November 09, 2005
The state's leading scorer Adrian McGowen joins Damitria Buchanan and Katrina Limbaha, to form a strong offensive-based early signing class for Texas A&M's women's basketball team, coach Gary Blair announced Wednesday.
The three players have signed National Letters of Intent with the school and will join the squad for the 2006-07 campaign.
"We really feel that we have three young ladies that have versatility, athleticism, size, good academics, and most of all they want to be an Aggie," Blair said. "This recruiting class helped us fill needs. Because of the two classes that preceded this one, we thought we could be more selective on what this program needed to complete the roster and help turn A&M into a top 25 program."
 Damitria Buchanan  Katrina Limbaha  Adrian McGowen |
McGowen, from Class A Goodrich (Texas) High School, averaged a state-best 53 points a game last season. She has averaged 49 points per game during her career.
"Adrian just fills it up from every possible angle," Blair said. "She has been doubled, sometimes triple teamed, yet she averaged 53 points a game last year. We are graduating our shooting guard Erica Roy this year and I expect Adrian to be able to compete for playing time right away."
McGowen, the Preseason Class A Player of the Year, has scored 4,202 points over the last three seasons which ranks sixth all-time according to the 2005 National High School Sports Record Book online edition. She needs 305 points to break the all-time national record of 4,506 held by Missy Thomas of Gibsland-Coleman (La.) from 1992-95.
"Adrian should be the homecoming queen for every student-athlete that ever competed at the Class A level," Blair said. "If a kid can play, it doesn't matter how big your high school is. The basket is 10 feet high in Goodrich, Texas, just like it is 10 feet high in Houston and Dallas."
A tremendous free throw shooter, McGowen connected on 409-of-595 attempts last season to set a new national standard. McGowen is 961-of-1,432 at the line for her career which is the most attempts ever in the nation. Her makes rank third all-time.
McGowen, who stands 5-foot-10, once scored 75 points in a 85-70 win over Class 3A Shepherd. It marks the eighth most points by a player all-time.
She is a three-time All-State selection by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. McGowen was an A&M Summer Elite Camp All-Star in 2005. She is ranked No. 7 in the state by Texas Girls Basketball Report and is among the top 100 players nationally in the All-Star Girls Report.
Blair has had success with Class A players before. At Stephen F. Austin, Blair signed Connie Cole from Snook, Texas, who at 6-foot went on to become a three-time All-Southland Conference standout and played professionally in Europe.
While at Arkansas, Blair signed Wendi Willis from Fort Cobb, Okla., who helped Arkansas to the NCAA Final Four in 1998 and to the WNIT National Championship in 1999. Willis played a season for the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks during its World Championship season.
McGowen chose A&M over Clemson and Houston.
Buchanan, a 6-foot-2 low post from Houston Jones High School, is an Adidas Top 10 All-Star. She is ranked No. 12 in the state by Texas Girls Basketball Report.
The District 21-4A Most Valuable Player, Buchanan averaged 18 points last season. Her team is the Houston Chronicle's 4A preseason favorite in the area.
"Damitria has very good skills on the block, runs the floor well, and can finish," Blair said. "She is another Houston player that wanted to play in the Big 12 while being close to home and having the chance to play early in her career. We think she will compete for playing time as a freshman."
She is the fifth player that Blair has signed for the Aggies that has played AAU competition for Houston Elite and its coach Howard Randle. Buchanan joins current A&M players A'Quonesia Franklin, La Toya Micheaux, Morenike Atunrase, and Patrice Reado as Houston Elite alums.
"Damitria combines athletics with academics as well as any young lady that we have in our program," Blair said. "She is on track to be the Salutatorian of her class at Jessie H. Jones in Houston."
Buchanan chose A&M over Colorado, Oklahoma State, and North Texas. She is a classical pianist with 11 years of experience.
Limbaha, a 6-foot-3 forward, is a foreign student from Lativa attending Fort Worth area Lake Country Christian School.
"Katrina is the sleeper of this class only because she is virtually unknown on the summer circuit since she has only been in the States since January of 2005," Blair said.
Despite being in the country less than a year, Limbaha immediately impacted her high school team as it captured the state championship with a 28-10 record. She was selected to the TABC All-State team and was named Newcomer of the Year for Class 3A. She also earned TAPPS division All-Tournament selection. Limbaha was also an A&M Summer Elite Camp All-Star in 2005
"She is 6-foot-3 and runs the floor like a deer," Blair said. "She has great range from the high post area and is as fundamentally sound as any high school post player that I have seen. Katrina has been well groomed in the fundamentals of basketball."
Limbaha averaged nearly a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds coming off the bench.
Her role has changed this season for Lake Country Christian. This past Tuesday, Limbaha opened the season with 27 points and seven steals as part of a 73-64 win.
She is ranked No. 9 in the state by Texas Girls Basketball Report
Limbaha's host family happens to be a pair of A&M graduates John and Michal Dedwyler. They encouraged Limbaha to make her own decision on which scholarship offer to accept and the couple accompanied Limbaha on campus visits.
"Katrina is a delightful young lady who will give us added size and depth at the four position," Blair said. "She will be a perfect Aggie for us with her demeanor, basketball skills, and unlimited potential."
She chose A&M over Oklahoma, Baylor, USC, and Miami.
TEXAS A&M WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SIGNING CLASS (3)
| Name | Ht. | Cl. | Pos. | Hometown (Current School) |
| Damitria Buchanan | 6-2 | Fr. | P | Houston, Texas (Jones) |
| Katrina Limbaha | 6-3 | Fr. | F | Riga, Latvia ([Fort Worth] Lake Country Christian) |
| Adrian McGowen | 5-10 | Fr. | G | Goodrich, Texas (Goodrich) |