DATE: Wednesday, November 12, 1997          TAG: 9711120672

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   42 lines

LADY MONARCHS RECEIVE 2ND VERBAL COMMITMENT GUARD FROM A SCHOOL IN MARYLAND PLANS TO SIGN LETTER-OF-INTENT THIS AFTERNOON.

The Old Dominion women's basketball team has received its second verbal commitment of the fall.

Sharron Francis, from Suitland (Md.) High, said she planned to sign a binding letter-of-intent with ODU this afternoon, the first day of the early signing period.

``She's finally getting her wish,'' said Suitland coach Thornton Boone. ``That's always where she's wanted to play ball.''

Francis, a 5-foot-8 guard, averaged 20 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists last season for Suitland (14-7). Boone said Francis has a strong outside shot and the ability to penetrate.

Francis chose ODU over Virgin-ia Tech, Maryland, Rutgers and Syracuse. She is ranked 61st among the top 100 high school seniors by The Women's Basketball Journal.

ODU also expects to sign Tiffany Thompson, a 6-3 center from St. John's of Prospect Hall in Frederick, Md., today. Francis and Thompson have played AAU ball together since the ninth-grade.

Thompson, a third-team preseason All-American, averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and four assists for St. John's (31-3) last season. She is 15th in The Women's Basketball Journal rankings.

The Lady Monarchs have five scholarships available for the 1998-99 season.

2 commit to ODU men

The ODU men's team expects to lock up two players during the early signing period: guard Pierre Greene and power-forward Dimari Thompkins. Both players have given verbal commitments to ODU, which has just two scholarship slots available for next season.

Greene averaged 16 points and five assists last season for Chicago Simeon High School. Thompkins averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds for Lake Gibson High in Lakeland, Fla. MEMO: Staff writer Steve Carlson contributed to this report.

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