COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—The USA Basketball U17 Trials for the 2014 World Championship in the Czech Republic this summer is over and, as always, the selection committee has shown a willingness to see a bigger picture and make changes. Despite claiming the Gold Medal at last year’s FIBA America’s Championship for Women the winning USA 16U roster saw just half of that team claim a spot on this year’s U17 squad. In one of the more competitive trial setting the selection committee could have gone many directions and not made a questionable choice and the final roster has the makings of another team with Gold Medal expectations.
Four double figure scorers return with the U17 team led by Asia Durr (Douglasville, Ga.) who averaged 18.4 points over five games last summer. She’s joined by Katie Lou Samuelson (Huntington Beach, Calif.) who posted 16 per game, Lauren Cox (Flower Mound, Texas) who averaged 11.8 and Arike Ogunbowale (Milwaukee, Wis.) with a 10 point average. Durr, Samuelson and Cox also had the distinction of shooting over 52 percent from the floor on a team that scored a whopping 92.6 points a game.
Also returning are Dejanea Boykin (Springdale, Md.) and Nancy Mulkey (Cypress, Texas). Boykin got 8.4 points per game while grabbing 7.6 boards and shooting 56 percent. Mulkey scored at a 6.3 clip and finished with 53 percent shooting.
The new additions are a talented and promising group. Two new point guards are in the mix and claimed their spot after failing to make the cut last summer. Te’a Cooper (Powder Springs, Ga.) and Anna Wilson (Richmond, Va.) both demonstrated down the stretch of this year’s trials that they were very capable of running the show and responding to the direction coming from Sue Phillips and her staff. Three dynamic and athletic forwards are now in the fold. Kristine Anigwe (Phoenix, Ariz.) was impressive across all four days of her first trip to Colorado Springs and showed why the folks at Cal are happy she’ll be headed to Berkeley down the road. Few athletes turn heads like Joyner Holmes (Cedar Hill, Texas) and her play was just as eye catching as her athleticism. UCLA commit Kennedy Burke combines size and athleticism with some impressive perimeter skills to add real versatility to the role she could play. Both Holmes and Burke were making their second attempt at a USA roster.
Last, and certainly not least, was the addition of wing / guard Natalie Chou (Plano, Texas). Chou had some good moments last year before being cut and offered up some play this year that impressed virtually everybody in the gym. The ability is there to score off penetration as well as connect from the perimeter with reliable consistency.
Below are more specifics on the 2014 USA U17 World Championship Team. The quest for a third consecutive Gold Medal in this age group begins June 28 in the Czech Republic and runs through the championship games on July 6. For more information follow the link below to USA Basketball.
http://www.usab.com/womens/u17/schedule.html
Kristine Anigwe – 6-4 – 2015 – Desert Vista – Phoenix, Ariz. – Cal
Long and athletic, Anigwe adds tremendous agility and speed to drive other bigs crazy. On the catch her attack is quick and the first step is something most perimeter players would be envious of. While her size makes you want to profile her as simple an interior threat, there is some ballhandling in place that she’s not hesitant to use from the trail spot in transition or if an outlet pass is denied. The scary part about Anigwe is that she’s just scratching the surface.
DeJanae Boykin – 6-2 – 2015 – Charles H. Flowers – Springdale, Md. – UConn
Boykin has been a presence on the top tier of her age group for some time now. The recent UConn commit has a wiry build but some deceptively explosive feet that allow her to navigate rotating defenses while avoiding a lot of the contact that can take a toll. She’s got good length that is magnified even more with an impressive wingspan. Throw in the fact that she can get off the floor with the best of them and you’ve got an impact player at both ends.
Kennedy Burke – 6-1 – 2015 – Sierra Canyon School – Northridge, Calif. – UCLA
Burke’s toolbox would make the folks at Sears proud. Her legitimate size goes hand in hand with high end athleticism and speed. That combination with sharp ballhandling and passing make her a match up nightmare. Bound for UCLA, she has the ability to create of the drive in the halfcourt as well as handle the ball against pressure when needed. While not a point guard, the capability is there to fill in admirably should the need arise.
Natalie Chou – 6-1 – 2016 – Plano West Senior – Plano, Texas
If you evaluate athletes by the progression in their game you have grade Natalie Chow near the top of any list. Over the past year she’s sharpened her ability to create and finish and you have to keep in mind that she was already starting at an elite level. On the catch she’s reading defenders effectively and has a knack for getting deep in the paint with a smart attack. The capacity is there to spot up and knock it down from both pull up and spot up shots which should make her a strong asset for USA Basketball this summer and in eh future.
Te’a Cooper – 5-8 – 2015 – McEachern – Powder Springs, Ga.
