Following three days of trials that featured
36 of the nation's top 17-and-unders and held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA
Basketball today announced the inaugural four-member 2010 U.S. Youth Olympic Games Team. Named to the 2010 U.S. Youth Olympic
Games Team were: Briyona Canty (Trenton Catholic Academy / Willingboro, N.J.); Andraya Carter (Buford H.S. / Flowery Branch,
Ga.); Amber Henson (Sickles H.S. / Tampa, Fla.); and Kiah Stokes (Linn Mar H.S. / Marion, Iowa).
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"The (USA Basketball Women's Developmental
Committee) did an awesome job," said Kathy Richey-Walton, USA Youth Olympic Games and Southwest Dekalb High School head
coach. "We talked about things I was looking for, what I thought that we needed to put together to be successful. The
selection committee hit the nail on the head. I'm impressed. We have great kids with great skills, and I think we'll really
enjoy the experience."
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Stokes already possesses international experience as a member of the 2009 USA U16
National Team that rolled to a 5-0 slate and earned the gold medal at the 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Mexico City.
Canty and Carter participated in the 2009 USA U16 National Team trials, while this marks Henson's first USA Basketball experience.
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The
U.S. squad will remain in Colorado Springs and train through June 15. The team will reassemble in Springfield, Mass., for
an Aug. 6-9 training camp before departing for Singapore. The Youth Olympic Games women's basketball competition will take
place Aug. 15-23.
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The Youth Olympic Games, held in Singapore, will include athletes competing in 26 different sports from Aug. 14-26.
The girls basketball competition will feature a 3-on-3 competition between 20 teams organized by the International Olympic
Committee and FIBA. Players eligible for this competition must have been born between Jan. 1, 1993 and Dec. 31, 1994.
The 20 teams were drawn into four preliminary round pools of five teams each. Placed
into Group A were Canada, Ivory Coast, Russia, South Korea and Vanuatu; in Group B are Angola, Belarus, Germany, Singapore
and the USA; Group C includes Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Mali and one team TBD; while Group D includes Australia, Chile,
France, Italy and Japan. Preliminary round play is scheduled for Aug. 15-19. The top two finishing teams from each pool will
advance to the Aug. 21 quarterfinals. The semifinals will be played on Aug. 22, and the finals are scheduled for Aug. 23.
Opening preliminary round play against Angola on Aug. 15, the U.S. will face host Singapore on Aug. 16 and go up
against Germany on Aug. 17. Following a day off, the Americans will close preliminary competition against Belarus on Aug.
19.
The U.S. team was selected by the USA Basketball Women's Developmental Committee, chaired
in non-voting position by Carol Callan, USA Basketball Women's National Team Director. The committee also includes: NFHS members
Jill Meerman (Decatur Central High School, Ind.) and Sue Phillips (Archbishop Mitty High School, Calif.); AAU appointees Jody
Patrick (Vogues AAU, Va.) and Brian Robinson (Stealers AAU, N.C.); as well as athlete representative Ruthie Bolton, a two-time
Olympic gold medalist.
