UNC women pick up commitment from 71st (updated)

4A championship game MVP and Miss 4-A Basketball La'Toya Pringle from Fayetteville (N.C.) 71st has committed to UNC, according to the Fayetteville Observer.

She picked Carolina over N.C. State and Georgia. UNC has done very well recruiting at home lately - picking up both the NC 2003 Miss 3-A and 4-A basketball winners (UNC freshman Camille Little garnered the 3A award).

Pringle averaged 18.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots last season. As 71st advanced through the playoffs, she picked up her game as the Falcons lost personnel to injuries.

She was selected Eastern Regional MVP with a huge game of 24 points, 15 rebounds and 12 blocks in Eastern final. She followed it up at the Dean Dome in the state championship game as she scored 17 points, hauled in a record-setting 28 rebounds and had eight blocks. And not many there will forget as she calmly drained two free throws with 7.6 seconds left to extend the Falcons' lead from one to three.

"We have never seen anything like that," Vance coach Gary Richmond said of Pringle after the game. "…They didn't beat us because of effort. They beat us because of Pringle."

"When she gets the ball," said Vance star Kerri Metzker, who matched up with Pringle all night, "I can't do anything about it. My focus was to not let her get the ball."

Seventy-First finished 30-1 - and graduated just two players, neither of which played in the championship game.

Link to Fayetteville Observer story: Seventy-First's Pringle commits to UNC

Scouting report
Pringle is a long armed mobile post player. Not much of an outside game that we've ever seen - but that's a good thing in our opinion, at 6-3 with long arms you don't need to be drifting outside.

Her ability to cover ground quickly means that she's not often out of position. Great basketball instincts and a natural shot blocker.

At only 150 pounds, she definitely needs to bulk up to take the pounding in the paint in the ACC. However, Hatchell wants her teams to run and Pringle can haul up and down the court with the best of them.

Looking into the future, Carolina could have a potent mobile forward combo in Camille Little and LaToya Pringle.

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