Australia reveal women’s Worlds basketball team
Eliza Mills, Kate Leckenby and Evie Patterson all made the cut for the Australian Pearls. Credit: Hamish Patterson
Basketball Australia have announced the 10 players who will represent Australia at the 2017 International Federation for Intellectual Impairment Sport (World Intellectual Impairment Sport) World Basketball Championships in Loano, Italy, from 19-28 November.
The competition will see the women’s team, the Australian Pearls, competing for the 3×3 title. The team already hold the World Intellectual Impairment Sport Global Games title which they won in Ecuador in 2015 and are the world No.1. Australia will take two teams of five players each for the 3×3 competition.
The Australian Pearls first played the format when it was introduced in Ecuador in 2015. They came away with gold and bronze, adding to their unique history of medalling in every international competition for the last 15 years.
“The 3×3 format is expanding in popularity around the world with many World Championships now playing this exciting format of the game we love,” Sally Duncan, Australian team manager, said. “The rules for 3×3 make the game very fast, very physical and really exciting as a spectator sport.”
In Loano, the Australian Pearls will face Japan in a rematch of their gold medal game from 2015. France and the USA are also expected to compete.
The Australian team were selected following their last training camp in Melbourne on 19-20 August. With so many talented players in the squad, making the final cut to 10 was a difficult task.
Head coach, Larry Davidson, said: “The determination and commitment shown by the squad members has made it very difficult to select the final 10 players, and all of those trying out should be very proud of their contribution. I wish we could take them all.”
The two teams will consist of some very experienced players matched with fresh young talent.
“Senior players such as Mills, Perry, Urguhart-Moran, Papworth and Harris will provide the core structure of our two teams. Our younger players on their second/third tours will bring another level of energy and excitement into the two teams,” Davidson concluded.
All players have represented Australia before, making this Australian Pearls team rich in talent and international experience.
Team roster
- Kim Perry
- Eliza Mills
- