Tori McCoyCOLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. (May 27, 2013) After four days of trials May 23-27 that began with 124 players on the court at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo., the USA Basketball Women's Developmental National Team Committee today announced the 12-member roster for the 2013 USA Basketball Women's U16 National Team.
The level of talent at trials was exceptional. They were eager to learn and show their skills, said Carol Callan, USA Basketball Women's National Team Director and non-voting chair of the Women's Developmental National Team Committee. We had planned the weekend so that they all walk away better basketball players and people, and we hope that they do.
The decision was a difficult one, given the quality of players, but the committee feels confident that this team will represent the USA and perform at a very high level, Callan continued. We are pleased with the process in terms of invited athletes joined by applicant athletes, as evidenced by the two applicant athletes on the roster.
Named to the team were: DeJanae Boykin (Charles H. Flowers H.S./Springdale, Md.); Kalani Brown (Salmen H.S./Slidell, La.); Chassity Carter (Dickson County H.S./Dickson, Tenn.); Lauren Cox (Flower Mound H.S./Flower Mound, Texas); Crystal Dangerfield (Blackman H.S./Murfreesboro, Tenn); Chelsea Dungee (Preston Public School/Okmulgee, Okla.); Asia Durr (St. Pius X Catholic H.S./Douglasville, Ga.); Sabrina Ionescu (Miramonte H.S./Walnut Creek, Calif.); Tori McCoy (The H.S. of St. Thomas Moore/ Champaign, Ill.); Taylor Murray (Annapolis Area Christian School/Odenton, Md.); Arike Ogunbowale (Divine Savior Holy Angels H.S. /Milwaukee, Wisc.); and Katie Lou Samuelson (Mater Dei H.S./Huntington Beach, Calif.).
While 10 of the 12 team members were invited to trials by the USA Basketball Womens Developmental National Team Committee, Ionescu and Murray attended trials as applicant athletes.
Additionally, Nancy Mulkey (Cypress Woods H.S./Cypress, Texas) was named as an alternate and will train with the team during training camp.
I'm just thrilled at the opportunity to work with these talented, young women. I think kudos to the committee, they picked a very versatile and well-rounded team, said Sue Phillips, USA head coach and head mentor at Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, Calif.) and for the San Jose Cagers AAU. I think we are well-rounded. So, I think we can defend to win basketball games. I think we can push tempo to win basketball games. I think we can crash the boards. So, our versatility I think is our primary strength, and I'm looking forward to continuing to develop that.
The 2013 USA Womens U16 National Team will reassemble for training camp June 10-16 at the USOTC prior to the teams departure for the 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, which will be played June 19-23 in Cancun, Mexico. Players eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens, born on or after Jan. 1, 1997.
Serving as USA assistant coaches are Mary Coyle Klinger (Rutgers Preparatory School, Somerset, N.J.) and Brian Robinson (Bishop McGuinness H.S., Kernersville, N.C./Stealers AAU).
Six players will graduation high school in the Class of 2015, including Boykin, Brown, Durr, Murray, Ogunbowale and Samuelson; while six players belong to the Class of 2016, including Carter, Cox, Dangerfield, Dungee, Ionescu and McCoy.
In addition to non-voting chair Callan, the 2013-16 USA Basketball Womens Developmental National Team Committee includes National Federation of High School appointees Jody Patrick (Flint Hill School, Va.) and Jill Rankin Schneider (Monterey H.S., Texas.); AAU appointees Bill Larson (North Tartan Basketball AAU, Minn.) and Sherri Pegues (GBL Cal Sparks AAU, Calif.); and athlete representative Yolanda Griffith, a 2000 and 2004 Olympic gold medalist who has played on five USA Basketball teams.
FIBA Americas U16 Championship
The 2013 U16 championship will include North American entries Canada and the United States; as well as 2012 U15 Centrobasket Championship top finishers Puerto Rico (gold), Mexico (silver) and Costa Rica (bronze); and from the 2012 South American U15 Championship Brazil (gold), Venezuela (silver) and Argentina (bronze). The top four finishing teams will qualify for the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship.
The USA opens play against Brazil at 6 p.m. on Tuesday June 19, followed by Argentina at 6 p.m. on June 20 and a final preliminary-round game against Costa Rica at 2 p.m. on June 21. The semifinals will be played on June 22, and the finals are set for June 23.
USA Basketball women's teams have participated in two prior FIBA Americas U16 Championships, compiling a 10-0 event record and capturing both gold medals.
Notable among the list of USA U16 alumni are: Kaela Davis (2011), Rebecca Greenwell (2011, co-MVP), Breanna Stewart (2009) and Elizabeth Williams (2009).
2013 USA Basketball Womens U16 National Team
NO NAME POS HGT WGT DOB YOG HIGH SCHOOOL HOMETOWN
11 DeJanae Boykin F 6-2 150 5/4/97 2015 Charles H. Flowers H.S. Springdale, MD
15 Kalani Brown C 6-4 200 3/21/97 2015 Salmen High School Slidell, LA
8 Chassity Carter G 5-11 145 7/22/97 2016 Dickson County High School Dickson, TN
13 Lauren Cox F 6-4 170 4/20/98 2016 Flower Mound High School Flower Mound, TX
4 Crystal Dangerfield G 5-5 125 5/11/98 2016 Blackman High School Murfreesboro, TN
9 Chelsea Dungee G 5-11 155 5/11/97 2016 Preston Public School Okmulgee, OK
10 Asia Durr G 5-11 155 4/5/97 2015 St. Pius X Catholic High School Douglasville, GA
7 Sabrina Ionescu G 5-10 100 12/6/97 2016 Miramonte High School Walnut Creek, CA
14 Tori McCoy C 6-4 187 6/5/98 2016 The H.S. of St. Thomas Moore Champaign, IL
5 Taylor Murray G 5-6 120 1/29/97 2015 Annapolis Area Christian School Odenton, MD
6 Arike Ogunbowale F 5-9 163 3/2/97 2015 Divine Savior Holy Angels H.S. Milwaukee, WI
12 Katie Lou Samuelson G/F 6-3 155 6/13/97 2015 Mater Dei High School Huntington Beach, CA
Head Coach: Sue Phillips, Archbishop Mitty H.S., CA
Assistant Coach: Mary Coyle Klinger, Rutgers Preparatory School, NJ
Assistant Coach: Brian Robinson, Bishop McGuinness H.S., NC
Athletic Trainer: Missy Schultz, Butler University
