The University of Mississippi Athletics
Lady Rebel Basketball Announces Three Signees Wednesday
11/13/2002 | Women's Basketball
Nov. 13, 2002
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss women's basketball Head Coach Ron Aldy announced the signing of three players on Wednesday. Ashley Awkward of White Station High School in Memphis, Jada Mincy of Briarcrest High School in Memphis and Armintie Price of Myrtle (Miss.) High School signed national letters of intent to join the Ole Miss women's basketball program beginning in the 2003-04 academic year.
Awkward, a 5-6 point guard, sat out last season at White Station after transferring from Northside High School following her sophomore season. As a sophomore at Northside, Awkward averaged 17.2 points per game. Awkward is ranked as the 15th best point guard and 58th best overall player in the country according to the All-Star Girls Report. She was chosen to attend the Adidas All-American camp this past summer, where she was selected to play in the camp All-Star game. She is rated in several publications as one of the top 10 girls players in the South Region. Awkward selected Ole Miss over Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech.
"What separates Ashley from the rest is her extreme quickness at the point guard spot," said White Station head coach Eric Sullivan. "She has a great first step and is explosive on the offensive end of the floor."
Mincy, a 6-1 power forward, joins Awkward as one of Shelby-Metro's top prep players. She has helped lead Briarcrest to two-straight Division 2 state titles. She averaged 17 points and 8.2 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game and was a Division 2 Miss Tennessee Basketball finalist as a junior. Mincy was the MVP of the Division 2 state tournament last season. She chose Ole Miss over Louisiana Tech.
"Jada has played in a lot of big games during her time at Briarcrest," said Lady Saints head coach Hugh Freeze. "It seems like the bigger the game, the bigger she plays. She is a tremendously hard worker that has a special will to win."
Awkward and Mincy joined forces as teammates on the Tennessee Celtics summer team and Aldy is looking forward to seeing the same good chemistry from the duo as Lady Rebels.
"We are looking forward to having both Ashley and Jada come to Ole Miss," said Aldy. "Ashley is not only one of the premier players in Memphis and the South, but the whole country. She has the ability and skill to add another dimension to our team that we have not had in the last few years.
"Jada is a great player that has been a mainstay in one of the most heralded programs in the Memphis area in Briarcrest. She has the traits and characteristics to be a big time player in this program."
Price, a 5-9 guard, was recently named to the Clarion-Ledger's Dandy Dozen and is the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal's reigning All-Area Player of the Year. One of the top seniors in the state of Mississippi this season, she has helped lead Myrtle High to two Class 1A state runner-up finishes. She set a Mississippi Class 1A Girls State Tournament record with 44 points in an 86-80 over time loss to Durant in the championship game last season.
"Armintie has the qualities to be a great competitor in the SEC," said Myrtle head coach John Sherman. "She is very athletic and has a lot of quickness. She has a great full-court game. She has evolved into a great leader for us. She is not afraid to step up when we need her."
Price has led Myrtle to a 6-0 record so far this season, averaging 28.1 points, 13 rebounds and five assists. She was a Clarion-Ledger second team All-State pick as a junior after averaging 32.3 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists. She is also a star performer on the track team, having won the long jump, 110-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash in the Class 1A state meet the past two years. Price chose Ole Miss over Louisiana-Lafayette and Troy State.
"Armintie is one of the top athletes coming out of the state of Mississippi this year," said Aldy. "Her potential is just being touched on. The future is very bright for both her and Ole Miss. We are looking forward to reaping the benefits of her hard work."
Awkward, Mincy and Price are the first three Ole Miss signees of the 2003-04 class.
