Loliya Briggs, a high school basketball standout from Florida, had plenty of teams lining up to offer her a scholarship, and she had narrowed her list to a few of the most elite programs, such as North Carolina, Michigan State and Tennessee.

Pitt was not initially on that list, but that did not stop Panthers coach Agnus Berenato and her staff from recruiting her. And their perseverance certainly paid off.

Briggs, a 5-foot-11 guard from the Potter's House Christian School in Jacksonville, made a verbal commitment to the Panthers on a campus visit this past weekend and boldly declared the recruitment of her was over.

Pretty amazing considering as a rising junior she cannot sign a letter of intent until 2011.

"I just knew Pitt was the right place for me," said Briggs, who has a 4.0 grade point average. "I wasn't even thinking about them, but they kept coming to my games, kept showing up, kept recruiting me so I finally talked to them and I loved everything I heard from them. They were honest.

"Then I visited and once I got around coach Agnus and the players, there was no doubt in my mind. The family atmosphere they have there was just really something special. There is no reason to wait, I know where I want to be and what is best for me."

A year and a half is quite some time for players to hold off other recruiters -- particularly given the list of suitors Briggs has -- but her coach (both at Potter's House and with the AAU Jacksonville Lady Rams) and guardian Tony Bannister said teams can quit calling because she is not the type of kid to go back on her word.

"Pitt made an unbelievable impression on her, something really clicked, and she's the type of kid, when she says something she means it," Bannister said.

Briggs is ranked as one of the top three players from the class of 2011 in Florida by scouting services and also is ranked as one of the top 25 players in the nation from that class.