2008-09 Media Guide
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Clayton State Women’s Basketball signs Daytona State’s Bruce
Standout guard was two-time All-Mid-Florida Conference

MORROW, Ga. – April 20, 2009 – Clayton State women’s head basketball coach Dennis Cox is making quick work on building an impressive 2009-10 recruiting class for the Lakers.

On Monday, Cox announced the signing of Florida JUCO guard standout Latonda Bruce from Daytona State College. The 5-foot-9 Bruce is the second signee of the upcoming 2009-10 recruiting class for Laker women’s basketball, joining post Breanna Fort from Central Florida Community College.

With the graduation of wing standouts Marie St. Fort and All-Peach Belt Conference performer Nikkisha Pritchett from this season’s NCAA Division II "Elite Eight" team, Cox expects Bruce to make an immediate impact on the perimeter for Clayton State. Ironically, Daytona State is where Cox was head coach for six seasons prior to becoming head coach at Clayton State in the spring of 2004.

He compares Bruce to former Clayton State greats on the wing like Jamika Hindsman, Sharon Wiles and St. Fort.

"We couldn’t ask for a better player to come in at this time and fill some big shoes at our guard position," said Cox, 125-37 in five seasons at Clayton State. "She is a power-type guard that plays big and gets to the rim with a strong finish. She is also a lefty, which in my opinion makes her even tougher to guard.

"We look forward to great things from her."

Bruce, a native of Montgomery, Ala., was a two-year starter for head coach Cal Cochran at Daytona State. This season, she averaged 14 points and seven rebounds a game, while shooting 46 percent from the field and 30 percent from 3-point range. Bruce was a first team All-Mid-Florida Conference selection.

As a freshman in 2007-08, Bruce averaged 10 points and six rebounds a game, while shooting 43 percent from the field. In the process, she was a second team All-Mid-Florida Conference selection.

Bruce prepped at Alabama power Jefferson Davis High School in Montgomery, earning All-Metro and All-State honors both as a junior and a senior. She helped paced Jefferson Davis to two straight area championships, the Alabama Class 6A state championship in 2006 and the Class 6A state semifinals in 2007.

Davis was teammates with two fellow Jefferson Davis standouts that signed Division I scholarships – Cassie Moore (Auburn) and Courtney Ward (Florida State).