Hartill picks Lobos for basketball

Riverside basketball player Angela Hartill has made an oral commitment to play for the University of New Mexico.

Hartill, a 6-foot-3 post and three-sport athlete for the Rams, was the Great Northern League’s co-MVP last year with a scoring average in excess of 14 points a game.

This past summer she played for the Spokane Stars Elite Blue team that compiled a 51-1 traveling tournament record, averaging 10.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

“I kind of had them in mind since earlier this summer,” said Hartill of her decision to become a Lobo.

She had narrowed her choices to New Mexico, Loyola Marymount and the University of San Francisco.

“I just loved everything about it,” she said of her visit to Albuquerque, “the support they get from the community and the coaches and players have awesome chemistry.”

The Lobos were 23-8 last year, the fourth consecutive season in which they’ve won 20 or more games. They made their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, losing in the first round. Eleven players return and the projected 2004-05 roster includes nine freshmen or sophomores. The team ranked fourth nationally in attendance, drawing 11,865 per game.

“She has so much potential, it’s scary,” Stars coach Ron Adams said of Hartill. “She has size, runs the floor, has all the moves and knows what to do with the ball.”

Hartill also plays volleyball and last spring placed at the State 2A track and field meet in the shot put and discus. The Rams have played at two state basketball tournaments with Hartill on the roster.

“I’ve always wanted to play college basketball,” Hartill said. “It (New Mexico) seemed the best place to be. I felt comfortable there.”