BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU women’s basketball head coach Nikki Fargas has announced the signing of Destini Lombard, Sarah Shematsi and Treasure Thompson to National Letters of Intent during the Fall 2019 signing period.
“I’m so thrilled with the signing of this class,” said Fargas. “My staff has done an amazing job in putting together this elite class.”
Destini Lombard, 5-9, G, Fresno, TX (Fort Bend Hightower HS)
Lombard, who was born in New Iberia, Louisiana, is a shooting guard who led her team to the Texas state tournament semifinals. Hightower has been a three-time bi-district champion with Lombard on the squad. Lombard has earned TABC Class 5A All-Region 3 honors and is a three-time All-District team member. She averaged 9.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 steals, and 2.5 assists per game as a junior in 2018-19. Lombard is also a sprinter and long jumper for Hightower and has received numerous academic honors.
“The family atmosphere at LSU influenced me to come to this university,” said Lombard. “As a young girl, LSU has always been my dream school. During my official visit, the coaches and players made me feel welcome and comfortable. Furthermore, I strongly believe LSU will help build my character, develop me as a person and provide me with the opportunity to successfully obtain a four-year degree.”
“Destini has got a lot of skills with the ball in her hands and athleticism to play at an elite level,” said Fargas. “She’s one of the best athletes we have on our roster. Her ability to score the ball and make others look good is effortless. I’m always excited anytime there’s a player from our state, who can come in and have an impact on this program.”
Treasure Thompson, 6-3, F, Joliet, IL (Bolingbrook HS)
Thompson was a 2019 Third Team All-State honoree in Class 4A by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association as Bolingbrook advanced to the Sectional Semifinals. She is the No. 81 recruit in the nation and the No. 3 player in the state of Illinois at her position. Thompson spent her first two seasons of high school at Lockport High School.
“I loved the team and how every single one bonded with each other in a different way,” said Thompson. “The coaching staff was unbelievable, not only did they treat me like family, but I feel that I can definitely be coached by them. I felt like I was home even though I was thousands of miles away from Illinois.”
“Treasure has a lot of energy and will be a great addition to our team,” said Fargas. “She’s a player that can score the ball and will evaluate our offensive execution.”
Sarah Shematsi, 6-2, G/F, Annecy, France (South Plains College)
Shematsi is a sophomore at South Plains College in Texas. South Plains is currently ranked No. 2 in the NJCAA and picked to win the Western Junior College Athletic Conference. Shematsi was the 2019 WJCAC Freshman of the Year, a First Team All-conference selection and member of the NJCAA All-Region V team after averaging 13.6 points and 5.1 rebounds in her rookie season. Four games into the 2019-20 season, Shematsi is averaging 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and is shooting 69.7 percent from the field.
“Sarah is an exceptional player who brings immediate experience,” said Fargas. “I love Sarah’s ability to score the ball in different ways. Not only can she stretch the defense with her three-ball, but she can also take players inside.
The Fall 2019 signing period ends on Wednesday, November 20.