Ithaca standout Kayla Belles among trio signed by Michigan State women's basketball

Kayla Belles has been one of the dominant players in the Lansing region over the last several seasons.

And the Ithaca senior forward made it official Wednesday that she will continue her basketball career not too far from home.

Belles was one of three players that signed with the Michigan State women's basketball program on the opening day of the early period. She is joined in the Spartans' 2018 recruiting class by Maryland point guard Nia Clouden and Georgia wing Tory Ozment.

The 6-foot-3 Belles, who is a three-time LSJ Dream Team performer, has earned Associated Press first team all-state honors three straight seasons. She averaged 19.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.4 blocks as a junior while helping the Yellowjackets to a third straight TVC West title.

"Kayla will being depth and athleticism to our post position," MSU coach Suzy Merchant said in a statement. "She is extremely mobile for her size and will be a force defensively in the paint. She has a strong face-up game as well as a solid power game. Her versatility will allow her to play multiple positions for us, which we really like in our system."

Belles is expected to miss her senior season after tearing her ACL over the summer.

Clouden, who plays for St. Frances Academy in Owing, Mills, Maryland, is the top-rated player in MSU's class. She is ranked No. 43 nationally by ESPN HoopGurlz and was the USA Today Maryland Player of the Year and the state's Gatorade player of the year as a junior. Clouden averaged 14.2 points and 4.7 assists for a program that reached the semifinals of the Dick's Sporting Goods High School Nationals.

Ozment, who plays a Buford High School, averaged 13.4 points and 3.8 assists while helping her team reach the Class AAAAA state final in Georgia. She was named the Class AAAAA player of the year and is rated No. 14 at her position by ESPN HoopGurlz.

"These three players all come from programs that win," Merchant said. "They all have that championship mentality. You always look for kids that play for storied programs because they really understand what it takes to win at such a high level and be the best."

Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @brian_calloway.