Feb. 5, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky women’s basketball signee Linnae Harper (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young HS) was selected to the 2013 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) High School All-America Game presented by NIKE, it was announced today. Fellow UK Hoops signee Makayla Epps (Lebanon, Ky./Marion County HS) was tabbed as one of 20 players on the All-America honorable mention list.
This marks the 22nd annual game, featuring the top-20 high school senior girls’ basketball players recognized by the WBCA All-America Selection Committee. The game is part of the WBCA National Convention and will be played Saturday, April 6, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. ET in the New Orleans Arena, the site of the 2013 NCAA Women’s Final Four. For the fourth consecutive year, the game will be played on the official NCAA Women’s Final Four court. The 20 players will be divided into two 10-player teams for the game, which will be played according to NCAA rules.
Harper is a 5-foot-8 guard from Chicago and a former teammate of current Wildcat Janee Thompson at Whitney Young High School. She is the nation’s No. 5 prospect and No. 2 guard according to ESPN.com. She is the highest-ranked recruit in UK Hoops history. Harper chose Kentucky over Tennessee, Miami, Ohio State and UCLA.
Harper was named to the Tribune All-State first team last spring after averaging 18.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals for Class 4A champion Young (34-0). She had 30 points and 20 rebounds in two state tournament games as a junior. Harper has represented USA Basketball the last two years, winning gold medals with the U-17 and U-16 teams. She was named to the all-tournament team this past year after averaging 7.9 points and 4.3 steals off the bench. She also was named to the Preseason American Family Insurance All-USA Girls Basketball team by USA Today Sports. In December, Harper was one of six players named to the 2012-13 Naismith Girl’s High School Player of the Year Early Season Watch List.
Epps, a 5-11 guard from Marion County High School in Lebanon, Ky., is rated as the 15th-best overall player by All-Star Girls Report and No. 21 by Blue Star Basketball. ESPN.com lists her as the 10th-best point guard and the 32nd-best senior in the country.
Earlier this season, Epps became the 21st player in Kentucky High School history and just the second player in Marion County to pass the 3,000-point mark in her career. She has led the Lady Knights to a top-10 national ranking and an undefeated record so far this season. Epps chose Kentucky over Louisville.
Follow UK Hoops on Twitter and Instagram at @UKHoopCats and on Facebook by liking University of Kentucky Women’s Basketball.
