Crestwood teammates off to Syracuse
Lattimore, Day-Wilson made pick after dozens of online recruiting sessions
Latasha Lattimore and Shayeann Day-Wilson — two of Canada’s most highly recruited women’s basketball players — have committed to Syracuse University.
The two Grade 11 students at Crestwood Preparatory College in North York made their decision after recruiting sessions with more than a dozen U.S. colleges that were forced online due to restrictions with the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’d say it’s a relief now, to be honest with you,” said Lattimore, discussing a Saturday evening phone call with Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman announcing their intention to sign on with the Division 1 school.
“I’d be in study halls in school or doing home school now, and having to talk to college coaches. I was feeling a lot of pressure, but now I can focus on finishing my school year and playing basketball.”
Lattimore and Day-Wilson will begin their final high school season next fall before reporting to Syracuse in 2021. The 6foot-4 Lattimore is a five-star prospect ranked 11th overall by ESPNW’s high school ranking site, and fifth overall among forwards. Day-Wilson, a 5-foot-5 guard, is considered a four-star prospect and was ranked 73rd overall, 19th among guards.
ESPNW described Lattimore as a tenacious defender who could also bring an inside game on offence; Day-Wilson was said to be a smart, ball-moving guard who could chip in offence and had strong three-pointshooting talents.
They’ve spent much of the pandemic with Patrick Shaw, their coach with Sisters Keeper, atournament team based out of the Falstaff Community Centre. Shaw has been the backbone of their playing careers, a full-time mentor who has guided them through the recruitment process.
“I’m very proud, I’m very happy …” Shaw said. “I didn’t even want to show how happy I am, I just stayed in the background all the time (during recruitment sessions). I said, “Go in a room, make your decision, whatever decision you make, I’ll be happy … it’s a chance to go to a good school and to make a dream come true.”
Shaw helped the girls by assembling a checklist with about 30 questions they could ask the coaching staffs from the more than 15 schools that recruited them, a list that included the likes of Baylor, UCLA, Florida, Notre Dame, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.
Those questions ranged from styles of play and cost of living, to whether the schools were recruiting other players at their position and whether the schools would honour the contract if either player turned pro in their third year and wanted to return to finish their fourth year after their pro careers wrapped up.
Both players were impressed by Hillsman, who had a vision for how they would be used, what their strengths were and what they needed to work on.
“It was like a home-awayfrom-home feeling,” Day-Wilson said of Hillsman and the Syracuse program, which is ranked fourth by ESPN for the upcoming season.
“My family and friends can also visit me and I’ll have the support system I need. I’m just looking forward to going to college now.”
This fall, Lattimore and DayWilson will follow Shaw, transferring from Crestwood to play for Royal Crown in Scarborough where Shaw was recently named director of basketball operations.