Two Vancouver high school basketball stand-outs will join the University of B.C. Thunderbirds next season.
T-Bird head coach Deb Huband recruited York House guard Cherub Lum and Kitsilano post Andrea Strujic to her varsity program.
Bringing the number of local recruits to three, Jamie Hills played for North Vancouver's Handsworth secondary and started a Christmas basketball camp for children at the Strathcona Community Centre.
All three played together on the Basketball B.C. under-17 provincial team, coached by former Thunderbirds assistant, Shaun McGuinness.
"We are proud to announce the addition of three exceptional young women from the Lower Mainland to our basketball program," said Huband. "All bring character, work ethic and determination with them and have strong basketball backgrounds from affiliation with their high school, club and provincial team programs."
Lum joins the program after a sensational run with the York House Tigers. As back-to-back AA champions in 2010 and '11, the Tigers competed at AAA last year and finished second in the championship final.
Huband expects Lum, a five-foot-six guard who is recovering from post-season shoulder injury, will play an important role with the T-Birds over her career.
"Cherub is an intelligent point guard with tremendous court presence, vision and passing ability," said the coach in an announcement.
"She is a quick, dynamic player and leader who makes those around her better. Cherub is a competitor and a winner and we expect that she will be able to contribute substantially in her first season at UBC."
In her last season with York House, Lum averaged 14 points, six assists and six rebounds a game.
Andrea Strujic brings size to UBC's front court. The six-foot-three forward from Kitsilano secondary also joins former Blue Devils teammate Adrienne Parkin who saw an average 9.5 minutes court time as a freshman with the T-Birds.
"Andrea is a keen learner who we look forward to working with," said Huband. "She has a strong frame, good size and is hungry to develop into a two-way threat in the paint. She has shown good potential in our off-season training and will bring size and depth to the post position."
Strujic was twice named a AAA Lower Mainland zone tournament all-star and played for Kitsilano at the provincials in 2009 and 2010.
Twitter: @MHStewart