Cooper had a strong showing last year but didn’t get the nod from the committee. This year the “power” point guard was almost penetrating at will and with positive results. There are few defenders who have the combination of quickness and strength to deal with the attack Cooper throws at them. Defensively she puts those same assets to use and has the potential to be a lock down on ball defender against any competition. The perimeter shot is still a work in progress but is showing the progress of her work on it over the past year.
Lauren Cox – 6-4 – 2016 – Flower Mound – Flower Mound, Texas
If you’re looking for versatility and size you don’t need to look much further than Cox. A legitimate 6-4, she is active with and without the ball and challenges both on the block and from the high post. She can create off the dribble and makes good decisions in traffic if the opposition rotates her way. She’s comfortable and consistent from 15 feet and spreads out defenses creating options for her teammates as well as herself. An added bonus with Cox is the fact that she’s going to be there in transition, even if she started the break with her outlet, a big plus in the international game.
Asia Durr – 5-11 – 2015 – St. Pius X Catholic – Douglasville, Ga.
It might be easier to list the things that Durr doesn’t do rather than the ones that she does. Few players on the scholastic level have the ability develop and convert their own opportunities as this Georgia native does. A quick and tight close out is a necessity but at the same time it’s an invitation to be driven on like a highway. Her range and touch force defenders to be aware of her from 25 feet and in. She uses a change of speed and direction as well as any player at any level. On ball defensively she can call on both quick hands and feet to contain almost any match up.
Joyner Holmes – 6-3 – 2016 – Cedar Hill – Cedar Hill, Texas
Holmes may set the standard for the “eye teat” but she left no doubt that there’s plenty of game to go with it when the ball is tipped. If the combination of length and strength aren’t enough she has the speed and mobility to be an asset in virtually every aspect of the game. Holmes gets good looks at the rim and isn’t backing down from contact when she gets in traffic. The weak hand needs some attention and confidence but she still finds a way to finish even with pressure. Holmes also has some ballhandling skills that she’s almost too willing to use at times. On the defensive end she has the tools to make her a factor in almost any scheme you might want to throw at the competition.
Nancy Mulkey – 6-9 – 2016 – Cypress Woods – Cypress, Texas
Few players have made the stride over the past year as this promising post has. While her size and its impact are a given, Mulkey is doing more than just taking things that come her way. She’s beginning to create her own looks and is finishing with a new found confidence that can only be bad news for hopeful defenders. The indecisiveness is gone and she’s quick to react both as a scoring option or defensively and on the boards. She comfortable stepping away from the low post and can connect from 15 when the opportunity is there. Defensively she triggers the break with quick and well-read outlets.
Arike Ogunbowale – 5-9 – 2015 – Divine Savior Holy Angels – Milwaukee, Wis.
There may not be a player on this roster having more fun out there than Ogunbowale. But don’t mistake that enthusiasm for the game as the limit of her arsenal. Strong, quick and always attacking, she’s a challenging assignment for opponents of any size. The explosiveness is there to exploit bigger defenders and the power game is there to abuse smaller guards who attempt the task of shutting her down. Off the dribble she sees the floor well and is more than adept at getting the ball in the hands of a teammate with a better look at the rim. Defensively she has the tools to take on perimeter match ups of any size.
Katie Lou Samuelson – 6-3 – 2015 – Mater Dei – Huntington Beach, Calif. – UConn
Highly regarded from a young age, Samuelson keeps giving everyone a reason to love her game even more. The depth of her skill set keeps expanding and she’s scoring in almost every way imaginable. Having one of the best three point strokes in the country mandates that opposing defenses find her early and commit a large chunk of their focus to limiting her touches. Samuelson has made herself a stronger threat off the dribble but even more so seems to be becoming just as efficient off the cut. The UConn bound standout did run into a speed bump Sunday night with a rolled ankle and was in a boot Monday morning. The time frame for healing and her availability has yet to be determined.
Anna Wilson – 5-8 – 2016 – Collegiate School – Richmond, Va. – Stanford
Anyone following Stanford basketball knows Tara Vanderveer wouldn’t take a commitment from a sophomore prospect if she wasn’t pretty special. Wilson is just that and will be bound for Palo Alto two years from now. This summer however, she’s bound for the Czech Republic and she earned the spot on the roster with some smart, facilitating play throughout the trials. Her decision making is advanced for her age and she’s comfortable with the pressure of running the show. In fact, she embraces it. She reads the floor on the break and in the halfcourt relies on some well-honed misdirection in her passing. On occasion she’ll overlook her own opportunities in an effort to create a better one for a teammate. Gets better each time out.
