Three University of Tennessee signees will be among 36 players taking part in the 2018 USA Basketball Women's U18 National Team Trials, which are slated for May 26-28 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Lady Vols-to-be forward Amira Collins (Waldorf, Md./Paul VI Catholic H.S.
[Fairfax, Va.]), guard Zarielle Green (Duncanville, Texas/Duncanville H.S.) and point guard Jazmine Massengill (Chattanooga, Tenn./Hamilton Heights Christian Academy) will compete for spots on the 12-member 2018 USA Women's U18 National Team. Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 2000).
"I think we've invited a very deep and talented group of players to the U18 Trials," said Jennifer Rizzotti (George Washington University), chair of the USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team Committee, which is responsible for selecting players and coaches for USA women's U18 and U19 teams. "There is a good mix of players and diversity within positions. I feel the committee invited a good balance of players at every position, with and without USA basketball experience."
The 2018 USA Women's U18 National Team will be led by Jeff Walz of the University of Louisville, with Natasha Adair of the University of Delaware and Cori Close of UCLA serving as the USA's assistant coaches. The trio will guide the USA at the 2018 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, for which the dates and location are still to be announced. The top four finishing teams at the championship will earn a qualifying berth into next summer's 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup.
The chosen team members will return to Colorado Springs this summer for training camp (dates to be determined) before the team departs for the 2018 FIBA Americas U18 Championship.
Collins, Green and Massengill are part of UT's four-player freshman signing class that was ranked No. 4 by Prospectsnation.com and No. 6 by espnW HoopGurlz. All three participated in the McDonald's All-American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic this spring.
(Contact Dennis Norwood at bigorangebeat@gmail.com; follow him on Twitter at @DennisENorwood)