Troy Women’s Basketball adds two guards - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Troy Women's Basketball Adds Two Guards 

TROY, Ala. – The Troy women's basketball team announced the signing of two junior college guards on Thursday to join first-year head coach Chanda Rigby's squad in the fall. 

Joanna Harden and Britney McCloud both come to Troy after playing for two years in the Panhandle Conference, the premier conference in NJCAA women's basketball.  Both signees played against Rigby while she was in the conference as the head coach at Pensacola State. 

"When I got the job at Troy, I immediately thought about the junior college players that I hated playing against," said Rigby.  "Britney and Joanna were two that I first thought of and I knew they would be good fits at Troy."  

The pair of guards become the first two members of Rigby's inaugural signing class, with more signings expected to be announced soon.  Harden will study criminal justice when she arrives at Troy while McCloud is undecided on a major. 

Joanna Harden | 5-8 | G | Pompano Beach, Fla. (Northwest Florida St.) 

Joanna Harden, a 5-foot-8 point guard, comes to Troy after playing for two seasons at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville, Fla.  Harden began her career at Northwest Florida in 2009-10 but only played in three games due to an injury, retaining all of her eligibility. 

In 2010-11, Harden's redshirt freshman season, she averaged 10.1 points per game and 3.8 assists as she was named Panhandle Conference Freshman of the Year.  She also averaged 1.9 steals per game and shot 45.6 percent from the floor and 47.4 percent from 3-point range with a team-high 54 made 3-pointers.

Last season, 2011-12, Harden led the Panhandle Conference in scoring as she averaged 17.5 per game while being named first team All-Panhandle Conference for the second straight season.  Her 17.5 scoring average ranked her 25^th in the nation in scoring.  Harden shot 42.9 percent from the floor in 2011-12, 33.3 percent from deep and 81.8 percent from the free throw line. 

Harden went to Northwest Florida after graduating from Ely High School in Pompano Beach, Fla.  The four-year letterwinner was a first-team All-Broward County selection and was listed on the "Fab Five" team by the Sun Sentinel her senior season. 

"Joanna is an extremely talented, smart scoring point guard," said Troy assistant coach Kayla Ard.  "She did huge things at the junior college level and we are looking forward to her making the same impact here at Troy." 

Britney McCloud | 5-10 | G | Decatur, Ala. (Gulf Coast St.) 

Britney McCloud, a 5-foot-10 shooting guard, comes to Troy after playing two seasons at Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Fla.  As a freshman in 2010-11, McCloud averaged 5.8 points per game, but as a sophomore in 2011-12, she bumped her average up to 7.0 points per game and earned All-Panhandle Conference honorable mentions honors. 

As a sophomore, McCloud also averaged 3.3 rebounds per game and 1.1 steals while shooting 37.3 percent from the floor as Gulf Coast posted a 24-5 record and finished the season ranked fifth in the national polls. 

McCloud went to Gulf Coast after graduating from Decatur High School in Decatur, Ala. in 2010 after an ASWA first team All-State season.  When she left Decatur, McCloud was ranked as the fourth best wing player at the 6A level in Alabama. 

McCloud joins November signee Ashley Beverly Kelley (Adamsville, Ala.) as the only two student-athletes currently on the 2012-13 from the state of Alabama. 

"Britney's natural athletic ability, speed and knowledge of the game are going to bring a lot to the floor for the Trojans next year," Ard said.  "Not to mention her outstanding 3-point shot and her great defensive skills."

INFORMATION SOURCE: Troy Athletics