LSUE basketball nets three Iota stars

LSUE Basketball Head Coach Michael Bari signs Iota standouts Angel Simar, Lindsey Miller and Candace LeCombe to his 2008-2009 squad. On the right is Iota Head Coach Stan Baggett, who has coached the trio in three state championship games.

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Courtesy LSUE Information

If NJCAA recruiting classes were graded, then LSUE Lady Bengals basketball head coach Michael Bari would earn an “A” for this season class.
In one day, Bari picked up three players from Iota who will make an immediate impact on his team.
“The quality that these girls bring to the program is three-fold,” said Bari. “ Three big kids. Three good students. Three good basketball players.”
The Bengals signed Angel Simar, Lindsey Miller and Candace LeCombe, all members of the Iota High School’s back-to-back state championship team.
“Depth wise this will be the best recruiting class we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Bari who took over the program in 2004. “The three Iota kids will pay huge dividends for us right away.”
Lacombe averaged nine points and over seven rebounds a game.
“Candace is a deceptively great athlete. She will bring a lot of outside shooting to the game,” said Bari. “When she gets stronger, she’ll be a force inside as well.”
Miller averaged ten points a game and sank over 70 three pointers in her senior year.
“Lindsey is the outside shooter that we need,” said Bari. “She’s going to be the kind of player capable of knocking down three or four shots down from three point range. She is going to be one of those catalyst type players that come into a program.”
Simar was a three-year starter with Iota and averaged six points and eight rebounds a game. While at Iota she played center, but at LSUE, Simar will be moved to the guard position which she played in her younger years.
“Angel will have to change positions here. She won’t play a lot inside, although we will still have her do that,” said Bari. “She’s got untapped potential, because she will be playing away from the basket. Once she redevelops those skills at guard, I really think she’s going to be a huge contributor.”
Bari also gets a bonus in the three girls’ knowledge of how to win and how to play in big games.
“We know how to work hard and we all know how to have a goal and reach it,” said Miller.
With 144 wins, four trips to the Top 28 and two state titles, the Iota trio has the experience Bari needs to return to the National Championship and he’s excited about letting them take the floor.
“They have proven they can win, so that’s why think this group will be better than earlier recruiting classes because they’ve come in as proven winners,” said Bari. “They know what it is like to play in big games, so if we are fortunate to return to the national tournament, this group has been tested.”
The girls are excited about continuing to play together on a basketball team. They’ve been together since Miller transferred to Iota her sophomore year. They all agreed that staying together was “the best part” about playing for the Lady Bengals.
“We already know what we’re going to do,” said Simar “It’s easier to make the transition from high school to college with people you already know.”