Cleveland St. recruit Crockett set to lead Vincent

When the phone calls started to come, Savanna Crockett knew she was doing something right.

The Milwaukee Vincent senior was playing with her club team, Wisconsin Playground Elite, when she strung together strong showings during a couple of weekends of the most important recruiting period of the year.

Suddenly a player who thought she was underrated was getting calls from college coaches and receiving scholarship offers.

The 5-foot-11 forward eventually committed to Cleveland State. She’ll make her commitment binding when she signs a letter of intent during the early signing period, which began Wednesday and ends Nov. 15.

“I’m more of a family person,” she said, “so when I got there (for the official visit) everyone greeted me and I instantly bonded with them.”

Crockett chose the Vikings over South Alabama and Sacramento State. According to Playground Elite coach Jeff Smith, Crockett also received offers from Longwood University in Virginia, Illinois-Chicago and Tennessee State.

She will join a line of area players who have suited up for Cleveland State. This year's roster includes former Brookfield East standout Mariah Miller, a sophomore who was Crockett’s host on the visit, and Heritage Christian product Mariana Bautista, a junior.

“I scrimmaged with them when I got there. It’s a fast-paced team and the coach was like, 'You’ll fit right in'," Crockett said.

"I had a conversation with her and she said she wants to groom me to be a franchise player. My first year, she said she just wants me to score and she’ll keep building me and building me as the years go by.”

Crockett averaged 11.3 points for Vincent last season, playing mostly in the post. On the club circuit and in college, she is projected to be a small forward and will play more on the wing.

“Seeing her on the wing as a 3, you’re able to see her put it on the floor, shoot the mid-range jump shot, be able to get into transition,” Smith said.

“When you’re at the 5 position, you’re on the low block having to run the whole distance and by the time you get into the play, sometimes the play is over.”

Crockett’s return to Vincent sets up a senior season in which the Vikings will try to build on a 13-10 campaign that included a 5-3 record and secondplace finish in the City Gold Division behind Milwaukee King.

The Vikings are expecting good things thanks to the return of senior guard Cordelia Vales (12.1 points per game), senior forward Kathryn Kirkwood (12.1) and junior guard Ariel Kirkwood (13.8).

“Savanna’s a great kid,” Smith said. “She’s a team player."