COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Ali Patberg is headed to Russia.
Originally named as an alternate to the 2015 USA Basketball Women’s U19 World Championship Team on May 17, 2015, incoming Notre Dame freshman Ali Patberg from Columbus North (Columbus, Ind.) has been added to the USA U19 roster, USA Basketball today announced. Pat berg replaces Louisville-signee Asia Durr from St. Pius X Catholic (Atlanta), who is injured and unable to compete in the FIBA U19 World Championship.
The American are on a quest to capture a sixth-consecutive gold medal at the World Championship, hosted from July 18-26 in Chekhov, Russia, and will train June 30-July 7 at the United States Olympic Training Center here, beginning with a 5 p.m. (MDT) practice on June 30.
“I’m really excited to start training camp,” said U19 and South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley. “We have a big feat ahead of us and the more opportunity we have to prepare, the better. I’m looking forward to working with a star-studded roster. Hopefully we can get everyone meshing sooner than later, but with experience in USA Basketball I know that everybody is willing to do their part for us to be successful.
“Anytime a team loses someone like Asia Durr, someone who has had a lot of success in USA Basketball, it leaves a pretty big void. But, our country has the best players in the world and in adding Ali Patberg to the team, we’ll be just fine. She brings to our team a hard-nosed player who has the ability to create her own shot and she has tremendous court vision. We’re looking to add those attributes as we lose someone like Asia Durr.”
Said Patberg: “I was really excited, it was almost like it wasn’t real. When (USA Basketball women’s national team director) Carol (Callan) called me, I heard what she said, but it took me awhile to really realize what it meant to be able to be a part of the USA (U19) National Team and represent my country.”
As a senior in 2014-15, Patberg averaged 25.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 6.1 assists a game in leading her team to its first Indiana Class 4A state championship and a 28-1 record. She was named the 2015 Gatorade Indiana Player of the Year and to several All American teams, including Blue Star Media.
