Nov. 14, 2001
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Cindy Stein, head coach of the University of Missouri women's basketball team, announced today the signing of Latoya Bond and Cherice Mack to National Letters of Intent.
Bond, a 5-foot-7 guard from Urbana, Ill., averaged 15.3 points per game and made better than 60 percent of her shots as Urbana went 24-4 and advanced to the State AA Tournament's Sweet Sixteen. Bond averaged 15 points per game as a sophomore. The Chicago Sun Times picked her as one of the Top 10 players downstate in Illinois. In addition to being named all-state honorable mention as a junior, she was named all-area and all-conference. Bond earned all-conference honors as a sophomore and was chosen all-area honorable mention. She has been a three-time recipient of the Big 12 Conference Scholar-Athlete award.
"LaToya is an exciting player," said Stein. "She has a great court demeanor and work ethic. Her ball-handling and shooting skills are above average and she is a true competitor. LaToya will enhance our quickness and speed at the guard position and has the versatility to play point or shooting guard. She is an excellent student as well as person. LaToya will be a very successful Missouri Tiger."
Mack, a 6-foot-1 forward/center from St. Charles High, was a Class 4A first-team all-state selection after averaging 19.1 points and 10 rebounds per game last season. St. Charles went 24-4 last season. Mack, a three-year starter, has scored 500 or more points the past two seasons and was named as one of the Top 10 Players to Watch this season by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
"We are proud to have such a great addition to our Mizzou family. Cherice will give us a strong inside presence," said Stein. "She has some of the best hands on a post player that I have seen in a long time. She is a very physical and athletic player with very solid post moves and a soft shooting touch. We are excited about her ability to get up and down the floor and her overall skills. She is an outstanding rebounder as well. Cherice will bring tremendous athletic ability and size to our inside game. She is an outstanding young woman and will be a fine representative of our program."
Mack was named the 2001 St. Charles County Player of the Year and was chosen first-team all-metro. A two-time first-team all-state academic selection, she has been a two-time all-conference pick. Mack is a two-time recipient of the Gateway Athletic Foundation Award and was on two all-tournament teams last season. Mack has been chosen as "Athlete of the Week" by Prep Sports and the St. Charles Journal.
The Tigers open the 2001-2002 regular season Friday at UMKC.