THIBODAUX, La. – Nicholls State University women's basketball head coach
DoBee Plaisance announced Saturday the signing of guards Samantha Deakin-Sharpe (Brisbane, Australia) and Morrison "Airi" Hamilton (Natchitoches, La.) for the 2015-16 recruiting class.
The duo joins an already stellar class for Coach Plaisance, who signed Karrington Brown (Fort Worth, Texas), Cassidy Barriors (Raceland, La.), Karissa Black (Austin, Texas) and Brenisha Coleman (Cypress, Texas) in the November signing period.
Deakin-Sharpe, a 5-foot-9 combination guard, comes to Thibodaux after starting four years for the Moreton Bay College Varsity Basketball team where she was a two-time MVP. As a senior, she led her team to a third place finish in the Brisbane School competition and fifth place at the Queensland Schools Championship Tournament, averaging over 16 points per game in the two tournaments. A few of her individual accolades while at Moreton Bay include Outstanding Sporting Performance, Basketball Player of the Year, Overall Contribution to Sport, Academic Excellence and Best All-Round Contribution to the School.
Since 2010, Deakin-Sharpe has been a member of championship winning All-Region teams, along with playing with Queensland State teams over the last four years. In 2014, she was selected to the Australian School Basketball team following the National Schools Championships. Most recently, she played for Queensland at the U20 National Basketball Championships where she came off the bench to contribute 9.3 ppg., while shooting 45 percent from the field and 87 percent at the free throw line.
"Sammy is going to fill a void in our backcourt. She is a pure point guard that can shoot, distribute the ball well and she's going to enhance everyone around her," Coach Plaisance said. "She's a big, versatile guard who has a high basketball IQ and she wants to handle the ball."
A 5-foot-8 guard, Hamilton was a two-sport athlete at Ponchatoula in basketball and track. As a senior, she led the Lady Wave basketball team to a Louisiana 5A State Championship and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the title game, in addition to making the All-Tournament Team. She averaged 19.3 points, 7.9 rebound and 6.2 assists on the season and was named Second Team 5A All-State, NOLA.com All-Metro Team for Large Schools and was selected to the 6-5A All-District Team for a third consecutive time.
Hamilton's track career at Ponchatoula was just as impressive, as she was a two-time field MVP for Region 3-5A and District 6-5A. She qualified as a 5A State finalist in a jumping event the past three years and as a junior, she finished in the top five at state in the long jump, triple jump and high jump. A two-time Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-State track team honoree, Hamilton was the state runner up in the long jump in her freshman season.
"Airi comes from a championship program at the highest level. She will bring a tremendous amount of energy, great defensive prowess and an excellent winning attitude," Plaisance said. "Her whole family is great people and we're excited to have them join our program."
In the classroom, Hamilton has a 3.8 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society.
