May 5, 2016
THE FLATS – Italian wing Francesca Pan, ranked as the No. 3 international recruit by Prospects Nation, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Georgia Tech, head coach MaChelle Joseph announced.
Pan, a five-star wing, joins early signees Zutorya Cook (5-7 guard – Marietta, Ga.) and Anne Francoise Diouf (6-4 post – Dakar, Senegal). Georgia Tech’s 2016 signing class is ranked No. 15 in the country by Prospects Nation.
“Francesca Pan is a phenomenal talent,” Joseph said. “She is a big guard that can score and she has played at a very high level for her entire career. We are excited to welcome her and her family to Georgia Tech.
“I expect Francesca to be an impact player for us from day one,” Joseph said. “Her ability to shoot the 3 with range and rebound with post players is what makes her special.”
The 6-foot-2 wing from Bassno del Grappa, Italy, currently plays for Reyer Venezia Metre in the Italian Series A League.
She led Italy to a sixth-place finish at the 2015 U18 European Championships, where she averaged a team-best 12.8 points per game. Pan earned a spot in the “Best 5” at the U18 European Championships for her performance.
“Passion Hoops has scouted Pan since she turned 14 years old. She has shown her pure talent for many years now,” said Daniel Prince, Founder and Director of Passion Hoops International. “Pan is easily and clearly one of the most dynamic big guards coming out of Europe. She has an array of ways to score. Her ability to play positions 1-3 is simply remarkable! ACC get ready!”
“Francesca Pan gives Georgia Tech the best European prospect coming to the United States for the 2016 class,” said Keil Moore of Peach State Basketball. “Her size and athleticism have allowed her to be a major contributor as she has excelled playing for both club and country during her prep career. Pan’s international resume is as impressive as you will find as she has been a member of Italian National teams since 2012.
“As she takes the next step and comes over to the ACC, look for Pan’s perimeter shooting to be a strength early on but her scoring ability will allow her to be more than just a shooter and look for her game to expand throughout her career at Georgia Tech,” Moore added.
A member of Italy’s U16, U17 and U18 national teams, she also participated at the 2015 U18 3-on-3 European Championships.
GEORGIA TECH 2016 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SIGNING CLASS
Zutorya Cook (G, 5-7, Marietta, Ga.)
Anne Francoise Diouf (P, 6-4, Dakar, Senegal)
Francesca Pan (W, 6-1, Bassno del Grappa, Italy)
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