Temple University Athletics
Temple Women's Basketball Signs Two To National Letters Of Intent
4.28.09 | Women's Basketball
April 28, 2009
PHILADELPHIATemple head women's basketball coach Tonya Cardoza has announced that Alyssa Bennett (Hampton, Va./Oak Hill Academy) and Natasha Thames (Washington, D.C./Academy of Holy Cross) have signed National Letters of Intent for the 2009-10 season. The duo joins Tiffany Davis and Victoria Macaulay, who signed in the early signing period, to form the class of 2013.
Bennett averaged 12.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg while leading Oak Hill, ranked ninth in the ESPN RISE Fab 50, to a 25-8 record last season. A 6-2 forward, she spent her first three years at Hampton High School in Hampton, Virginia with Davis, leading the Crabbers to a Group AAA state championship in 2007. Bennett averaged 16.0 ppg as a junior and 11.8 ppg in 2007. She chose Temple over Maryland and West Virginia.
A 6-0 forward, Thames transferred to the Academy of Holy Cross after spending three years at Port Huron Northern in Michigan. She averaged 11.0 points and 12.0 rebounds last season, leading her squad to a 23-10 record and the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference finals. Thames was named First Team All-Gazette last season. She was named the Times Herald Player of the Year as a sophomore and left Northern a year later after averaging 19.7 ppg, 15.7 rpg, 3.3 spg and 2.1 bpg. A First Team All-State AP Class honoree, Thames was also named to the Detroit News All-State Third Team and was a Detroit Free Press All-State Honorable Mention. She chose Temple over Memphis.
