Skylights ink star guard

The Montana State University-Northern women's basketball team graduated four outstanding seniors, and a bulk of its scoring off this past winter's squad. So, it stands to reason, veteran head coach Chris Mouat has been hot on the recruiting trail since the season came to a close.

And Tuesday, Mouat inked another piece to the puzzle that is the future of Northern women's basketball.

Mouat announced the signing of Sabin Keo, a 5-9 guard, who hails from Woodinville, Washington, to an NAIA national letter of intent.

Sabin is transferring to Northern after playing two years at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington.

"Sabin is a really gifted athlete," Mouat said. "She is extremely quick and very strong. She gets to the rim very well and can elevate and finish in traffic. What we also liked was her ability to defend. She can defend a number of positions on the floor and is very versatile."

This past season, Keo was named to the NWAC East Region Second Team, and she was the East Region Defensive Player of the Year for the second season in a row. She averaged 11 points, 5 rebounds and nearly 2 steals per game and shot 45 percent from the field and 37 percent from the 3-point line. At Woodinville High School, she earned All-King County Honorable Mention honors.

"Sabin is extremely hard-nosed," Mouat said. "She gets on the floor for loose balls, takes charges, and brings a ton of energy to the court. She had a great two years at Columbia Basin and we are looking forward to having her in a Skylight uniform."

Sabin is the daughter of Diana and Regan Keo. She plans on majoring in graphic design and business at MSU-Northern. She joins sisters Hailey and Jada Nicholson of Malta, as well as Froid-Lake's Morgan Mason as part of the 2018 Northern recruiting class.