Southwood's Savannah signs with Gold Nuggets

 


Jessica Savannah

XU Photo

 
     December 2, 2010

Ed Cassiere
     NEW ORLEANS — Jessica Savannah of Shreveport, La., and Southwood High School has signed a women's basketball scholarship with Xavier University of Louisiana.
     Savannah, a 5-foot-10 guard/forward, is the first to sign with the Gold Nuggets for the 2011-12 season. She is averaging seven points, 2.7 rebounds and shooting 50 percent from the floor through Southwood's first three games this season.
     "I think Jessica Savannah is one of the best players in the state," 12th-year Xavier Coach Bo Browder said. "She comes from an outstanding program at Southwood. I expect great things from her in our program."
Savannah averaged 3.5 points, three rebounds and 1.2 assists per game as a part-time starter in 2009-10.
       She helped the Lady Cowboys go 37-1 and finish second in the Class 5A state playoffs, and she had 10 points, six rebounds and two assists in a semifinal victory against Mandeville.
She was a member of Southwood's 5A state-championship team in 2007-08 and was a teammate of current Xavier guard Jasmine Grant. Savannah, who has a 3.8 grade-point average, will be a pre-medical major at Xavier.
     "I like Xavier a lot," Savannah said. "I like the academics, and I like the basketball team. And when I made a campus visit, I really felt at home."
     Xavier qualified for the NAIA Division I National Championship 14 times in the last 16 seasons and reached 20 victories 17 times in the last 18 seasons. The Gold Nuggets, 8-1 and ranked 22nd, will play their next game at 7 p.m. EST Friday at Florida Memorial.