Women's Basketball Signs JUCO Ebonee Downey
May 04, 2004 | Women's Basketball
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Ebonee Downey, a 6-1 junior college forward, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at East Carolina University, Lady Pirate head coach Sharon Baldwin-Tener announced Tuesday.
Downey, a native of Oxford, N.C., starred this past season at Moberly Area Community College, where she averaged 16 points and six rebounds a game while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 43 percent (54-126) from the three point line.
"We are very pleased to have signed Ebonee," said Baldwin-Tener. "She is a great player that had success at Moberly in a great program. Ebonee is very versatile with her inside-out abilities and will thrive in our up-temp game."
As a sophomore, she led Moberly to a 28-4 overall record, a No. 5 national ranking, and guided the Lady Greyhounds to the Region XVI title game, where she scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds in an 82-52 loss to No. 18 Three Rivers Community College. For her outstanding play, Downey was named to the 2003-04 Region XVI women's all-region team.
In Moberly's post-season run, Downey averaged 23 points a game and recorded a career-high 29 against Jefferson College, while pulling down nine boards. Against Crowder College, she netted 23 points including hitting five three-pointers.
"Ebonee made the biggest improvement in two years of any player that I've ever had," said Moberly head coach Michael Smith. "She is a super person and can be a great player in Conference USA."
Downey earned Junior College Honorable Mention All-America honors as a sophomore and was rated the fifth best Junior College power forward in the country by All-Star Girls Report.
"Ebonee is an athlete," said Brett McCormick of All-Star Girls Report. "She is a versatile player that can play inside and out. She will be a great player for East Carolina."
Downey will join a Lady Pirate squad that lost three seniors from its 2003-04 roster. In two years under Baldwin-Tener, ECU has made two Conference USA Tournament appearances and recorded 26 wins. The Lady Pirates finished the season with its most victories in three seasons, posting a 14-14 overall record.
