CHICO – The Chico State women’s basketball team will possess a noticeably taller frontcourt this fall and has added a pair of solid backcourt scorers to its already potent offense, as the Wildcats announced that four high school stars – guards Courtney Hamilton and Jazmine Miller and forwards Analise Riezebos and McKenzie Dalthorp – have signed their National Letter of Intent to play for the Wildcats in the upcoming 2010-2011 season.
With the loss of seniors Melissa Richardson and Annelise Miller, Head Coach Brian Fogel felt the need to add depth to the Wildcats’ backcourt corps, and is confident that Hamilton and Miller will blend in well with his returning guards, which include All-California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) first teamer Natasha Smith, Synchro Bull, Courtney Harrison and Katie Girten.
Born in Honolulu and raised in Walnut Creek, the 5’8” Hamilton is coming off a senior year that saw her average 13.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.1 steals a game, earning the Diablo Valley Athletic League Most Valuable Player award and leading Northgate High School to back-to-back league championships. “Courtney’s a long, athletic point guard that has a nice feel for the game,” Fogel said. “She is a tough on-ball defender.” Hamilton leaves Northgate High as the school’s No. 3 career scorer (1,137 points) and the Broncos’ all-time leader in assists (583, including a single season record 213 her junior year).
The 5’6” Miller, who played both point and shooting guard for Vanden High School in Fairfield, brings a deft shooting touch and athleticism to the Chico State attack. “Jazmine is deceptively quick and is very versatile,” Fogel said. “She is a good shooter from the perimeter and can also take the ball to the basket.” Miller averaged 11.4 points and a team-high 3.9 assists her senior year at Vanden, leading the Vikings to their fourth straight Solano County Athletic Conference title. A three-time all-league first team selection and twice named to the first team all-city squad, Miller is the second-highest scorer (1,160 points) in Vanden High history and the school’s all-time assists (422) and steals (385) leader.
Riezebos, a 5’11” forward, comes to Chico State from St. Joseph High School in Santa Maria. A three-time All-Los Padres Athletic League selection, Riezebos averaged 12.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists her senior year to win All-California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) honors, spearheading the Knights’ fourth consecutive LPAL title, a second straight CIF Southern Section Division 4A championship and an appearance in the State Division 4 Tournament semifinals. “Analise can play; she’ll be a great addition to our team,” Fogel says. “She plays extremely hard and has a nice touch around the basket.” Riezebos’ older sister, Devin, recently played for CCAA rival Cal State Monterey Bay.
The 5’11” Dalthorp hails from Beaverton, Oregon, and was the standout player at Southridge High School. “McKenzie is a tough post player that runs the floor well,” Fogel said. “We look for her to help primarily in the rebounding department.” As a senior, Dalthorp led Southridge High to the 6A Metro League title and the Class 6A state championship.
Though Chico State’s 2010-11 season doesn’t get underway until November, the Wildcats will be busy in June, hosting a pair of high school basketball team camps at Acker Gym.
