After speaking to Essence coach Kimberly Davis Powell about Brianna Banks, UConn's newest commit, I asked her for a reaction of what her former pupil Tiffany Hayes has accomplished in her first two seasons at UConn.

Davis Powell hestitated for a moment and after collecting her thoughts, sounded more like a proud mom than Hayes' former AAU coach.

"She's doing so well," Davis Powell said. "I went to (UConn's game at Florida State) to see her play live. What I love about her is she's willing to play any role. She's not concerned about numbers, she wants to help her team.

"She is very confident but not in an in your face but she wants to do whatever she can to help her team."

TITLE FOR MOSQUEDA-LEWIS, MATER DEI
UConn commit Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, a 6-foot junior wing, fought off foul trouble to score 21 points to lead her Mater Dei of Santa Ana, Calif. team to a 58-43 win over Carondelet in the California Division II championship game. It is the first state title for Mater Dei since the Monarchs won the Division I title in 1996.

Mosqueda-Lewis joins fellow UConn commit Bria Hartley, a 5-foot-10 senior guard at North Babylon (N.Y.) High, on Parade Magazine's All-American first team. UConn recruiting target Elizabeth Williams, a 6-foot-3 post from Virginia Beach, Va., was also a member of the 10-player first team.

UConn incoming freshman Samarie Walker, a 6-foot-1 wing out of Chaminade Julienne High in Dayton, Ohio, was named to the second team while her future UConn teammate Stefanie Dolson, a 6-foot-5 senior center at Minisink Valley of Slate Hill, N.Y., was a fourth-team selection. Also being recognized are a pair of juniors who are on UConn's recruiting radar as Christ the King of Middle Village, N.Y. guard Bria Smith was a third-team pick and Edison (Calif.) wing Bonnie Samuelson was named to the fourth team.

The entire team will be published in Sunday's Parade Magazine.