By By Matthew Nascone
The Escambia County Lady Blue Devils basketball team is at it again. They are sending their seniors on to bigger and better things following graduation. Two more Lady Devils have verbally committed to play collegiate ball in the fall.
Ashley Kidd and Ashanti Jones will continue to be teammates at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College next season. The duo will not change colors, but will become Lady Saints after being Lady Blue Devils for four years at ECHS.
Kidd and Jones said they are happy about going to the same college.
"It feels great to be going to the same place as Ashley," Jones said. "At the beginning of the season we were talking about how we wanted to go to the same college and now it is actually happening. This is exactly what we wanted."
"I know it will be a lot better of a transition from high school to college now that I know someone I will be playing with," Kidd said. "It is definitely better than going by myself."
And the location is ideal for Jones.
"I think it is the perfect school for me," Jones said. "It is not too close to here, but it is not too far away. And I am ready to go right now."
Kidd and Jones helped the Lady Devils to the most wins in school history at 27-7 and now they will attempt to help the Lady Saints accomplish some milestones. ECHS head coach Todd Reynolds had only good things to say about the duo.
"They were very hard workers all season long," Reynolds said. "They bought into the system quickly and I believe having that ability to adapt will help them at the next level."
Reynolds said the athletes also have something that cannot be taught.
"Both of these girls have that ability to stay aggressive at all times during the game and their angle of pursuit on defense is very good," he said. "They are instinctual and they both averaged almost five steals per game this season and that is something you cannot teach."
ECHS assistant coach William Casaday said he believes this will not be the last stop for this pair.
"In two years we will see them starting at a big school," he said. "I am extremely proud of them and I wish them the best of luck."
The girls will sign with LBW on National Spring Signing Day April 11.