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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—No other scholastic age basketball event attracts more attention among athletes, coaches, families or media than the USA Basketball Trials for either the U17 or U16 age groups.  The rosters are never “set in stone” and at this early juncture in their career the changes in the games of many athletes from one year to the next can be staggering. This time around it’s the U17’s as the selection process is in full swing for the 2018 FIBA Women’s U17 World Championship in Belarus, Minsk July 21 – 29.  Over 150 athletes were in action for Thursday evening’s first skill session which will culminate next week in the selection of 12 athletes to represent the red, white and blue in their efforts to regain the gold.

In the 2016 U17 World Championships the USA suffered their only defeat in the history of the event to the eventual gold medalists from Australia in the semifinals.  They regrouped to claim the bronze with a win over China but that disappointing loss has festered for two years now.  In the interim, last summer the USA U16 squad dominated the FIBA Americas event claiming the gold with a massive 53.8 point per game margin of victory.  All 12 members are back competing for a spot on the U17 roster and a chance to take the floor in Belarus and seek redemption for Uncle Sam.

Along with those 12 returning athletes, 23 others are here in Colorado Springs on the guest list of USA Basketball.  The remaining hopefuls make up the largest collection of participants for USA Basketball trails since the “open” element has become a part of the process.  There’s plenty of depth and talent on hand and many who came within a cut or two a year ago are back looking for their own jersey with USA across the front of it.  Stay tuned to see who’s back and who’s new as the selection committee narrows down the pool.

As always, Blue Star Media is on hand and will be in the gym start to finish for the selections as well as courtside in July for the U17 World Championships.  Check back for more coverage and images daily at www.bluestarmedia.org

To see a complete list of those athletes on hand at the Olympic Training Center, follow the link below.

https://www.usab.com/news-events/news/2018/05/wu17-trials-to-feature-172-athletes.aspx

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Mark Lewis is a national evaluator and photographer for Blue Star Basketball as well as the lead columnist for Blue Star Media. Twice ranked as one of the top 25 Division I assistant coaches in the game by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), he logged 25 years of college coaching experience at Memphis State, Cincinnati, Arizona State, Western Kentucky and Washington State. Lewis serves as a member of the prestigious McDonald’s All-American selection committee as well as the Naismith College Player and Coach of the Year committees.

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