Billikens add three juco transfers to team that won Atlantic 10 Conference championship last season. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

Paige Dale
Staff Writer

ST. LOUIS, MO — The Saint Louis University women’s basketball program announced on Monday that it had added three new players to its roster for the upcoming season. Head coach Rebecca Tillett added three junior college transfers, all of whom will be eligible to play next season.

The new Billikens are 5-foot-11 forward Brooklyn Gray from Wabash Valley College; 6-2 center Marcavia Shavers from Pearl River Community College; and 6-1 forward Tierra Simon, also a Pearl River CC product.

Gray will have three years of eligibility remaining, while Shavers and Simon will have two.

“The story of Brooklyn, Marcavia and Tierra committing to us on their official visit will remain one of the favorites of my career,” Tillett said. “For all of them to decide on the visit that SLU was the right place for them is unique and speaks to their collective team-first attitudes and competitiveness.”

Gray helped lead the 2022-23 Wabash Valley team to a 31-2 overall record, the Great Rivers Athletic Conference title (14-0 record), the Region 24 crown and the NJCAA Division I national tournament, where the Lady Warriors reached the quarterfinals. She was named GRAC and Region 24 Freshman of the Year.

A starter in 28 games who averaged 21.3 minutes, Gray tallied 13.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.2 steals per contest. She shot 49.9 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from beyond the arc (28 made 3-pointers) and 75 percent from the free throw line.

“The reason I chose SLU was because of how perfect the fit was for me,” Gray said. “Yes, clearly you’re going to choose a school that you like, but it’s deeper than that. SLU displayed what a team with good culture should look like. From the beginning, they showed the deepest of care for me, and I grew so comfortable with them because of that. I got to have talks with each coach and understand how they operate and who they really are.

“Top to bottom, the love from each individual was so genuine, and I could be nothing but grateful for that. The way practices are run, how they work with one another, talk about each other, their drive and eagerness, everything fit for what I need in a team. And with that, I’m excited to say I found my new home.”

“Brooklyn’s offensive skill set is dynamic,” Tillett said. “She is a versatile, capable scorer who sees the game’s next potential plays at a high level. Her vision connects unselfish plays that will leave our fans wanting to see more. Her confidence ?and love of the game are contagious. She led her team to the quarterfinals of the national tournament and is hungry to help us continue to elevate our program.”

Shavers and Simon played significant roles on the 2022-23 Pearl River squad that was 24-3 overall and 12-2 (tied for second) in the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference. The Lady Wildcats were runners-up in the Region 23 tournament.

Shavers started 26 games this year, logging 15.0 minutes per outing for a team whose top eight players averaged between 12.3 and 17.9 minutes. She was a second-team All-Conference selection who led the Lady Wildcats in total rebounds (8.9 rpg), offensive rebounds (4.4 orpg) and field goal shooting (51.8 percent) while tossing in 6.6 points per game.

The 2022-23 campaign was Shavers’ third at Pearl River; she was granted an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19. She was an All-Conference and All-Region selection in her second season, averaging 8.7 points and 6.8 rebounds, and she contributed 6.8 points and 6.4 boards per game as a freshman.

“From coaching staff, to the players, managers and administrators, they all welcomed me with open arms and made me feel at home,” Shavers said. “The family-oriented program is something I looked for throughout my recruiting process. The competitiveness among the players also played a huge role in my decision.

“Witnessing the program win the Atlantic 10 championship and get a chance to play in the NCAA tournament opened my eyes much more, knowing I have to go in there and keep that reputation going.”

“Marcavia is a dominant presence in the paint,” Tillett said. “She utilizes legal physicality on both sides of the ball, and her toughness is evident throughout her play. When you ask coaches about Marcavia, they are quick to share the multiple ways she is a high-quality teammate. She innately wants to take care of people, and her leadership will enhance our camaraderie.”

After seeing action in 28 games at Prairie View A&M in 2021-22, Simon averaged 12.4 minutes in 27 contests at Pearl River last season. She averaged 5.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and a team-high 1.9 blocks while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 65.7 percent from the foul line.

“The reason I chose Saint Louis was the family-oriented environment and positive energy I received throughout the recruiting process,” Simon said. “It reminded me a lot of my time at Pearl River. The coaches truly care about the well-being of their players and want to see me succeed as a player and mature as a woman.

“Coach Tillett and her staff did an amazing job of making this young kid from Houston feel right at home the moment I stepped foot on the SLU campus. Watching them win the Atlantic 10 tournament championship and playing in the NCAA tournament was also a motivating factor because that was a childhood dream of mine, to play at a big-time NCAA school like Saint Louis University.”

“Tierra demonstrates offensive and defensive versatility, which will translate well in the A-10,” Tillett said. “Offensively, she has developed a perimeter and inside game. Defensively, she can guard and disrupt multiple positions. Tierra is a gifted rebounder. Often you need to teach players how to pursue the ball at the highest point, and she has already created that elite habit.”

Picked to finish 12th in the 2022-23 A-10 Conference preseason coaches’ poll, SLU finished the regular season tied for third place, then went on to win the conference tournament championship, earning the program its first ever NCAA Tournament bid.