Published: July 15, 2008 10:31 pm            

Lady Kats’ Drake to play for Eastern Kentucky

Kayla Drake helped the Kokomo girls basketball team compile a four-year record of 74-24 that included two North Central Conference championships and two Class 4A final four trips.

She hopes to carry that winning touch to Eastern Kentucky University.

Drake, a 5-foot-6 guard, has signed to play for EKU after also considering Colorado State, Nevada and some smaller schools. EKU is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.

“I feel really good to have it done and over with,” said Drake, a four-year starter for the Lady Kats. “When I was younger, I didn’t think your college choice was that big of a deal, and then when it came down to it, it was very stressful trying to find where you want to spend the next four years. But I think Eastern Kentucky is going to be a great place to go. It’s really nice there.”

EKU is located in Richmond, Ky., and has an enrollment of approximately 16,000 that Drake found just right. She plans to study education.

Drake will play for first-year coach Chrissy Roberts, a former EKU player. She replaced Larry Joe Inman, who compiled a 319-244 record over 20 seasons.

The Colonels had a 14-14 record in Inman’s final season. Their last winning season came in 2004-05.

“I’m hoping to come in and make a big impact under the new coach,” Drake said. “It’s going to be really fun to start rebuilding the program. I think we can do better than they did last year and hopefully get into the postseason.

“[Roberts] wants to use me at the point, but she wants me to do a lot of scoring,” Drake added. “I think they lost their top three scorers from last year so she wants me to come in right away and score and get the ball up and down the floor.”

Kokomo coach Jason Snyder thinks Drake is a perfect fit for the Colonels’ up-tempo style.

“Kayla’s speed in the open floor is going to benefit her,” Snyder said. “Also, she really will work you from the beginning to the end of the game. She doesn’t get tired. I think she’ll be able to take that to the college game and cause other guards a lot of problems. I think she is going to shine in college.”

Drake led Kokomo to an 18-6 record and NCC and sectional championships in 2007-08. She averaged 16.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. She ripped a good Anderson squad for a career-high 34 points.

Drake finished her Red and Blue career with 902 points — 707 coming over her final two seasons when she developed into one of the NCC’s top players.

“She had a lot of scorers around her early in her career so she developed her game more as a point guard for her first two years,” Snyder said. “She was a very good point guard obviously — two [Class 4A] final fours in her first two years.

“Then, as some people graduated, she developed into a scoring guard. Also, she really improved on her defense and became a tenacious defensive player. She did so many good things offensively, [her defense] was kind of overshadowed.”

Snyder noted Drake became an Indiana All-Star and a Division I recruit through hard work.

“I think as she moves on, she is going to continue to work,” he said. “We’re excited she was able to find a school that seems to fit her so well, and her style of basketball so well.”

Roberts said she is unable to comment on Drake until EKU receives and clears all the necessary paperwork.

        

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