The paring has been done.
The phone calls, texts, and posts to her Facebook page have slowed to a reasonable rate.
Now all Rachel Hollivay has to do is pick a college.
To help her make that decision, the Heritage Academy senior will make five official visits in the next two months to determine where she will play basketball at the next level.
“It is going to be tough,” Hollivay said. “I am going to have to sit down with my family and realize what I really want.”
Hollivay will travel first this weekend to Oxford, where Renee Ladner and members of the University of Mississippi women”s basketball program will court a player who is rated in the top 15 by at least two major scouting services.
From there, Hollivay, a 6-foot-5 center, will visit Mississippi State on Sept. 15-16, the University of Oklahoma (Sept. 23-24), Tennessee (Oct. 8-9), and Rutgers (Oct. 14-15). Hollivay said all of the schools are “on the same page” entering the visits, and that she plans to make a decision in November in time for the early signing period.
“I want to go somewhere I can help, where I can produce, and where I can come in and get the job done right away,” Hollivay said.
Hollivay said plenty of other schools, like Alabama, were on her original list, but she trimmed schools from a list of 15 in the summer after doing her research about the schools, the players coming into the programs, and talking with her parents, friends, and coaches.
Hollivay, who transferred from New Hope High prior to her junior season, is ranked No. 13 in the country by Dan Olson”s Collegiate Girls Reports, a national scouting service, and
Collegiate Girls Report rates Hollivay the third best player at her position, while ESPN HoopGurlz has Hollivay as the eighth-best player in the Class of 2012 (No. 2 post).
Olson said Hollivay is an “explosively athletic, versatile low-post insider” with an efficient game facing the basket.
“She elevates with soft touch in the key, and her back-to-basket game continues to emerge,” Olson said. “She is superb in transition, she is a shot-blocking presence, and she is a quick leaper.”
Hollivay said many people have been surprised Oklahoma made her final list, but she said she has followed the program, led by coach Sheri Coale, and enjoyed watching Courtney and Ashley Paris when they dominated in the low post.
Hollivay said she likes what Ladner is building at Ole Miss. She also enjoys the “love” coach Sharon Fanning-Otis and her coaching staff have in their program.
“If I go to Mississippi State, the best players will come,” Hollivay said. “The best players will come that people don”t even know about. I have gotten phone calls, Facebook messages, everything saying, ”We should go here and do this.” ”
Hollivay spent the summer playing Amateur Athletic Union basketball with the Florida Essence coached by Kim Davis. She said her skills and her attitude, which she has heard has been criticized, have matured and that she feels more comfortable handling the basketball and shooting. She hopes to continue her progression this season at Heritage Academy with first-year coach Yolanda Moore, a former standout at Ole Miss and as a professional.
“This season is going to be great,” Hollivay said. “We will win the state championship with the coach we have and the stuff we”re doing. The stuff we”re doing is college-level stuff. … She is going to prepare me for college.”
Hollivay had to have at least two eye surgeries after she was involved in a serious car accident in November 2009 and had to have pieces of glass removed from her left eye. She said her vision has improved and that she no longer needs to wear protective glasses.
While excited about visiting the schools and meeting new people, Hollivay said she doesn”t want schools to go overboard when she arrives in an attempt to convince her to pick their school.
“I just want to go down there and have a good time, get to know the coaches and players,” Hollivay said. “I just want to go have fun.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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