC title as well---common gound. What was it that guy said? "Can't we all just get along"? Come on, CR. Be sweet. We all wear orange--BIG ORANGE. YOu wouldn't want our team to be so divise, would you?
newtonrail writes:
The quality of this site has actually improved since it went FREE from FEE only. That is the content has. The posters unfortunately, in many cases, have not improved. The number of Psychos on site has Quadrupled, at least.
hdhurst writes:
I am new to the postings part of things, but I have to say, I do get tired of reading over all the negative things. You can hasten all you want about this or not, but trust me, it won't change a thing. It is what it is. It would nice to state your feelings, then move on...not all the back and forth of beating someone up.
vol4jesus writes:
Then those who continually put out negative post could maybe balance them with something positive for a change and the complaints will diminish correspondingly.(SP) GO VOLS!!!
BOASoldier writes:
Ignoring him does no good cause you have to weed through his phooey to see what everyone else has to say ... speaking logic to him does nothing cause he believes he alone has all the answers ... and trying to find common ground does nothing cause as he says he "thrives on hate" ... well unfortunately i have plenty of it and would be glad to share it were we ever to meet anywhere other than online ... you know ... a bit of friendly competition.
vol4jesus writes:
Do I smell Hatfields and McCoys a brewing? Or just a smackdown in tha wurks? Mr. Spock it is not logical to sparr with one who playeth not by the rules. Kindler/gentler does not translate into a lovefeast or sharing a motel room(earler post referenced). Means an attempt at a more civilized dialogue(minus the hate). Was this a basketball article for the LADY VOLS? Out of 26 post only three referenced the Lady Vols and only two the article. Hmmmmm lack of focus to staying on topic including me a few times. Sorry for drifting in the stream of distraction.
BOASoldier writes:
No sir (and I use sir loosely) I can legitimize myself without words ... and I said competition .. nothing about confrontation. I'm not that big of a guy anyways and a confrontation with someone like you wouldn't be much of a confrontation...
BOASoldier writes:
any of that would be fine ... I'm sure your middle aged and overweight
BOASoldier writes:
That's enough ... I've wasted enough time posting comments to you... from now on you no longer exist... so pardon me ma'am the big boys would like to talk about basketball and football ... stay at home and watch the children.
BOASoldier writes:
I think the Ladies BBall team will once again be great like it always is... hopefully Pat can take care of her personal life and will be ready for the season ... I hope she is doing well.
vol4jesus writes:
Pat is the Coach and he was wishing her well which could use some spreading around lately here in poster land. At least he was on topic which some posters still don't know what that means. Marc_ash I might be disqualified due to conflict of interest as a judge. If we get there I will check the rule book for compliance. You know like staying on topic. Go Lady Vols!!
ElizabethtonvolnNC writes:
BOA..You are correct in your assertion to just ignore the negative posters! Life in the SEC (or any other quality program) is cyclical (OK. Tex. LSU, SCAL, NEB.... Give Phil time and those who have wanted his head on a platter will quiet down. We will be back on top like Summitt and her basketball team! GO LADY VOLS! GO BIG ORANGE!
Colliervol writes:
Newtonrail, you hit the nail squarely on the head. The site content is actually better but what I said the first day it appeared (about the comments section and the intelligence of the posters) has come to fruition. Of course, maybe I've conveniently forgotten about busybody.
And Elizabethtonvol, I've been saying the "cyclical" thing about college sports forever but a lot of folks still don't understand that. However, I will say that our "cycle" needs to be headed back toward an SEC title or the wolves will not quiet down. And I agree that ignoring the negative folks has gotten easier. Most are just repeating stats and comments that we've been discussing for years on here. Old News. When they bring something new, I'll pay attention.
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.