Women’s basketball signs top recruits

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    By Leigh Dethman

    The women”s basketball team is taking advantage of last year”s Sweet Sixteen finish, and this season”s top-25 preseason ranking.

    Coach Jeff Judkins signed two top-caliber recruits to the women”s basketball team on Wednesday.

    The Cougars, already filled with former Mountain View High School standouts, signed two more Bruins: twin sisters Heather and Hollie Hansen. The pair has collected numerous honors in the past few years.

    Heather, a 5-foot 8-inch guard, is a USA Today Junior All-America selection. Deseret News crowned her the Class 5A MVP in 2002. She was a Street and Smith All-America Honorable Mention selection in 2001 and 2002, averaging 12 points, 7 assists, and 6 steals per game.

    Heather is the first four-year starter in Mountain View”s 20-year history.

    Hollie, also a 5-foot 8-inch guard, was the State Defensive Player of the Year in Utah in 2001 and 2002. She was a Street and Smith All-America Honorable Mention selection in 2002, averaging 10 points per game.

    Mountain View coach Dave Houle said the twins play their heart out on the defensive end of the floor.

    “They have a knack to step it up, depending on who they are playing against,” Houle said. “They are very tenacious defensive players.”

    The girls followed their big brother, Travis Hansen, a senior standout on the BYU men”s basketball team, to BYU.

    “I really wish I would be here to play with them,” Travis said. “Hopefully they will have a good career, they are really good players.”

    Houle said going to BYU is a dream come true for the Hansen twins.

    “Growing up, that is where they wanted to go,” Houle said. “It is great that they are good enough to play there.”

    Heather and Hollie also chose BYU because of their father.

    “My dad really wanted them to come to BYU so he could watch them play,” Travis said. “He”s enjoyed watching me play over the years. I think he had an impact on their choice.”

    The twins will also follow former Mountain View players to BYU – senior guard Erin Thorn, sophomore forward Danielle Cheesman, and former Cougars Heather Cheesman and Lisa Osguthorpe.

    Houle said at one point during last season, four of BYU”s starters were former Bruins.

    “Last year they had four of my girls as starters, until Heather Cheesman got hurt,” Houle said. “People think we are BYU junior college.”

    Mountain View is a national women”s high school basketball powerhouse. The Bruins have won nine state championships in the past 12 years.

    “At Mountain View you”re taught to be disciplined. They teach you to work hard, and to be fundamentally sound,” sophomore forward Danielle Cheesman said. “I”m excited for them to come, they work really hard. They”ll add a lot to the team.”

    Last season, Mountain View defeated Timpview 43-36 for its second state championship.

    Although the Hansen twins will not join the team until the 2003-2004 season, this season BYU fans are already seeing double.

    This is the last season that twin sisters, senior guard Amy Lewis and junior guard Angie Gatten, will play together in a Cougar uniform.

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