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Australian U17 Women's squad selected for FIBA Oceania U17 Championship for Women

Olgun Uluc

Jul 22, 2015

The Australian U17 Women's squad has been chosen ahead of the FIBA Oceania U17 Championship for Women, tipping off on the 15th of August in New Zealand.

The winner of this event - featuring Tahiti, New Caledonia, New Zealand and Australia - will qualify for the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championship for Women.

Photo credit: Basketball Australia/Kangaroo Photo's

Australian U17 Women’s Squad

Ella Batish – VIC

Lucy Cochrane – VIC

Abby Cubillo – NT

Najvada George – VIC

Cassidy McLean – NSW

Lara McSpadden – NSW

Ezi Magbegor – VIC

Rebecca Pizzey – VIC

Kiera Rowe – VIC

Jazmin Shelley – VIC

Jasmine Simmons – NSW

Samantha Simons – SA

Emergencies: Rebecca Abel (TAS), Callie Bourne (ACT), Hannah Lehman (SA), Taylor Mole (TAS), Darcy Rees (SA)

Last year’s Australian U17’s women’s squad struggled in the early games at the FIBA U17 World Championship for Women, but regained their form to finish with an admirable 5th place.

Headlining the squad are Centre of Excellence scholarship holders Ezi Magbegor and Jasmine Simmons. Magbegor has emerged as one of the premier talents in her age group, with the 6’4 centre currently in Russia with the Australian U19 Gems squad.

Ezi Magbegor | Credit: Basketball Australia/Kangaroo Photos

As is generally the case, a number of players from Victoria have been selected to this squad. Among them are star guard Najvada George, as well as the versatile Kiera Rowe. George performed well for VIC Metro at this year’s U18’s Australian Junior Championships and has already begun to receive interest from a number of division 1 colleges.

Samantha Simons has also had a lot of success, recently, leading her SA Metro squad to a championship at last year’s U16’s Australian Junior Championships, while also helping them to an impressive second place finish at this year's event.

Jasmine Simmons - NSW Country | Photo credit: Basketball Australia/Kangaroo Photo's

The squad will attend a training camp from August 10-13, before heading to New Zealand to begin their campaign. The gold medal match will be played as a curtain-raiser to the FIBA Oceania Championship game between the Opals and the Tall Ferns on August 17.