All three incoming UConn freshmen – Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson – have been selected to play for the 2012 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team.
HERE IS THE RELEASE FROM USA BASKETBALL
The 12-member squad includes Stewart (Cicero-North H.S. / North Syracuse, N.Y.) and previous USA gold medalists Bashaara Graves (Clarksville H.S. / Clarksville, Tenn.); Imani Stafford (Winward School / Los Angeles, Calif.); Tuck (Bolingbrook H.S./ Bolingbrook, Ill.); and Jannah Tucker (New Town H.S. / Randallstown, Md.).
The team also features Jefferson (Texas Home Educators Sports Association / Glenn Heights, Texas); two-time trials participant Alexis Prince (Edgewater / Orlando, Fla.); 2010 USA U16 National Team trials participants Kendall Cooper (St. Anthony H.S. / Carson, Calif.) and Allisha Gray (Washington County H.S / Sandersville, Ga.); and USA Basketball newcomers Lexie Brown (North Gwinnett H.S. / Suwanee, Ga.); Michaela Mabrey (Manasquan H.S. / Belmar, N.J.) and Brittney Sykes (University H.S. / Newark, N.J.).
Three USA U18 team members, Cooper, Gray and Tucker, were added to the U18 trials roster on Sunday morning after beginning the weekend competing in the USA Women’s U17 World Championship Team Trials.
“I love it. I think it’s an unbelievable roster with great balance,” said USA U18 National Team and University of Miami head coach Katie Meier. “The committee did a fantastic job of really thinking through situations, scenarios and needs for an international game. What a great group of kids. I’m fired up.
“I think one thing that’s going to be great is the swing position. We’ve got nice length in the swing position, the three-fours are real long; we’ve got some great shooters. Then, some physicality in the post, with some point guards who push the tempo. So, it’s a dream roster for me. I’m really, really thrilled.”
Collegiate head coaches Nikki Caldwell of Louisiana State University and Kelly Graves of Gonzaga University will act as assistant coaches for the U18 team.
The team will regroup at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., for its first training camp from May 28-June 1. The USA squad will then return to the USOTC for its final training camp Aug. 4-12, prior to traveling to Puerto Rico for the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship.
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20 Responses to Three UConn Freshmen Make U18 Team
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Considering that this is a elite squade of only 12 kids and U-Conn recruits placed three out of the 12 , from all over the country with all the young ladys who are eligible, it is impressive recruitment for the University and another feather in the hats of coach and his minions..outstanding work.
I am sure we fans will be enjoying these players accomplishments for the next four years as they play for the team we seem to love so much. Bravo ladys and cosching staff..well done.
Auriemma will still play only 6 or 7 players in the BET semi/final and in March Madness E8/FF. Lots of fans think UConn will be a deep team the next 3 seasons. Just wait. Auriemma will still be telling the media how some players are not earning playing time in practice. Banks, Engeln, and Buck will not be the only cheerleaders.
Greg House, maybe you should be coaching………
I’m not really sure what Greg house is trying to say. Is that a bad thing? Has he not won enough National Championships to have figured this thing out? Has he not earned National Coach of the Year honors, been named to coach the National team? have the most players in the WNBA? Continue to secure the elite of the elite high school players? I for one will JUST WAIT as you say I will wait to watch four consecutive National Championships while his bench cheerleaders aren’t good enough to get on the floor. I think I’ll give the coach the nod over you and your opinions unless your resume reads better than his. Can you please elaborate on your statement and let at least me know what possessed you to enlighten us with that commentary? Inquiring minds want to know why you would seemingly criticize the MOST INTERESTING COACH IN THE WORLD. I happen to know that Gino doesn’t drink a lot of beer but when he does, he drinks Dos Equis! Take a hike House and if you are so against Gino, then have your daughter transfer.
“I will wait to watch four consecutive National Championships”
It’s ok for you to make predictions but not someone else? Jack Ass.
you dont know that stop the geno and uconn bashing
btw i found the article of one of the 200-2001 tourney games when geno played 11players and he played more than 6 or7 in 1999-2000 and uconn is 4-0 vs tennesseeladyvols in national tittle games look it up the one thing patsummitt didnt do was beat uconn in the tittle game and uconn has still won 7national tittles and been to 13final4s how many nationaltittles and final4s have you cocahed in the geno and uconn bashing has gotten old uconn beats just about everyone out there and they havent lost to tennessee or stafnrod in fianl4 and they will go back to owning notredame and all the players who were healthy were getting in the tourney games before te fianl4 this year and uconn will be much better next year you want to bash uconn and geno go somewhere else thanks gouconn
You are a great role model for your kids with that punctuation and nonsense rambling. Another freaking Jack Ass gracing the pages of the Courant.
btw 4 the person who said breannastewart would pick duke over uconn and the person who said baylor would win at uconn the 2010-11 season when uconn beat baylor haha takecare godbless gouconn
We disagree with Greg House. My wife and I we occasional fans in 2001-2002. My sister-in-law was a big fan then and told us that Geno played 10 players. Maybe John A can set the record straight.
