Nov. 13, 2013
CHRISTA REED
Guard
Bay High School (Bay St. Louis, Miss.)
Nashville — Vanderbilt head coach Melanie Balcomb announced on Wednesday afternoon the signing of Christa Reed to a National Letter of Intent.
The gifted shooter from Bay High in Bay St. Louis, Miss., who was the Gatorade Player of the Year last season in her home state, joins heralded prospects Paris Kea and Rachel Bell to help shape Vanderbilt’s 2014 class into one of the nation’s best.
“Christa is such a gifted scorer,” said Balcomb. “She is, without a doubt, one of the best 3-point shooters in the country and, in my opinion, the most consistent. Winning is a habit with Christa.”
Reed, a 5-foot-11 combo guard, averaged 24.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season while leading Bay High to a 36-0 record and the Mississippi Class 4A State Championship.
Her outstanding season enabled her to draw interest from a large collection of teams, but she ultimately selected Vanderbilt because of its reputation, both athletically and academically.
“The things that led me to choose Vanderbilt over the other schools were the great education and the great coaches,” said Reed. “I really feel I can develop and grow in this program.”
Reed has basketball in her bloodlines, with three sisters who each played college basketball. Reed and her sisters combined to collect six state championships, and Christa will have a chance to add another one to that list at the end of her senior season this spring.
Reed has thrived at Bay High under the direction of head coach Debbie Triplett. An All-State player as a junior, Reed was also named to the Mississippi Dandy Dozen her junior and senior seasons.
She has enjoyed national success on the summer travel circuit with South Mississippi Elite, coached by Burnell Wesco and assisted by Ronnie Clark.”
Here is a quick look at Reed’s resumé:
HONORS: All-State first Team(Junior), All-State Honorable Mention(Soph.), Dandy Dozen (Junior/Sen.), Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year, Mississippi All-Star Game 3-pt Champion, District MVP (junior season), Best Offensive Player District (Soph. and Fresh.), Biloxi Sun-Herald Player of the Year (Soph. and Junior)
JUNIOR YEAR STATS (per game): 24.3 points; 4.8 rebounds; 3.4 assists; 3.3 steals.
BALCOMB SAYS: “One of the great things about Christa is that opponents can’t only play her as a shooter. Christa can score in many ways. She has an excellent mid-range game, and she is able to get to the rim by using her size and strength. Winning is in Christa’s DNA. Her three sisters played college basketball, and they have won six state championships between the four of them.”
STRAIGHT FROM CHRISTA: (On playing in the SEC) “The SEC is one of the top conferences and Vanderbilt is one of its top teams. It’s a great opportunity and I look forward to coming in, setting new goals, and starting my journey as a student athlete.”(On adjusting to the college game). “I think I will have to get used to the pace of the game. I understand it is much faster than high school. Also, learning to balance my books and basketball is going to be a big adjustment.”
SCOUTING REPORT: Ranked No. 42 in the nation by All-Star Girl’s Report, and ranked No. 59 by Prospectsnation.com.
Photo Credit: Sun Herald
