NCCU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SIGNS FOUR TO NATIONAL LETTERS OF INTENT Reah P. Nicholson 04/29/10 Four student-athletes will join the Lady Eagles for the 2010-11 season DURHAM, N.C. – The North Carolina Central University women’s basketball program and head coach Joli Robinson announced on Thursday the signing of four student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to join the Lady Eagles for 2010-11 season. Tiffany Gary, Alesha Jenkins, Sierra Solomon and Justyne Sublett will join Ebonie Bryant, ViViprici Emodi and Tenika Neely, who signed during the early period. “Every one of our recruits this season is well-rounded and we look for them all to be strong academically and athletically,” said Robinson. Gary hails from Delray Beach, Fla., where she was a standout student-athlete at Atlantic Community High School. During her time, she was a Palm Beach County All-Conference First Team selection and was named to the Palm Beach County All-Star Team. The 6-1 forward also notched an All-Area Honorable Mention honor. She averaged 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals per contest as a senior. “Tiffany is a very shy person, but you wouldn’t know it by watching her in action,” said Robinson. “She is a strong rebounder and does not shy away from contact. She has good hands, can put the ball in the basket and is a versatile player who can play inside or outside. She is very athletic and energetic and can run both ends of the floor.” A 6-0 forward, Jenkins is one of the most decorated student-athletes of this class. The Coconut Creek, Fla., native helped lead the Lady Cougars of Coconut Creek High School to the 2010 District Championship for the first time in 39 years. She is a 2010 Broward County All-Star and a Miami Herald Second Team honoree.  “Alesha is a combo player, who can get to the basket and can put the ball on the floor away from the basket,” continued Robinson. She can play both the wing and post positions and has an eye for the ball defensively and offensively. She will rebound, she will pass and she has the ability to see other players to feed the ball on the break.” Jenkins is a two-time All-Tournament Team winner, earning the honor at both the St. Andrews Holiday Tournament and the Westminster Battle by the Beach Holiday Classic. She also gets it done in the classroom as a member of the academic honor roll. She finished her senior campaign averaging 11 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game.  “She enjoys the game and will put in the work throughout the season,” added Robinson. “We will look for her to do many things and she will be a great fit for our program. With her aggressiveness and her abilities, she will definitely bring more excitement to the women’s game.” Solomon is a familiar face to the Raleigh-Durham area as she is a local standout from Broughton High School in Raleigh. The 5-10 forward finished her high school career as a four-time Academic All-Conference selection, while being a three-time All-Conference First Team honoree. She was also the 2009-10 Most Valuable Player. “Sierra will be a nice size guard for us next year,” stated Robinson. “She has the ability to score and create open looks for herself. She works hard on both ends of the floor and is a very smart and versatile player. She can rebound, pass and can handle the ball, while having the ability to recognize players as she moves quickly down the floor. She is a great asset to our program and with her assertiveness, she will be exciting and fun to watch.” The Raleigh native finished the year as the Cap 7 leading rebounder with 274 boards on the season. During her senior campaign, she averaged 10 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals per outing.  A 5-9 guard from Louisville, Ky., Sublett comes to NCCU from New Hampton Prep in New Hampton, N.H., where she was an All-Tournament Team selection at the 2010 Thomas Blackburn Invitational. She was also named to the Nepsac All-Star Team and the All-New England Team. While at New Hampton Prep, Sublett received the Lakes Region Athletic League Award. “Justyne has a strong IQ for the game of basketball and she will be a great addition to our guard position,” said Robinson. “She sees and recognizes what is happening in a game and can make adjustments quickly. She gets all of her teammates involved in the game and can attack the basket from either side or pull up with confidence. She can ‘thread the needle’ and is very patient.” At Eastern High School in Louisville, the 5-9 guard racked up All-District and All-Region honors during her sophomore and junior seasons. She finished her final season averaging 15 points, six rebounds, six assists and five steals. Her career high is 31 points and 10 rebounds, which she earned during her senior campaign.  “Her ability to get up and down the floor, while watching the movement of her teammates allows her to recognize what pass to make,” added Robinson. I think playing in the MEAC Conference, she will fit well with our program. She will bring a lot of excitement to our women’s game next season.”