Ball State University Athletics
Women's Basketball Signs Three Recruits
November 08, 2017 | Women's Basketball
MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State head women's basketball coach Brady Sallee announced Wednesday the signing of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent for the 2018-19 season.
The 2018 signing class includes guard Anna Clephane (Taylor Mill, Ky./Scott), forward Blake Smith (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) and guard Gabriella Smith (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook).
"What I love about this class, first and foremost, is the character of the young ladies in it," Sallee said. "They come from great families, tremendous high school programs and have competed at the highest levels on the summer circuit. Anna, Blake, and Gabby were all players that my staff and I just fell in love with! We love the way they compete, we love their work ethic and we love that their decision to sign with Ball State had substance behind it. These three are winners and I look forward to the impact they will make on our program, university and community!"
Clephane, a 5-10 guard from Scott High School, has averaged 15.7 points per contest and 4.4 rebounds over the last three seasons. As a junior, Clephane had her best scoring performance averaging 22.5 points per game and 7.0 rebounds. Entering the 2017-18 season, she has 1,771 points for her career. As a junior, Clephane earned all-district and all-county honors, while being named First Team and Player of the Year in the 10th Regional Coaches Association. She was also named to the Honorable Mention All-State Louisville Courier Journal team. Clephane led the 10th region in scoring (22.5 ppg) and was named to the all-tournament team at the Gateway Classic. She also earned all-district and first team all region honors as a sophomore.
"Anna is a fierce competitor and plays with a motor that is through the roof," Sallee said. "Her ability to put the ball in the basket in every part of the game is exciting, but what has me most excited is that I think her best basketball is ahead of her. II know she will work feverishly to make her goals reality. When you consider who she is as an athlete, student and person, it is easy to say we hit the jackpot with Anna Clephane!"
A 2017 All-County and IBCA/Subway recipient, Blake Smith comes from a prestigious Indiana High School basketball program at Carmel. Blake enters her senior season with 603 career points and 446 rebounds. She averaged 8.4 points per game as a junior while shooting 54 percent from the floor. The 6-3 forward, she played in all 27 games last season for the Greyhound's, helping Carmel High School to a 23-4 overall record and a national ranking of 22, while also being ranked third in the state of Indiana. Blake's sophomore season, she scored a career-high 21 points in a 52-32 win over Hamilton Southeastern (11/27/15). She has scored in double digits 24 times so far over her career with the Greyhounds. Two of the most prominent recruiting services in the country, Preferred Athletics Scouting Services (PASS) and Collegiate Girls Basketball Report (CGBR) have Blake rated the 12th and 28th best power forward in the country, respectively.
"From day one we knew Blake was the big we wanted and needed in this class and from this state," Sallee said. "This was a year that quite a few in-state forwards were out there, but we never wavered with who we wanted and it paid off. If you just look at all the offers Blake held through this process, it will humble you to know her and her family chose Ball State. A long, athletic and tough athlete, Blake is the perfect fit in a system which showcases players like her. I look forward to seeing her follow in some pretty big footsteps of great forwards to come through our program."
The final signee for the Cardinals is Gabriella Smith, a 5-9 guard from Bolingbrook High School. Gabriella finished her junior season averaging 14.0 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals. She has been tabbed the most valuable player for the Raiders varsity squad the last three seasons. In 2016 and 2017, Gabriella earned First Team All-Southwest Suburban Conference honors and was named an IBCA All-State Honorable Mention. She hit the 1,000 career point mark in February of 2017 at Bolingbrook. Gabriella ended her junior year with two first team all-conference accolades at Rich South and the Naples Florida tournament.
"Gabby played her way into this scholarship, literally," Sallee said. "Like so many times before, I went to watch another player, but Gabby was easily the most talented player on that team. The more we got to know Gabby and her family, the more we knew she belonged in our program. She can flat out fill it up…shoots it, drives it and passes it. She loves the game and it shows when she takes the floor. Gabby Smith will be fun to coach."
The 2018 signing class includes guard Anna Clephane (Taylor Mill, Ky./Scott), forward Blake Smith (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) and guard Gabriella Smith (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook).
"What I love about this class, first and foremost, is the character of the young ladies in it," Sallee said. "They come from great families, tremendous high school programs and have competed at the highest levels on the summer circuit. Anna, Blake, and Gabby were all players that my staff and I just fell in love with! We love the way they compete, we love their work ethic and we love that their decision to sign with Ball State had substance behind it. These three are winners and I look forward to the impact they will make on our program, university and community!"
Clephane, a 5-10 guard from Scott High School, has averaged 15.7 points per contest and 4.4 rebounds over the last three seasons. As a junior, Clephane had her best scoring performance averaging 22.5 points per game and 7.0 rebounds. Entering the 2017-18 season, she has 1,771 points for her career. As a junior, Clephane earned all-district and all-county honors, while being named First Team and Player of the Year in the 10th Regional Coaches Association. She was also named to the Honorable Mention All-State Louisville Courier Journal team. Clephane led the 10th region in scoring (22.5 ppg) and was named to the all-tournament team at the Gateway Classic. She also earned all-district and first team all region honors as a sophomore."Anna is a fierce competitor and plays with a motor that is through the roof," Sallee said. "Her ability to put the ball in the basket in every part of the game is exciting, but what has me most excited is that I think her best basketball is ahead of her. II know she will work feverishly to make her goals reality. When you consider who she is as an athlete, student and person, it is easy to say we hit the jackpot with Anna Clephane!"
A 2017 All-County and IBCA/Subway recipient, Blake Smith comes from a prestigious Indiana High School basketball program at Carmel. Blake enters her senior season with 603 career points and 446 rebounds. She averaged 8.4 points per game as a junior while shooting 54 percent from the floor. The 6-3 forward, she played in all 27 games last season for the Greyhound's, helping Carmel High School to a 23-4 overall record and a national ranking of 22, while also being ranked third in the state of Indiana. Blake's sophomore season, she scored a career-high 21 points in a 52-32 win over Hamilton Southeastern (11/27/15). She has scored in double digits 24 times so far over her career with the Greyhounds. Two of the most prominent recruiting services in the country, Preferred Athletics Scouting Services (PASS) and Collegiate Girls Basketball Report (CGBR) have Blake rated the 12th and 28th best power forward in the country, respectively."From day one we knew Blake was the big we wanted and needed in this class and from this state," Sallee said. "This was a year that quite a few in-state forwards were out there, but we never wavered with who we wanted and it paid off. If you just look at all the offers Blake held through this process, it will humble you to know her and her family chose Ball State. A long, athletic and tough athlete, Blake is the perfect fit in a system which showcases players like her. I look forward to seeing her follow in some pretty big footsteps of great forwards to come through our program."
The final signee for the Cardinals is Gabriella Smith, a 5-9 guard from Bolingbrook High School. Gabriella finished her junior season averaging 14.0 points per game, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals. She has been tabbed the most valuable player for the Raiders varsity squad the last three seasons. In 2016 and 2017, Gabriella earned First Team All-Southwest Suburban Conference honors and was named an IBCA All-State Honorable Mention. She hit the 1,000 career point mark in February of 2017 at Bolingbrook. Gabriella ended her junior year with two first team all-conference accolades at Rich South and the Naples Florida tournament."Gabby played her way into this scholarship, literally," Sallee said. "Like so many times before, I went to watch another player, but Gabby was easily the most talented player on that team. The more we got to know Gabby and her family, the more we knew she belonged in our program. She can flat out fill it up…shoots it, drives it and passes it. She loves the game and it shows when she takes the floor. Gabby Smith will be fun to coach."
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