Tulsa Women’s Hoops Sign Three to National Letters-of-Intent

The Tulsa women's basketball team signed Makenna Burch, Olivia Clayton and Jessika Evans to national letters-of-intent, as announced today by Head Coach Matilda Mossman.

"All three of these student-athletes give us energy, a comradery and a competitive nature," Mossman said. "They are fun, they are driven, and they will compete on the court and in the classroom! Naturally, I'm even more excited they are all Oklahoma kids who have had excellent coaching from both their high school staffs and their AAU programs. All three come from great families and we are excited to welcome them to our Tulsa basketball family!"

Burch, a 5-6 guard from Jenks, Okla., is a three-year letterwinner at Jenks High School. She has helped JHS record 29 wins in the last three seasons, while averaging 20.2 points per game as a junior, the best in all of Oklahoma Class 6A. Burch is a two-time Frontier Conference Honorable Mention selection and a three-time all-Tulsa World Honorable Mention honoree, while being tabbed to the all-state honorable mention, VYPE Top-100, VYPE honorable mention, Channel 8 Elite 8 nominee and Tulsa World Ms. Outside as a junior.

"Makenna is a high-energy, impact player," Jenks Head Coach Mike Acord said. "She can dribble drive, create her own shot, is excellent outside, a versatile shooter and one of the best on- and off-ball defenders. Off the court, she is thoughtful and articulate, and one of the most intuitive kids I've been around. She is fun to have in the classroom, she has had the most growth of any player I've been around and she surprises you in a good way every day."

"Makenna is a combo guard that can go make plays," Mossman said. "You have to play her as a shooter or a driver because she can take you to the rim or she can shoot it from deep."

A 6-2 forward from Checotah, Okla., Clayton is a three-year letterwinner in basketball and cross country at Checotah High School. She averaged 12.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.3 blocks, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game as a junior. Clayton has been named her team's Offensive Player of the Year twice, and was the leading scorer as a junior.

"Olivia is a multi-sport athlete," Checotah High School Head Coach Jim Glover said. "She is a state qualifier in long jump and high jump, which speaks to her athleticism. Olivia is a team leader, making sure everyone practices hard and does the things they should, and she encourages her teammates to do their best. You couldn't ask for a better personality or person to lead your team. At 6-3 we play her at the post, but she is a primary ball handler when someone is pressing us. Olivia has the ability to handle the ball, especially for someone her size, and she is a tremendous rebounder and shot blocker."

"I love Olivia's size and her motor," Mossman said. "Besides basketball, she runs cross country and does high jump in track so she is competing year-round. She is one of the most positive people I've ever been around and the sky is the limit for her."

Evans, a 6-0 forward from Norman, Okla., is a three-year letterwinner at Norman North High School. She has led NNHS to 56 wins in three seasons, and helped her team finish as the Oklahoma Class 6A State runner up as a junior. Evans was a first-team all-conference honoree as a junior, set a school record for rebounds in a single game with 20, and has totaled 649 points and 432 rebounds in her three seasons.

"Jess is a versatile player," Norman North Head Coach Rory Hamilton said. "She can handle the ball, has an unbelievable skill set for her size and is a tough cover for a lot of teams. Jess embodies everything you look for in a leader, and she sets the tone with energy and enthusiasm every day. Off the court she is our team mom. She organizes a lot of our meals and team activities, has been involved in every part of our program all four years, and has tremendous leadership skills."

"Jess is a strong, tough, physical kid that can play inside or out," Mossman said. "I love her tenacity on the court and her love for life off the court."

2020 Tulsa Women's Basketball Signees
Name                          Pos.     Ht.       Hometown / Previous School
Makenna Burch           G         5-6       Tulsa, Okla. / Jenks
Olivia Clayton              F          6-2       Checotah, Okla. / Checotah
Jessika Evans              F          6-0       Norman, Okla. / Norman North

Tulsa Women’s Hoops Sign Three to National Letters-of-Intent

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