LaVasha Allen of Westgate, shown surrounded by Jeanerette defenders during the 2010-11 basketball season, has signed to play basketball at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi. - Lee Ball / The Daily Iberian

Westgate High senior La Vasha Allen is headed to college.

More specifically, she’s headed to college to play basketball.

Allen signed in May with Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson, Miss., and is expected to play the power forward position for the Lady Wolfpack in the upcoming basketball season.

“We’re excited for her to get the opportunity to play college basketball,” said Westgate coach Reggie Davis. “It’s something that most kids don’t get a chance to do.

“She’s headed to a school that’s really, really good, one that’s consistently in the top 10 every year. That’s huge for her and I know that she’s going to go there and work hard for coach Gwyn Young.”

Allen said that she wanted a chance to play and that Copiah gave her that opportunity and the chance to experience something new.

“I wanted something different,” said the recent Westgate grad, who averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds last year, who also had interest from McNeese, LSU-Eunice, the University of New Orleans and Louisiana-Lafayette. “When I went there for a visit I fell in love with the place and I knew that was the stop for me.”

Allen ended up on Copiah’s radar thanks to the efforts for former New Iberia Senior High assistant coach Jeremy Bonin, who passed along Allen’s information and stats to the college.

“I spoke with Jeremy Bonin, who’s over at Trinity College, and they wanted her but they couldn’t sign another out of state player,” said Davis. “He told me that he knew some of the people over at Copiah who were interested in a big girl from out of state and Coach Young contacted me and it went from there.”

Davis said the recruiting got into gear after the coaches at Copiah saw tape of Allen play and asked her to come down for a visit.

“After that visit, they came down the next week to sign her,” said Davis.

Allen, who plans to study business administration and psychology, said the coaches wanted to play her at the power forward position. 

Primarily a center at Westgate, Allen did play power forward some for the Lady Tigers. She doesn’t feel there will be a big difference in moving from one position to another.

“I’m just surprised that I have this chance,” said Allen. 

“When I first started playing basketball I was averaging 2 points (a game) and I’m surprised that I’ve been able to come this far.”

Allen will spend her two years at Copiah and then try to move on and finish up at a four year school.

“That’s still a dream for me,” said Allen. “To play basketball at a major college.”