EDWARDSVILLE – Criste'on Waters has been one of Edwardsville's key girls basketball players in recent years.
The senior finished last season with a 10.7 points-per game average and pulled down 6.9 rebounds a game with 1.28 assists a game and 1.28 steals per game as the Tigers finished the year 30-2, 14-1 in the Southwestern Conference before bowing out in the IHSA Class 4A Illinois Welseyan Supersectional in Bloomington to eventual state champion Lisle Benet Academy. She shot 51.3 percent from the floor (40 percent from behind the three-point arc) and 70 percent from the free-throw line.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Waters still has one more season to play for EHS this year, but Wednesday afternoon made official where she'll be at for 2017-18 as she signed a letter of intent to go to the Missouri Valley Conference's SIU-Carbondale, along with teammate Makenzie Silvey (see related story).
“Their coaches (Cindy Stein) are a lot like coach (Lori) Blade and coach (Donna) Farley,” Waters said. “A lot of our plays are actually college plays that a lot of high schools can't or don't run; that, and the drills we do and work we do over the summer has definitely prepared me.”
“It'll be a good fit for her; she's been one of those kids who you can see her athleticism as soon as you see her,” Blade said. “She's been a kid who has improved every year and done what we needed her to do and matured throughout her four years here as well.
“She will be a key part of the team this year; we're returning a lot, but you never know how things will go. We'll need to stay healthy; hopefully, we can get Cris going and she can have a great senior year.”
Waters will have many fond memories of being a part of the EHS program. “Team dinners, the holidays we spend together” will be some of the memories Waters will take to Carbondale with her. “They spend a lot of time together,” Waters said of the Salukis.
Last year's Salukis finished 20-13, 12-6 in the Missouri Valley and were invited to the Women's Basketball Invitational postseason tournament, where they were eliminated in the first round by Western Illinois; they open the 2016-17 campaign at Oklahoma Sunday afternoon.
Waters plans to major in Hospitality Management with a minor in business.
More like this:
