Kentucky standout guard Ricketts picks Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE – Ceira Ricketts, one of the most prolific scorers in Kentucky girls basketball, chose to play her college basketball at the University of Arkansas, Lady Razorback head coach Tom Collen announced today.

The signing of Ricketts brings the Lady’Back 2008 signing class to four players. Earlier during the signing period Arkansas signed Carlisle, Ark., guard Julie Inman, Hoover, Ala., shooting guard Lyndsay Harris and 6-2 forward Ashley Daniels of Coldwater, Miss.

Ricketts is a Louisville-area legend that begins her sixth year as the starting point guard of Fairdale High School. The 5-9 guard has scored 2,395 points in her prep career, and is on pace to finish with 3,000 that would rank her top 30 all-time in Kentucky girls’ basketball history.

“Ceira Ricketts can flat out play,” Collen said. “She would lead the state of Kentucky in scoring but she loves to create off the dribble and pass the ball.”

Ricketts is the first women’s basketball player from the Blue Grass state to sign with the Lady Razorback basketball team.

The former head coach at University of Louisville, Collen had plenty of chances to observe Ricketts.

“I watched her play countless games at Louisville where her team would enter the game behind and she would points necessary to bring her team from behind to win,” Collen said. “She has big time skills and athleticism. She will be able to compete with any guard in the SEC.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to play at Arkanas,” Ricketts said in a press release from Fairdale High. “I have the chance to play in one of the toughest conferences in college basketball. I have the opportunity to play against schools like NCAA champion Tennessee, LSU and Georgia. Coach Collen has been watching me since I was in the ninth grade, and he has shown a lot of interest in me over the years. I have a lot of respect for him. I have seen how he treats his players and I like his style of play.”

Ricketts broke onto the Louisville area scene as a 15 ppg seventh grader for Fairdale, averaging 20 ppg as an eighth grader. For Coach Larry Brunner, Ricketts averaged 21.5 ppg and 8.1 rpg her sophomore year to pace the Lady Bulldogs to a 20-10 mark. Last season, Ricketts averaged 18.9 ppg and ranked top 30 in points scored for all high school players in Kentucky.

For her career at Fairdale, Ricketts has 805 rebounds, 635 steals and 407 assists to go with her almost 2,400 points. She is the all-time career leading scorer for the Lady Bulldogs.

Ricketts chose Arkansas over hometown Louisville, Illinois and Rutgers.

The Lady Razorbacks anticipate two more signees in women’s basketball before the close of the early signing period on Wednesday, Nov. 21.