Stillwater bound: Del City duo gear up for senior seasons; future college careers

DEL CITY, Dec 01, 2008 (The Sun - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- GOOG | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Two Oklahoma State signees, two different routes to the Big 12 school.

Del City High School senior Desiree Jeffries, who verbally committed to the Cowgirls in March, has always been around basketball and developed her talents at an early age.

Teammate Toni Young, who followed Jeffries' path to Stillwater in June with an oral commitment, wanted to give up basketball in her first day of high school practice.

"I grew up around basketball," Jeffries said. "I've been watching my uncle and his friends play since I was in diapers.

"My sister (Porschea, who plays at Mercer University [Ga.]) made me push more because she was good. I just always work hard."

The Jeffries' father, Royce, played basketball at Oklahoma State and eclipsed the 1,000-point mark at OSU from 1987-90.

Speaking of 1,000 points, the athletic 5-10 Desiree should easily surpass that mark in her senior season at Del City. The four-year starter needs just 112 points to reach the milestone and scored 354 last season with a 13.1 average along with 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting right at 50 percent from the floor in all three seasons.

As for Young, who played limited time in her freshman season, needs 374 to make 1,000 points as an Eagle.

Rumors about Young in the past have stated that the 6-2 post can just stand in the lane and jump up and grab the rim. Now, she even boasts a YouTube video of her dunking.

When she came into the Del City program as a freshman under then head coach Deanna Duerson, who now is an assistant at Mercer University (Ga.), Young barely weighed over 100 pounds. But she bumped up to 130 pounds a year ago and is now a very lean 157.

"I eat five meals a day and I eat a lot of peanut butter," she chuckled.

"Coach D (Duerson) and Coach (Karri) Sears (the current head Del City coach) helped me a whole lot. I was skinny and had no coordination. If she (Duerson) would have never asked me to play basketball, I would have never played.

"I didn't get tall until the eighth grade and didn't think I'd go to a big school like OSU. If anything, I'd be doing track. Before Coach D, I didn't want to do anything and she encouraged me to keep playing after I wanted to quit when I couldn't do anything right on the first day of practice my freshman year."

Young holds the state high jump record in track & field at 5-10 and is the two-time defending state champion. She chose O-State over Baylor, Kansas and Mercer and plans on high jumping at OSU as well.

Before the Del City duo started hooping at Del City as freshmen, the Eagles had a losing record. Just as recent as the 2002-03 season, Del City stood just 4-19.

But in the three seasons Jeffries and Young have played, the Eagles haved chalked up marks of 19-8, 22-3 and 22-5 respectively losing out to the eventual state champion in the Class 6A state tournament all three years.

"It (the previous losing seasons) just made us work harder," Jeffries said. "No one expected us to win so we just worked even harder."

Young added, "We really didn't have any support until we started winning. Then everyone wanted to come watch the girls play."

Young's best game in her career came at home against Jenks last season when she sucked down 15 rebounds and tallied 17 points.

"I love the paint," she said. "Most people overlook me and don't think I'm strong because I'm skinny."

She ranks fourth among eight siblings and is excited about becoming a Cowgirl because neither her mom or dad attended college.

With Young being the shot blocker and rebounder, Jeffries is the all-around player. She can run the floor, hit from outside and inside, rebound and shoot off the dribble.

"I think my strong point is being able to see the whole floor," Jeffries said. "Being as tall as I am, I am able to exploit the mismatches."

Jeffries, who plans on majoring in psychology with a minor in sports medicine, chose OSU over Kansas State, Texas A&M and Mercer. Last year in a home game with Norman, She lit it up with 27 points and seven assists.

"This is our year," Jeffries said of her senior campaign. "We were young (in other losses at state), now we have the experience.

"Coach D (Duerson) pushed us, Coach Sears came to tell us to keep our heads up and now Coach (Christa) Geary (Del City assistant) is sort of in between the two."

Along with Jeffries and Young returning as Eagle starters, so is senior Bobbie Marshall.

"We've been working hard with enthusiasm with three returning starters eager to show off their renewed strength, speed and ongoing teamwork," Sears said. "This explosive team combines experience of seniors with young, athletic sophomores and freshmen."

Over the summer months, Del City competed in team camps at Oklahoma State and Redlands.

From her junior year backward, Jeffries produced 89, 74 and 74 steals and 57, 76 and 37 assists. For Young, she stole the ball 62, 52 and seven times and pulled down 219, 170 and 45 rebounds.

Both are looking forward to their senior seasons and Oklahoma State University which lie thereafter. Since the beginning of August, the pair have been getting up at 7 a.m. every Saturday morning when Jeffries' uncle, Tony Hodge, picks them up and takes them out to breakfast. After that, it's all business getting to the gym making themselves better by working on weaknesses and shooting 300-400 shots in preparation for being OSU Cowgirls.

Jeffries is excited to play at O-State citing the up and down style of play with the likes of Andrea Riley and Coach Kurt Budke. Riley recently had her jersey hung in the Ring of Honor at the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tenn.

"I just want to thank my mom (Ronda Hodge) and my grandmother (Evelyn Hodge) for raising me right and keeping me out of trouble," Jeffries said. "I'll miss (Del City H.S.) but I made my mark. I'll miss all the little sisters in the sisterhood."

Young has an undecided major and is very much excited about heading to Stillwater in the near future as well.

"I chose OSU because it's close to home and my sister (Jeffries) is going there.

"I'm just excited because I don't have to go by myself. I want to make a name for myself. I'm not going there to just ride the bench."

Both Del City athletes officially signed with O-State on Wednesday, Nov. 12.

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