By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
Following a whirl-wind courtship last week, Forrest City basketball standout and 2002 graduate Deosha Agnew traded her Lady Mustang status to become a Lady Beaver.
Agnew, a three-year starter for the Lady Mustangs, signed a letter-of-intent to play basketball for Billy Murry's Lady Beavers at Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kansas.
"I really enjoyed the visit to the Pratt campus," Agnew said. "I got to tour the campus and the athletic facilities. The entire package was very attractive. I'm looking forward to playing for Coach Murry."
During Agnew's three year's at Forrest City, the Lady Mustangs compiled a 20-47 record with this past season's 10-14 finish being the best for the team in the past six campaigns.
In those 24 games, Agnew scored 354 points to lead the team, hitting 43 percent from the floor and 47 percent from the free throw line. She handed out 26 assists and led the team in steals with 78. As a junior, Agnew scored 228 points, grabbed 102 rebounds and had 30 steals and 10 blocked shots.
She was named to the AAAAA-East All-Conference Team each of her three years. As a sophomore, she played for former coach Stan Siler and has played the past two seasons for Sue Jayroe.
"Deosha is my first player to go on and play college ball," Jayroe said. "She has been a leader for the Lady Mustangs and there is no doubt she will be a leader at the next level. She has the opportunity to get her college degree and the opportunity to keep playing basketball. For her, it is a 'win-win' situation. I am very proud of what she has accomplished and I am very excited for her as she takes the next step."
Murry, who is beginning his second season at Pratt, was equally as excited about getting a player the caliber of Agnew this late in the summer.
"I had about 15 tapes to watch and one scholarship which I had held out and by far, Deosha's tape was the most outstanding," Murry said. "I liked the way she defended on the perimeter and I liked her slashing/driving style of play of getting to the basket."
Murry said he believes Agnew has the chance to play "major minutes" as a freshman.
"We have five players coming back from last year but only one starter and nine incoming freshmen," Murry said. "So there are plenty of openings. Deosha could play 20-to-30 minutes a game if she works hard. . .and I understand from talking with Coach Jayroe that Deosha has a good work ethic. That is important to me and to the team."
The Lady Beavers are coming off a 19-13 season. The 19 victories tied the school record for most wins by the women's basketball program. The Lady Beavers will play in the Jayhawk West Conference.
Murry said Agnew should be a perfect fit into his system of interchanging the players on the floor from position-to-position.
"We will ask a lot from our players," Murry said. "It is up to them to respond to the challenges they will be facing, not only on the basketball court but also in the classroom."
Jayroe believes Agnew's signing with Pratt will help the younger Forrest City players coming up.
"Deosha has been a positive reflection for the Forrest City girls' basketball program," Jayroe said. "She has been and will continue to be a role model for the younger players who are coming up."
Registration for the Forrest City Recreation Department's youth soccer and flag football leagues and the adult men's and co-ed fall softball leaguewill begin on Monday, August 5.
For more information, call Kenneth Taylor at 633-3667.
* CITY LEAGUES
ADULT SOFTBALL
Monday's Scores
Barnes Timber 25, Food Giant 7
Miller Insurance 11, TSM Computers 1
M&T Paving 16, Kerby's 6
Gym 2000 20, Young Guns 15
Sanyo 19, Boar's Head 9
Bulldogs 15, Morgan 5
Thursday, August 1
Gym 2000 vs Kerby's, 7 p.m. F3
Miller Ins. vs Morgan, 7 p.m. F4
Greg's vs Food Giant, 8 p.m. F3
Barnes vs M&T Paving, 8 p.m. F4
Bulldogs vs Sanyo, 9 p.m. F3
Young Guns vs TSM Computers, 9 p.m. F4