MOBILE, Ala. ? University of South Alabama women’s basketball head coach Rick Pietri announced Tuesday the signing of junior college transfer Karina Sproal (Clarendon College, Clarendon, Texas) and prep standout Siedah Banks (pronounced Sy-ee-dah) of Parkview High School in Little Rock, Ark., to national-letters-of-intent.

“I feel really good about both of these players that we have added,” said Pietri.  “Karina Sproal is a junior college transfer that is experienced.  She has great skill and ability to score both facing the basket and with her back to the basket.  She is very aggressive, tough and a great fit for our system.”

Sproal, a native of Melbourne, Australia, led Clarendon to a third place finish in the regional tournament last season, while also pacing the club in both scoring and rebounding with 10.3 ppg, and 6.6 rpg, respectively.  As a freshman, the 6-1 power forward was named to the First Team All-Western Junior College Athletic Conference after ranking 17^th in scoring, 10^th in rebounding and sixth in defensive rebounding with 4.71 per game.  She also shot 40 percent from the floor for the Lady Bulldogs.  Sproal chose the Lady Jags over UTEP, Duquesne and Charleston Southern.

Banks, who has started at the point guard position since her freshman season, has led Parkview HS to the Arkansas AAAAA state title two of the last three seasons.  As a freshman, she was named a Student Sports Freshman All-American and for each of the past three seasons, the 5-5 guard has been earned Street & Smith Honorable Mention All-American honors.  She has also been an all-state selection the past two seasons as well.  This past summer, Banks averaged 21 ppg and 6.5 apg for her AAU club team the Arkansas Sirens.  She enters her senior season ranked as the 66^th best point guard by Collegiate Girl’s Basketball Report.  Banks chose USA over UALR, Oral Roberts and Chattanooga.

“Siedah Banks is an accomplished guard from a great high school program in Arkansas that has won two state championships at the highest level,” said Pietri.  “She is athletic, strong, composed and someone we feel can run our point guard position for a long time.”

The Lady Jags will continue their 2006-07 campaign Friday night, when they head to Tulsa, Okla., to take on the Golden Hurricane at 7 p.m.