Zias add trio of locals

The Eastern New Mexico University women's basketball team has added three former small-school state champions with local roots to play for the 2013-14 squad.

The signings bring aboard junior college transfer Tori Tucker, who led Floyd to the Class 1A state title in 2011, and will reunite two members of the 2012 1A state champion Melrose Lady Buffs in guards Cassidy Doherty and Cara Barnard.

They will join a Zia squad that has appeared in the last two Lone Star Conference postseason tournaments, and only graduates two players from its 2012-13 squad.

Tucker, a 5-foot-10 guard/forward, averaged 10 points per game with Howard, and holds the Floyd single-game scoring record with 50 points during her junior season.

Barnard was a five-time all-district selection, and was named first-team all-state as a senior while leading Melrose to its second-consecutive Class 1A title game. She averaged 19.2 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and seven steals per game for the Lady Buffs.

Doherty, who transferred to Melrose for her senior season, averaged 19.6 points, 7.5 steals and 3.8 rebounds per game, and was a setter for Melrose's Class 1A runnerup volleyball team in 2011.