As the 2012-13 season gets under way, Loyola Marymount University women’s basketball coach Charity Elliott has also been busy working on the future of the program. And the future got brighter Nov. 18 as Elliott announced that Alyson Lock and Olivia Lucerno have both signed National Letters of Intent to join the Lion program in 2013-14.
“I could not be happier about the two additions to our Lion family,” said the first-year head coach of the pair. “They are both amazing people and players, and will make immediate impacts to this program. We are so excited to officially welcome them to our LMU community.”
Lock is a 5-10 guard hailing from Mark Keppel High School in Alhambra. As a junior in 2011-12, the Monterey Park native averaged 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game, leading her team to a 28-5 overall record. Lock earned team and Almont League MVP honors while also being named to the Pasadena Star News first team and the All-CIF Division 2A first team.
The Lady Aztecs reached the Southern Section 2A semifinals and the CIF DII Championship tournament both Lock’s sophomore and junior seasons.
“Alyson is a blue-collar worker who does all the dirty work and just finds a way to get it done,” Elliott said. “She is a fantastic defender and a very crafty scorer who is going to do a great job and have a great career here at LMU.”
Lock was Keppel’s go-to player for much of last season, with the uncanny yet consistent ability to sink the big shot late in the game. When the Lady Aztecs were knocked out of the CIF playoffs last March, Lock had to endure watching it from the sidelines, having been forced out of the game early with a twisted ankle.
Back in top shape, Lock and her teammates are considered strong contenders to take the Almont League title. Having lost but one senior to graduation, Keppel’s comes back with the likes of hot-shooting sophs Lauren Saiki and Kyrstin Nakamura, senior Samantha Lee, and soph forward Tammi Matsukiyo.
— LMU/Rafu staff reports