Women’s Basketball Adds Five During Fall Signing Period

William Connor

Women's Basketball 11/8/2017 4:50:00 PM

PEORIA, Ill. -- Second-year Bradley Women's Basketball head coach Andrea Gorski and the Braves received five commitments during the 2017 Fall Signing Period with 5-10 guard Aannah Interrante (Johnsburg, Ill./McHenry), 5-7 guard Tatum Koenig (West Branch, Iowa/West Branch), 6-0 guard Lasha Petree (Ann Arbor, Mich/Arbor Prep), 5-10 guard/forward Ellie Spelhaug (Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley) and 6-2 forward Asia Strong (South Bend, Ind./Riley) each signing National Letters Of Intent to attend Bradley.

"Our goal was to bring in a diverse skill set with players who are versatile and play multiple positions," said Gorski. "More importantly, this class is comprised of players who refuse to lose and have accepted, and look forward to the challenge of building a championship program at Bradley."

Interrante was an all-state selection for the Skyhawks, averaging 15.7 points, 2.4 steals and two assists per game as a junior. The 2017 Northwest Herald Player of the Year, she also garnered Kishwaukee River Conference Player of the Year honors last season after helping Johnsburg to a 25-9 record and regional title in 2016-17.

After scoring 1,245 points in three years at Johnsburg High School, Interrante transferred to McHenry High School for her senior season. A three-time all-conference selection, she competed in the IHSA Class 3A three-point contest as a freshman and heads into her final prep season with over 200 career three-pointers. In addition, Interrante, who also played for Illinois Elite Basketball Club, earned special mention all-state honors from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association both her sophomore and junior seasons.

"Aannah is a great shooter who will give us another three-point presence that will help stretch the court," added Gorski. "She has put up a lot of points in her high school career and will come in with a scoring mentality. Her personality and on-court work ethic make her a great fit for our program and we are excited that she is joining the Bradley family."

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Koenig was a First-Team All-State selection in Class 2A last year and is a three-time first-team all-conference honoree. The three-time all-district performer, averaged 20.0 points, 3.3 assists and 4.3 steals per game last year as a junior. Koenig has been selected as the Bear's MVP each of her first three seasons and the 1,000-point scorer is a three-time team captain.

In addition to starring on the hardwood, Koenig lettered in football, softball and cross country in addition to qualifying for the state championship in track each of the last three seasons. She played club basketball for the Iowa Barnstormers.

"Tatum is a fierce competitor and will come in right away ready to push for a big role," stated Gorski. "Her relentless style of play at either guard spot will go a long way in helping us continue to move towards an up-tempo and entertaining brand of basketball. Pound for pound, Tatum is one of the toughest players we have seen."

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Petree averaged 10.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in her only season at Arbor Prep after playing her first two seasons at Salem High School. A third-team all-state pick by the Detroit News, she was an honorable mention all-state selection by both the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan and the Associated Press as a junior.

Named to the Ann Arbor News all-area second team last season, Petree earned honorable mention Detroit Free Press All-West distinction as a freshman at Salem. Last year, she led Arbor Prep with 37 three-pointers and capped the season with a team-high 15 points in the Class B championship game in 2016-17. At the club level, Petree played for Michigan Storm.

"We are thrilled that Lasha will be donning a Bradley uniform," said Gorski. "She is a very versatile player who can play four positions and is one of the most competitive high school players I have ever seen. Her length at the guard spot will allow her to defend multiple positions and her ability to score in bunches, and in a variety of ways, will fit our style of play perfectly."

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A four-sport standout for the Spartans, Spelhaug has earned all-state honors in basketball, softball and track. The two-time Iowa Newspaper Association all-state selection in basketball averaged 16 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last year as a junior.

She was part of state championship teams in both track (2015) and softball (2017), in addition to seven conference championship squads during her first three prep seasons. An all-conference performer in all four sports, she was an all-state pitcher for the Spartans. Spelhaug played club basketball for Minnesota Fury.

"Ellie will bring athleticism and versatility right away to our program," Gorski added. "Another fierce competitor, she plays with a high level of confidence and will be a player who we will count on to defend multiple positions and be a force on the boards. Her work ethic and history of winning will benefit our program right from the start."

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Strong was a second-team all-conference selection as a junior and was named team Most Valuable Player after averaging 17.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and four blocks per game last year. A two-time team MVP selection, Strong is a four-year starter.

Selected to play in the 2017 Michiana McDonald's All-Star game, Strong also participated in the Northern Indiana All-Star Clash last season.

"When looking to bring in a post player we wanted to add athleticism and versatility," Gorski said. "Asia will bring both of those traits to our program. Having only started the sport in the eighth grade, her growth as a player over the last year has been remarkable. We are excited to see what level she can reach in a Bradley uniform."

The Bradley women's basketball team opens the 2017-18 season Friday with a 7 p.m. game against Omaha at Renaissance Coliseum.

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