East Central basketball player switches commitment to Arkansas
BY KELLY HINES World Sports Writer
Sunday, November 11, 2012
East Central senior guard Bria Pitts has switched her college commitment to Arkansas amid a scandal within the Ole Miss program, Cardinals coach Samy Mack said Sunday.
Pitts committed to Ole Miss in June, but the situation in Oxford left her pursuing other options, Mack said.
Rebels head coach Adrian Wiggins and two assistants were dismissed last month after an investigation revealed academic and recruiting misconduct. Two players were ruled ineligible, and last week the university imposed a one-year postseason ban.
One of the top recruits in the state, the 5-foot-8 Pitts was East Central's leading scorer last year, when the team finished runner-up in Class 5A for a third straight season. She averaged 14.5 points, 6.2 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 steals.
Pitts, who was named to the Tulsa World's All-Metro first team, also was recruited by Tulsa, Memphis, Arizona, Kentucky and others.
Another area standout has announced she also plans to attend Arkansas. Beggs senior Regan Ward committed to the Razorbacks for cross country and indoor and outdoor track. She also visited Alabama and Kansas, and her other finalists were OSU, Arizona State and Stanford.
"I knew Arkansas was the right fit for me, so I canceled my other visits," she said.
"I'm so, so excited to run in the SEC for a team that is consistently a contender."
Ward has won seven combined titles in cross country and track, including three straight wins in the 1,600-meter in track.
A two-time Tulsa World All-Metro Girls Runner of the Year, she concluded her cross country career last month with a second-place finish in Class 3A.
