Dexter sends four players off to college

Taylor

Ashlee Taylor inked with TRCC the day before Temples, while Katelyn and Cathryn Heil signed before the season to play at Missouri S & T in Rolla.

The lone starter not to receive a scholarship offer was Abbie Warren, who averaged a double-double in points and rebounds this season. But that's right. She's only a junior and I'm sure she will be on some school's radar next year.

K. Heil

This year's team took Lady Bearcats basketball to a new level with its first ever final four appearance in Columbia where the team finished fourth in Class 4.

"It's pretty awesome to have four girls go off to college after their senior year out of one school," Dexter coach Chad Allen said after watching Temples sign. "The program is doing really well and I think a lot of the younger kids look up to these girls and they want to do the same things they are doing. They want to go a long way in the state playoffs. They want to move on to the next level as well. It just helps our program more having four girls signing this year."

Katelyn and Cathryn Heil, twin sisters, wanted to attend college and play basketball together and that was one reason they chose Missouri S & T, which presented them with the opportunity.

C. Heil

Being able to play together was also a factor in Temples and Taylor choosing TRCC.

"We've always talked about going together and Three Rivers gave us the opportunity," Taylor commented.

"We had a couple of other schools give us the opportunity, but like I said, there are other girls going there to and it's an added bonus that we both get to go."

Temples

Temples echoed Taylor's thoughts.

"I think it will be fun," Temples said. "We wanted to play together, because we've played together since like fourth grade. So it'll be fun."

Allen thinks all the girls will be successful at the next level, as does first-year Lady Raiders coach Jeff Walk, who coached against his recruits while leading the Twin Rivers Lady Royals program.

"Ever since I got the job, and even actually before I got the job," Walk said when asked how long he had his sights set on Taylor and Temples. "I feel very fortunate to get both girls and hopefully build a good quality basketball team."

Walk said he was very excited about getting a true point guard in Temples, and he sees Taylor moving away from her traditional post position at the college level and logging more time at the three, four and maybe even the two slots.

"I think she (Taylor) can play three positions," Walk noted. "Seems to me she can pass the ball pretty well and we know she's a good shooter. I think she is going to fit in extremely well just because of her athletic ability and she comes form a good program with the style of game we play."

Both Allen and Walk think the success of the Dexter program played a big part in making all four players appeal more to the college scouts.

"One thing coach Bess (Gene, TRCC men's coach) always said was he always wants to find players who are champions, someone who wins a lot of games throughout the years, not someone who loses a lot. He wants someone who knows they can win. So that helps a lot in the recruiting process."

Walk points more to the "big game" experience this team has been through the last few years.

"With the state experience and the level of competition they play, hopefully they'll fit right in and there won't be much of a learning curve. And against the physical play (in college), I think they'll be used to that."