Mean Green Basketball Ink Standouts Escalera And Koubiteb

DENTON (5/8/06) The North Texas women’s basketball team has signed University of Colorado transfer Yari Escalera and Midland Junior College forward Lyza Koubiteb to scholarships to play for the Mean Green.

Escalera, a native of Humacao, Puerto Rico, will sit out the 2006-07 season per NCAA transfer rules but will have two years of eligibility remaining with North Texas. Koubiteb will be eligible next season and has two years remaining with the Mean Green.

“Esacalera is a great sign for our program. She is a true point guard that will bring a lot of experience to our team. Yari has proven to be a solid Division I player while spending her time at the University of Colorado,” Slinker said. “She can score and does a great job of distributing the basketball. We are very fortunate to have Yari in our program.”

Escalera, a point guard, ranked ninth in the Big 12 Conference in 3-point field goal percentage with Colorado last season as she averaged 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. She was second on the team in assists and steals last season.

At Colorado she ranks 12^th all-time in 3-pointers with 54 for her career. Last summer she was a member of the Puerto Rican junior national team at the FIBA Women’s U19 World Championship in Tunisia, Africa.

In high school Escalera played for the varsity team at Colegio San Antonio Abad for six seasons, starting her varsity tenure in the seventh grade. During her four “traditional” years of high school, she led her team to a record of 72-5, winning championships all four years, with Escalera averaging over 24 points per game every year.

As a senior, the CSAA team was 18-2, with Escalera averaging 26.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game en route to most valuable player honors for both her team and league, an honor she claimed from her freshman to senior seasons.

Koubiteb, a 6-3 post player from Cameroon, averaged 6.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game for Midland last season. She played in all 30 games last year and received the Midland Junior College 2005-06 Lady Chap Award.

“I am extremely pleased to sign Lyza Koubiteb. She is a 6-3 post player that can run the floor. She is a very physical low post player who has a great ability to score,” said North Texas head coach Tina Slinker. “Lyza's potential is definitely in front of her. I know she can make an immediate impact on our program”

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