Barron adds three to roster

According to legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, good recruiting is the key to success for any program.

If that is the case, then women's basketball head coach Richard Barron should be very excited about the future of Tiger basketball.

Barron took advantage of Old Nassau's final year of Early Decision by signing guard Krystal Hill of Houston, Tex., guard Shelbie Pool of Hoschton, Georgia and guard/forward Addie Micir of Newtown, Penn.

"I think that they are talented players, and they're excited about coming to Princeton," Barron said.

Hill is a prolific scorer at North Shore High School, accumulating over 1,400 points in her four years there.

She was recently recognized as the best female free-throw shooter in the Houston area, and she is an explosive player on both ends of the court, averaging 4.1 steals and 4.9 assists.

At five-foot, seven inches, Hill will be one of the smallest players on the team. But what she lacks in size, she more than makes up for in quickness and agility.

"I don't know if I've ever coached anyone as fast as Krystal," Barron said. "She's a capable shooter already, but she can really beat people off the dribble, and because she's so quick, she can really beat people to the ball."

Barron discovered the Texan relatively recently, while he was on a recruiting trip watching various club teams play. Hill stood out immediately as a member of the Houston Hotshots — one the most renowned junior women's basketball teams in the nation.

Likewise, Pool excels on the club circuit. The Georgian shooting guard caught the coaching staff's attention during Princeton's basketball summer camp, which the University hosts every year for prospective athletes.

"Shelbie Pool is someone we've been watching, but we were really impressed with her when she came up to our camp," Barron said.

Pool is known for her ability to shoot from beyond the arc, where she sank over 43 percent of her attempts last year at Mill Creek High School.

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She averaged 14 points, 3.2 assists and 6.7 rebounds in her 2005-6 season with the Hawks.

Both her high school and summer club teams played at a very high level, so she has played with and against many talented players.

"She's a good team player," Barron said. "[Pool's] not someone who is going to have to make a very big adjustment in college because she's already played at such a high level."

The 5 foot, 10 inch guard is also left-handed — a valuable attribute in a sport dominated by right-handers.

Left-handers can be more difficult to defend against because they can dribble effectively from the opposite side and confuse opponents.

Micir is evidently also very adept at confusing opponents. The Council Rock North High School senior is on pace to finish her secondary school career with well over 1,500 points and 600 rebounds.

"Addie Micir is local, so knowing about her was pretty easy," Barron said of the Philadelphia-area native. "She's somebody we've watched and continued to be impressed with through the years."

Micir led Council Rock North to a Pennsylvania Division 4A title game in 2006, and she aims to repeat that feat again this March.

Last year's efforts earned her widespread recognition, including first-team all-area honors from the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Buck County Courier Times.

In addition, the McDonald's All-American nominee has a career average of over 80 percent from the free throw line and has been hitting 90 percent of her shots this year. Barron describes Micir as a very balanced guard, capable of adapting to almost any game situation.

"Addie is a great all-around player. She's got nice size for a guard — she's six foot and very strong," Barron said. "And she's a great all-around athlete; she's a great lacrosse and field hockey player, too. She's extremely fundamental, great ball-handling skills, she's got great deep-shooting skills, and she can run at point guard if we need her to, or go up and post with her back to the basket. Also, she's great at defense; I particularly like her rebounding skills. So, she's very versatile."

The three newcomers will have to replace four outgoing Tiger seniors: guards Shelly Slemp, Lillie Romeiser and Elyse Umeda as well as forward Casey Lockwood.

Lockwood has been particularly strong all season, leading the squad in field goal percentage (.505). The senior is second on the team in rebounds (135), steals (27), assists (50), and total points (270).

These departures, however, in no way guarantee any of the incoming players a spot in next season's starting line up. Barron emphasized the importance of work ethic and motivation.

"I think it's really important not to set those expectations too early, so that they know that they have to earn it," Barron said.