Twenty-Seven Outstanding High School Players Comprise USA Basketball's 2009 Women's U16 National Team Trials Roster

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. (May 14, 2009) - Featuring 27 of the country's premiere high school rising sophomores and juniors who will compete for one of 12 roster spots on the 2009 USA Women's U16 National Team, USA Basketball today announced the roster for the 2009 USA Women's U16 National Team Trials. The invitations were extended by the USA Basketball Women's Developmental National Team Committee.

"It is exciting to have the top players in the nation at this age group committed to a weekend of basketball. These trials are where we will begin to develop our team philosophy on defense and offensive transition," said Barb Nelson, USA and Wingate University head coach. "Most of these players have not experienced a shot clock, and certainly not a 24-second shot clock, so getting them to understand the pace they will be required to play to be successful at the international level will be crucial."

The 2009 USA Basketball Women's U16 National Team will compete in the inaugural FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women, with dates and the site for the championship to be announced. The tournament will feature eight U16 national teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean, with the top three finishing teams qualifying for the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship.

Trials to select the 12-member USA team will be held May 28-31 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Following trials, the Women's Developmental Committee will select the 12-member roster, and the selected team members will remain in Colorado Springs for training through the morning of Thursday, June 4. The USA squad will reassemble prior to the start of the FIBA Americas U16 Championship (date and side TBD). Players eligible for the U16 squad must be U.S. citizens born on or after Jan. 1, 1993.

The 27 athletes include: Jordan Adams (Mater Dei H.S. / Irvine, Calif.); Kayla Brewer (Jean Ribault H.S. / Jacksonville, Fla.); Loliya Briggs (Potter House Christian / Gainesville, Fla.); Cierra Burdick (South Mecklenburg H.S. / Mathews, N.C.); Jasmine Camp (Chamblee H.S. / Ellenwood, Ga.); Briyona Canty (Trenton Catholic Academy / Willingboro, N.J.); Andraya Carter (Buford H.S. / Flowery Branch, Ga.); Bashaara Graves (Clarksville H.S. / Clarksville, Tenn.); Justine Hartman (Brea Olinda H.S. / Brea, Calif.); Rachel Hollivay (New Hope H.S. / Columbus, Miss.); Malina Howard (Twinsburg H.S. / Twinsburg, Ohio); Moriah Jefferson (Texas Home Educators Sports Association / Glenn Heights, Texas); Alexis Jones (Irving MacArthur H.S. / Midland, Texas); Whitney Knight (Bishop McGuinness H.S. / Winston-Salem, N.C.); Betnijah Laney (Smyrna H.S. / Clayton, Del.); Jewell Loyd (Niles West H.S. / Lincolnwood, Ill.); Ariel Massengale (Bolingbrook H.S. / Bolingbrook, Ill.); Breanna McDonald (Chamblee H.S. / Lithonia, Ga.); Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (Mater Dei H.S. / Anaheim, Calif.); Alexis Prince (Edgewater H.S. / Maitland, Fla.); Bria Smith (Christ the King H.S. / Massapequa, N.Y.); Alexia Standish (Heritage H.S. / Colleyville, Texas); Kiah Stokes (Linn Mar H.S. / Marion, Iowa); Morgan Tuck (Bolingbrook H.S. / Bolingbrook, Ill.); Alexyz Vaioletama (Mater Dei H.S. / Fountain Valley, Calif.); Courtney Williams (North Shore H.S. / Houston, Texas); and Elizabeth Williams (Princess Anne H.S. / Virginia Beach, Va.).

Nelson will be assisted on the USA sideline by Mike Armstrong of Perry Meridian High School (Ind.) and Dorena Bingham of Team Alaska AAU.

The USA Basketball Women's Development National Team Committee is chaired by Carol Callan (Women's National Team Director, USA Basketball) in a non-voting position and 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.); and athlete representative Jamie Carey (head coach, Legacy High School, Colo.), a member of the 2003 USA Pan American Games Team.

2009 USA U16 National Team Trials Invitees

The trials roster features 14 athletes who are members of the class of 2011 and finished their sophomore seasons of high school in 2008-09, and 13 players who recently completed their freshman campaigns and will graduate with the class of 2012.

Led by California and Texas with four athletes each, the 27 athletes hail from 14 states, and just three high schools are sending multiple representatives. Adams, Mosqueda-Lewis and Vaioletama play together at Mater Dei High School in California; Massengale and Tuck are teammates at Bolingbrook High School in Illinois; and Camp and McDonald play together at Chamblee H.S. in Georgia.

Six players helped their high school teams finish the 2008-09 season ranked among USA Today's Super 25 index. Hartman helped Brea Olinda to a No. 3 ranking and a 33-2 record; Massengale and Tuck were members of No. 5 Bolingbrook that finished 25-4; and Adams, Mosqueda-Lewis and Vaioletama were key contributors to No. 6 ranked and 32-1 Mater Dei.

Several trials athletes received national recognition in 2009. USA Today listed Tuck on its All-USA second team and Mosqueda-Lewis on the All-USA third team.

Parade Magazine honored Mosqueda-Lewis as an All-America first team selection and named Tuck to its third team.

ESPNRISE.com named Mosqueda-Lewis its National Sophomore of the Year and Tuck its National Freshman of the Year and listed both players on its All-America first team; while Laney and Massengale were second team members.

MaxPreps Xcellent All-America first team listed Mosqueda-Lewis, who also was named the 2009 Gatorade California State Player of the Year.

Six players helped six schools to state titles. Hartman led Brea Olinda to a Northern California Division II state title; Knight helped Bishop McGuinness to the North Carolina 1A state title; Carter helped Buford win the Georgia 2A state title; Tuck and Massengale led Bolingbrook to the Illinois 4A state title; and Elizabeth Williams helped Princess Anne to a Virginia 3A title.

Additionally, Briggs led Potter House Christian to the National Christian School Athletic Association national title; and Jefferson helped her Texas Home Educators Sports Association Team to the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Tournament Division I Class 6A 18U championship.

Tags: USA Basketball, Women's U16 National Team