November 17, 1998

Rita Adams of St. Louis, Mo., has signed a national letter-of-intent to play basketball at the University of Kentucky, Coach Bernadette Mattox announced today.

As a junior, Adams, a 5-8 point guard averaged 18.2 points, 4.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game for Lincoln High School before its closing earlier this year. While at Lincoln, Adams was named the Post-Dispatch Co-Player of the Year after leading her team to the Illinois Class AA Championship game last season. She will finish her high school career at East St. Louis High School under Coach Charles McDonald. “Rita will bring versatile talent and speed to our back court,” Mattox said. “She is extremely quick at the perimeter and also possess a great outside shot. She is definitely an SEC type player and we look forward to her playing at Kentucky.”

Adams chose Kentucky over St. Louis, Texas A&M and Memphis. She is the only player the Wildcats will sign during the early signing period, which ends Nov. 18.