The women’s basketball world is starting to find out what those of us in Central Virginia learned this winter almost immediately after the start of girls basketball season. That Sam Brunelle is a special basketball player.
William Monroe’s own is one of 18 finalists for a spot on the USA Basketball Women’s U17 team that will compete in the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship from June 22 to July 2 in Zaragoza, Spain. The team will be paired down to 12 players Thursday night.
“I think the committee did a great job. They steadfastly went through the process and were able to continually make selections of who should continue moving forward, It’s not only at each position, but within each position, versatility, different style of play and stature,” said Carol Callan, USA Basketball Women’s National Team Director and chair of the USA Women’s Developmental National Team Committee. “There are rebounders, there are shooters, there are defenders and there are really good players at each position.”
The finalists announced Monday were: Janelle Bailey (Providence Day School/Matthews, N.C.); Rellah Boothe (IMG Academy/Ocala, Fla.); Aliyah Boston (Worcester Academy/Worcester, Mass.);Jenna Brown (The Lovett School/Marietta, Ga.); Samantha Brunelle (William Monroe H.S./Ruckersville, Va.); Charli Collier (Barbers Hill H.S./Baytown, Texas); Aquira DeCosta(St. Mary’s H.S./Stockton, Calif.); Maya Dodson (St. Francis H.S./Alpharetta, Ga.); Destanni Henderson (Fort Myers H.S./Fort Myers, Fla.); Nazahrah Hillmon (Gilmour Academy/Cleveland, Ohio); Taylor Mikesell (Jackson H.S./Massillon, Ohio); Alexis Morris (Legacy Christian Academy/Beaumont, Texas); Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Winder-Barrow H.S./Winder, Ga.); Sedona Prince (Liberty Hill H.S./Liberty Hill, Texas); Abby Prohaska (Lakota West H.S./Liberty Township, Ohio); Christyn Williams (Little Rock Central H.S./Little Rock, Ark.); Madison Williams(Trinity Valley School/Fort Worth, Texas); and Zoe Young (Valley H.S./Urbandale, Iowa).
Training camp starts right away which will then lead to the cut to 12 Thursday. The 12 team members will return for training camp in Colorado Springs for training camp June 7-15 before heading to the world championships in Spain.
The team will be coached by Dori Oldaker, head coach at Mt. Lebanon High School in Pennsylvania, with USA assistant coaches Dianne Lewis of Thomas Edison High School in Virginia and Samantha Quigley, who is the head mentor at the University of St. Francis (NAIA).
