Bowling Green WR Nacarius Fant verbally commits to Western Kentucky

Glasgow senior center Shalika Smith verbally committed to Western Kentucky on Tuesday, per GHS coach Justin Stinson.

Smith, a 6-1 center, averaged 14.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game as a junior. She shot 67.9 percent from the field, which ranked first in the state.

“She loves Coach (Michelle Clark-Heard) and feels very comfortable with her,” Stinson said. “Obviously, Western’s program is going in a good direction, and I think that was an incentive. She’s very excited.”

Stinson said the other schools Smith considered were Illinois State, Coastal Carolina, Austin Peay, Norfolk State and Georgetown College.

Smith competed this summer with the Kentucky Junior All-Star team and played her first summer with the AAU program Kentucky Premier.

“She’s a rare combination of size and athleticism,” Stinson said. “She’s very strong, she can score in a variety of ways, she’s very active on the glass and she runs the floor well. I think anytime you can get that combination, that’s something that really translates to the next level.

“She didn’t start playing basketball until she was in seventh grade, so I think her best basketball is still ahead of her. She’s got a very high ceiling.”

WKU has three scholarships available for the 2014 class.