SOUTH WEBSTER — The 90th-ranked player in the class of 2010 according to ESPN's HoopGurlz 100 rankings, South Webster's Kayla Cook signed her National Letter of Intent to play college basketball at the University of Cincinnati on Tuesday.

"It’s been a lot of work but it’s totally worth it now," Cook said. "I'll be going to college the next four years and playing college ball in the Big East. That's pretty amazing. It's a great feeling to know that I'm getting to live my dream. Since I was little I dreamed of going to college to play ball."

In February, Cook became the Lady Jeeps' all-time leading scorer before helping the team to its third-consecutive regional semifinal contest.

"Of course I'm extremely proud," Lady Jeeps basketball coach Kristie Johnson said. "She's like a daughter to me. Her hard work is paying off. Cincinnati is getting not only a good ball player, but a great kid."

Johnson, whose first year coaching at South Webster was Cook's eighth-grade season, said Cook not only makes the people on the floor better, but has helped to make her better as a coach.

Another coach who has seen Kayla grow has been Larry Lambert. Lambert, the head coach of the West Virginia Thunder, an AAU team, had Cook in his 16-and-under starting lineup for seven years. Lambert believes Cook's all-around ability and drive will help her at the next level.

"She's a terrific kid, real competitive and hates to lose," Lambert said. "She's real talented, probably works as hard or harder than any kid I've ever coached on both ends of the floor. A lot of kids will work real hard on the offensive end but don't like to play defense. She works just as hard on the defensive end of the floor as she does offense."

Cook has had that work ethic for years and it has helped her to become the player she is today.

"If we'd do a new drill at practice when she was 10 or 11, when she'd come back the next practice she would be able to do it," Lambert said. "You could tell that she'd practiced that drill in the driveway or in the gym. She just put in hours and hours on her own."

Cook would work on basketball skills outside her house in the driveway where she signed her letter Wednesday. The Lady Jeep signed there because she said "it started here, so I wanted to finish here."

In going from South Webster to Cincinnati, Cook knows things will be bigger and the competition for playing time much steeper. She believes, however, that she's got the tools and the drive to succeed.

"Nobody's perfect when it comes to the game," she said. "Everyone has to improve and get better... Yes, I'm from a small school and small community but that doesn't mean that when I go up there I'm not going to be able to play or be in the race for a starting position. It's just going to be hard work. Coach (Elliott) is just telling me if I play hard and do the things she likes then I'm going to be okay."

Because of NCAA rules, first-year Bearcat head coach Jamelle Elliott could not comment on Cook's signing. However, she isn't the only coach who thinks Cook will be alright as a Bearcat.

"I think she's just going to be a perfect fit," Lambert said. "They've got the new coach who has a lot of experience with guards. Her competitiveness is just phenomenal. She's got that will to win. She'll run through a wall, get up and run through it again."

According to Johnson, Cincinnati's system will fit the style of play Cook is accustomed to.

"They play a similar style to what we do with aggressive on the defensive end," she said. "That's how (Kayla's) used to playing. The possibility of her stepping in next year and getting a lot of playing time is good. Hopefully she will contribute to them the way she's contributed to us the last three years."

Contributing to Cook's success, she said, has been the support of her family. The standout thanked her parents, Tonaya and Danny Cook for their support as she's traveled as a Jeep in three sports and an AAU basketball player.

Many in the Jeep family are excited to see Cook will be playing her college ball just two hours away from home.

"They play a lot on Sunday afternoons so maybe (the team) can be up there to see that a couple times through the season," Johnson said. "It's special just being able to go and watch her play. She's going to be playing against some good teams in that conference. It's going to be a real treat."

Before any of this comes into play, though, Cook has one more run with the Lady Jeeps. The team finished last year's regular season at 15-5 and again made it to the regional semifinals. Cook looks for more this year.

"I've had a really good three years," she said. "Being a senior, I'm hoping we do better this year. We've gone to regionals the last three years and I'd like to improve that and make it to the regional finals or possibly to state. We have a pretty good team this year."

CHRIS DUNHAM can be reached at chrisdunhamjr@aol.com.