PURDUE WOMENS BASKETBALL RECRUITING:
Women's Recruiting Update: USA Basketball teams set

Published: 6/04/2007
Author: Bob_Richards
© Old Gold Free Press Columnists

USA Basketball issued invitations to some of the best high school players in the nation, and today announced the 36 players who will take part in the USA Basketball Women’s Youth Development Festival.

The three teams of 12 players will be joined by a national team from Brazil on June 13-17 in Colorado Springs to compete in a three-game round robin and two-game tournament to determine which team can put all the pieces together within a few short days in Colorado to be the best of the best.

The 36 U.S. invitees, all from the classes of 2008 and 2009, will split into three teams: Red, White, and Blue. Rosters for the three U.S. team are as follows:

Rea Team: Sarah Boothe (Warren Township H.S. / Gurnee, Ill.); Heather Buck (Stonington H.S. / Stonington, Conn.); Emilee Harmon (Pickerington H.S. Central / Pickerington, Ohio); Tayler Hill (South H.S. / Minneapolis, Md.); Nneka Ogwumike (Cy-Fair H.S. / Cypress, Texas); Brooklyn Pope (Paul L. Dunbar H.S. / Forth Worth, Texas); Brittany Rayburn (Attica H.S. / Attica, Ind.); Tierra Ruffin-Pratt (T.C. Williams H.S. / Alexandria, Va.); Nikki Speed (Marlborough H.S. / Pasadena, Calif.); DeNesha Stallworth (Pinole Valley H.S. / Pinole, Calif.); Shekinna Stricklen (Morrilton H.S. / Morrilton, Ariz.); and April Sykes (East Oktibbeha H.S. / Crawford, Miss.).

White Team: Kelsey Bone (Dulles H.S. / Stafford, Texas); Ashley Corral (Prairie H.S. / Vancouver, Wash.); Skylar Diggins (Washington H.S. / South Bend, Ind.); Caroline Doty (Germantown Academy / Ft. Washington, Pa.); Tiffany Hayes (Winter Haven Sr. H.S. / Winter Haven, Fla.); Briana Gilbreath (Cinco Ranch H.S. / Katy, Texas); Amber Gray (Lakota West H.S. / Cincinnati, Ohio); Lynetta Kizer (Potomac H.S. / Woodbridge, Va.); Monique Oliver (North Las Vegas H.S. / North Las Vegas, Nev.); Samantha Prahalis (Commack H.S. / Dix Hills, N.Y.); Taylor Turnbow (Tucker H.S. / Clarkston, Ga.); and Shanay Washington (Del Valle H.S. / Austin, Texas).

Blue Team: Alyssia Brewer (Sapulpa H.S. / Sapulpa, Okla.); Jasmine Dixon (Polytechnic H.S. / Long Beach, Calif.); Ayana Dunning (Eastmoor Academy / Columbus, Ohio); Kelly Faris (Heritage Christian / Plainfield, Ind.); Ashley Gayle (Bishop Gorman H.S. / Las Vegas, Nev.); Lexie Gerson (Peddie School / Ft. Washington, Pa.); Glory Johnson (Webb School of Knoxville / Knoxville, Tenn.); Alicia Manning (Etowah H.S. / Woodstock, Ga.); Casey Morris (Peidmont H.S. / Fairfield, Calif.); Shay Selby (Regina H.S. / Geneva, Ohio); Chay Shegog (Brooke Point H.S. / Stafford, Va.); and Ieasia Walker (Copiague H.S. / Amityville, N.Y.).

The USA Basketball Youth Development Festival gives U.S. participants exposure to USA Basketball, international basketball rules and the opportunity to go head-to-head against the best prep players in North America. The entry-level event combines position clinics, which target post or perimeter skills, with practice sessions and the four-team, five-game tournament.