you are so right my fiend theres been times geno has played 10players a game its just he makes players earn playing time theres nothing wrong with that and i think if brianabanks improves her game shell play more next year i looked at the stats in the final4 porgram from this p[ast seasona nd briannabanks shot 125% from the 3 point line i dont think her playing more would have made a differance she just wasnt ready yet for colege someplayers take longer to develop but mark my words uconn womensbball will be much better next seasona nd they werent as far off as people think this past season when they led baylor by11pts with like 5minutes left at baylor be4 baylor won by only5 and uconn won vs notredame bigeast toruney finals and uconn took notredame to ot 2 other times though they should have won both those games but i think theyll learn from it and theyll be much bettter next year takecare godbless gouconn
Geno doesn’t have set the record straight. in the 2001 team era Christine Dailey had to keep a running tab of how much time each of the 10 player were getting to keep everyone happy. Geno will play 15 if he has them, but he really is happy (and it keeps the team happy) with 12 or 11 or 10 so much for his only playing 6. He plays what he has that will produce on the floor. Remember the Charde team?? She was lazy and not familiar with working hard–but she played because she was his only scorer. He uses what he has. Take your negative comments to another page
Greg House, are you a disgruntled Notre Dame or Rutgers fan. Back in 2000-2002 when UCONN was loaded, Geno played 10 players. On other teams around the country, the difference between their best player and their 10th best player is small. As a result they can sub freely without much change. In recent years, the difference between UCONN’s best 5 players and the next 5 is large. Throw in that UCONN plays one of the toughest schedules in the country and playing the bottom 4-5 players on a regular basis doesn’t make sense,not if you want to win a national championship. Now, if you’re happy with a 22-10 record, 3 to 5 seed in the NCAA’s and gone in sweet 16, then by all means play everybody, give the bottom 3 players 10 min. a game against Stanford, Duke, Baylor, Notre Dame, etc. Really, I think I’ll let Geno decide on the rotation.
I’m always thrilled by the level of recruits that UCONN gets year in and year out, and disappointed at times by the ones they miss….but such is life.
This group (Trio) is going to make things very interesting this coming season. I think that’s why Michala transferred. Michala had a lot of Basketball skills; she just didn’t have the body after the injuries, to use those skills at the level needed in our league.
Most of know and appreciate the great job that Gino has done with the UCONN women’s program. I remember the early years when they played in the Field House. On one side, there would be intramural games going on, people lifting weights, while others ran around the rubberized indoor track – All while the women’s game was being played….We’ve come a looooooooong way since those days!
As great a coach as Gino is, he is not without faults or beyond being critized. For example, although I understand his not filling all of his scholarship slots so as to ensure that each player gets playing time, it can come back to bite him in the butt when a player or two goes down with a season-ending injury and there’s no one of the same calibur to replace them. Maybe he has a few more Championship banners hanging in Gampel if some of those key players not been hurt or he had key players on the bench who could step in and play just as or almost as well as…I also wish that he would bring in a big girl of the Kara Walters level (6’7″ or taller) and develop her into a premier Center. This year the team will face 6’8″ Brittany Griner and a 6’11″ freshman at Pitt!
Lastly, I think the team will do well this year. I think Stokes will show marked improvement, as will Banks & Buck. Doty will be limited by her injuries. Dolson gets better with conditioning, and Hartley & Farris will progress. The new players will help with the scoring, and more importantly on the offensive & defensive boards. I just pray that they all stay healthy…..
It must be very stressful to be a UCONN fan/diehard– it takes just the usual comment(s) and we are (already)off the radar. I love it Greg House. Of course you are not serious, but how those doldrums this time of the year in Storrs. The nervousness of those ableminded huskies over those 2013 recruits– how much longer can we wait for them to say they are (not)coming. So Greg House you were thinking of that great Bob Marley sang: ‘I throw my corn, but I didn’t call any fowls… I say cluck cluck cluck…’ Or was it the other one: ‘Let us go and burndown Babylon(/UCONN) one more time.’ The Natives are restless Gregg House, you had better not throw anymore corn.
Now folks, cut Greg some slack. He is after all entitled to his opinion, no matter how lacking in accuracy it might be. To be sure Auriemma will play only those kids who have in his observations earned the time. So think back to Stokes in particular and how her time changed when her attitude and work ethic changed. As to actual time as the season progresses who knows. Injuries may influence a little or a lot. You don’t have to be a member of the HOF to know that Buck and Engeln are likely 11 and 12 in the rotation and if nothing else changed a lot Banks could pair with Tuck (less known) in the 9/10 slots. The starting lineup COULD be Doty & Hartley at guards and Dolson, Stewart, and Faris up front. Jefferson could certainly earn the point spot and KML perhaps in Kelly’s spot. Doty will get her early minutes but could fall into the lower slots if Tuck and Jefferson come on fast. A reasonable expectation right now is that the rotation probably works out as 8 and could go 10 depending on Tuck and Banks. And effort, attitude, and health will fill in the blanks.
The BIG question is: Can they spell their names.
“WHO DA THUNK IT?”
It is amazing how many idiots always take the bait
I’m glad to hear that a team player is considering UConn entering her junior year. A great get for 2014, a player who thinks team first. Let’s hope we get Courtney Ekmark.