From the USA Basketball Communications:
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The quest for gold begins now.
The USA Basketball Women’s U17 World Championship Team will begin its quest to defend the USA’s undefeated record at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship when it opens training camp June Thursday.
The 12-member USA Basketball Women’s U17 World Championship Team, which was named on May 26 after four days of trials that began with 145 players, includes six gold medalists from the 2013 USA Women’s U16 National Team and six players who were selected to their first USA Basketball national team.
“I am excited to start training camp,” said coach Sue Phillips of Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), who returns in 2014 after having led the USA to gold at the 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, which qualified the USA for this summer’s FIBA U17 World Championship. “It will be a challenge to work on so many areas in such a short period of time. I am equally excited to work with this exceptionally talented group of players and seasoned coaching staff.
“We will start by immediately building the team culture and establishing the set of high expectations commonly associated with USA Basketball. Our offensive and defensive schemes will reflect our strengths, and I hope to be laying that foundation on day one as well.”
Returning as gold medalists will be 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship MVP Asia Durr (St. Pius X Catholic H.S./Douglasville, Ga.) and USA U16 team members: De’Janae Boykin (Charles H. Flowers H.S./Springdale, Md.), Lauren Cox (Flower Mound H.S./Flower Mound, Texas), Nancy Mulkey (Cypress Woods H.S./Cypress, Texas), Arike Ogunbowale (Divine Savior Holy Angels H.S./Milwaukee, Wis.) and Katie Lou Samuelson(Mater Dei H.S./Huntington Beach, Calif.).
The newcomers to the USA Basketball U17 World Championship Team include: Kristine Anigwe (Desert Vista H.S./Phoenix, Ariz.), Kennedy Burke (Sierra Canyon School/Northridge, Calif.), Natalie Chou (Plano West Senior H.S./Plano, Texas), Te’a Cooper (McEachern H.S./Powder Springs, Ga.), Joyner Holmes (Cedar Hill H.S./Cedar Hill, Texas) and Anna Wilson (Collegiate School/Richmond, Va.).
Additionally, Sabrina Ionescu (Miramonte H.S./Walnut Creek, Calif.), who also earned a gold medal as a member of the 2013 USA U16 National Team, was named as an alternate for the team, and she will participate in training camp.
Returning from the 2013 USA U16 coaching staff are assistant coaches Mary Coyle Klinger (Rutgers Preparatory School, N.J.) and Brian Robinson (Bishop McGuinness H.S./Stealers AAU, N.C.).
The USA will train at 5-7 p.m. (MDT) on Thursday before starting its two-a-day practice schedule with sessions at 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 5-7:30 p.m. for the next five days.
The team departs on June 18 for training and an exhibition tournament in Nogent sur Seine, France, from June 20-22. The USA will play the China women’s U17 national team at 5 p.m. (11 a.m. EDT) on June 20, Canada at 5 p.m. (11 a.m. EDT) on June 21 and France at 5:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. EDT) on June 22.
From France, the team will travel on June 23 to Plzen, Czech Republic, for the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship that will be played June 28-July 6. The USA is expected to practice on June 25, 26 and 27.
Looking to capture its third-straight FIBA U17 World Championship gold medal, the USA was placed into Group D, where it will face China at 6 p.m. (12 p.m. EDT) on June 28, France at 6 p.m. (12 p.m. EDT) on June 29 and Mali at 6 p.m. (12 p.m. EDT) on July 1.
Following the preliminary round, all teams will be seeded within their groups and will advance to the round of 16, which will be played on July 2. Winners of the round of 16 will advance to the July 4 quarterfinals. The semifinals will be played on July 5, and the gold medal game is set for July 6.
In addition to the 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, Ogunbowale and Samuelson also claimed gold as members of the 2013 USA 3×3 U18 World Championship Team that compiled an 8-1 record to win the 2013 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Championship Sept. 26-29 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Burke, Cooper, Chou, Holmes and Wilson took part in the 2013 USA U16 National Team Trials.
