Women's basketball signs new recruit to solidify post position

Courtesy of UA Sports Information Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona recruiting coordinator and assistant coach Denise Dove said that new recruit Monique Paige is a strong physical post player that should fit in well with the Wildcats.

Earlier this week, the Wildcats signed Monique Paige, a 6-foot, 2-inch forward from Marcus High School in Flower Mount, Tex. As a senior at Marcus High, Paige averaged 12 points and seven rebounds a game while leading her team to a 30-7 record and a regio nal finals appearance in the state playoffs.

Paige was a second team All-Texas honoree and was named first team all-district and all-region. She was also chosen to play in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches' All-Star game in May.

"Monique is a strong, powerful, physical post," UA recruiting coordinator Denise Dove said. "She'll be a real force in the middle both offensively and defensively."

Five of next year's seniors are listed as forwards or centers, including the the starting duo of All-Pacific 10 Conference forward Adia Barnes and 6-5 center Marte Alexander.

"(Paige) has only been playing basketball competitively since ninth grade and has made drastic improvements during her senior year," Dove said. "Her best basketball is definitely ahead of her."

"Monique is going to be a great addition to the Arizona program," UA head coach Joan Bonvicini said. "She's a quality person and student-athlete. She will blend in extremely well with the team and coaching staff to continue the great chemistry in our prog ram."

Bonvicini, the winningest coach in UA women's history, has been vocal about team chemistry being one of the main reasons that has been able to turn Arizona's program around in the six years she been head coach.

Cha-Ron Walker and Fatima Imara, both juniors, said they had a good time when Paige made her 48 hour visit to campus.

"She's real nice," said Walker, on her way from the weightroom to gym in yesterday's first spring practice.

"Real talkative, she likes to have fun," Imara added. "She should fit right in with us, which is the main thing for our team."

Arizona graduated one senior this season, Jacque Barrington, and has up to three scholarships available to still give out, Bonvicini said.

Dove, who has dealt with Paige from start to finish of the recruiting process, as well as with the other possible signees, said she was happy with Paige signing and is confident the team could get another letter of intent by a post player in the near futu re. The Arizona coaching staff can't comment about recruits until they sign with the team according to NCAA regulations.

Arizona has until the first week of May to give a scholarship in the late signing period. Besides Paige, the Wildcats will also receive the services of Reshea Bristol, a 5-10 point guard who redshirted this season.

Bristol has good quickness and driving capabilities with her height and has Bonvicini smiling about her development on the bench this season.

"She is definitely going to be good, she has got the tools to be great, though," Bonvicini said earlier this month.

Arizona ended this season with a school-best 23-8 record and went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time, losing in the second round to sixth-ranked Georgia, 80-74 on the Bulldogs' home court in Athens, Ga.

On May 18 the team - minus Bristol who is not allowed to travel because of her status as a redshirt and Barrington who decided not to go - is headed for Australia for eight games against Australia's best players traveling throughout the country.

"Things are crazy around here right now, but it will pay off. Our Australia trip is only going to make this team better and closer."