Girls basketball: Burlington Central's Pryor commits to NIU

One of the first colleges to recruit Burlington Central girls basketball standout Sam Pryor was Northern Illinois.

On Monday, just a day before her 17th birthday, Pryor gave her verbal commitment to the Huskies and coach Kathi Bennett.

"They have an amazing coaching staff, the girls are all great and the proximity to my home is good so my parents can come and see me play," said Pryor, who said she is considering majoring in education.

The 5-foot-11 forward, a two-time Daily Herald All-Area selection and a Class 3A second-team all-stater this season, averaged 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the 25-4 Rockets this past season. A 3-year varsity player, she has been a part of 79 wins, three conference championships and a fourth-place finish in Class 3A in her Rocket career thus far.

This season she became the fourth player in BC program history to score 1,000 career points. She enters her senior season with 1,025.

A prolific shooter, Pryor made 47 percent of her 2-point attempts this season as well as hitting 51 3-pointers, shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc.

"She works hard on all parts of her game but her ability to shoot the ball is her strength," said Central coach Mark Smith. "NIU was her first offer and I think it's the best fit for her. "I'm glad she took it.

"She's going to be one of those kids who, now that it's over, can just let it loose and have a great senior season."

Pryor was relieved to have the decision made. She also considered offers from several east coast schools, including St. Bonaventure, and had drawn interest from DePaul and Southern Illinois.

"It's a huge weight off my shoulders," she said. "The process is over. It was fun at the beginning but I'm glad it's over now."

One member of the NIU coaching staff knows Pryor well. Former Hampshire great Stephanie Smith, who was the head coach at Burlington Central just before Pryor entered high school, is the director of women's basketball operations for the Huskies.

NIU finished 13-17 this past season.