BY TRAVIS CRAM l AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

The Texas Tech women’s basketball team has added commitment No. 2 for the 2010-11 season.

Antiesha Brown from Clovis, N.M., has given an oral commitment to the Lady Raiders, according to N.M. Heat Elite coach Robert Sanchez.

Monterey standout Haley Schneider orally committed to Tech in March.

Sanchez said Brown, a 5-foot-10 guard/forward, chose Tech after looking at Kansas and New Mexico, as well. Her club team coach also said the Lady Raiders landed a player who may have slipped through the recruiting cracks.

“They stole one,” Sanchez said. “I think Tech has phenomenal facilities and a great coaching staff. It’s a program that’s successful. … She fits right in because she’s a person who not only excels on the basketball court but in the classroom, too.”

Brown was named to the New Mexico Coaches Association Class 5A all-state second team as a junior this season after leading Clovis to the state quarterfinals and was the team’s leading scorer, averaging nearly 20 points per game.

Brown has been a three-sport athlete in basketball, volleyball and track for most of her three years at Clovis. She placed second at the state track and field championships in the long jump (17 feet, 41/4 inches) and third in the triple jump (34-111/4). She also owns the school record in the triple jump (38 feet).

And she’s only 16 years old. Brown was moved up a grade level because of her academics.

“I think that’s something that kind of sets her apart from a lot of other athletes around the country,” Sanchez said. “If you take the whole package, she can not only play athletically in the Big 12 (Conference) but maybe even blow past a lot of them. She has a tremendous midrange game right now and great pull-up jump shot.”

Brown primarily played at the post position for her high school team but was mostly a guard or perimeter player on Sanchez’s club team. He said she has all the versatility to be an outstanding player at either spot and if she continues to develop once she gets to Tech, could be someone playing long after her collegiate career is over.

“She’s such a tremendous athlete. It would not surprise me one bit if she makes a lot of money later on playing this game professionally,” he said. “She’s just that good.”

Oral commitments are non-binding, and per NCAA rules, college coaches are not allowed to comment on players until they sign a national letter of intent.

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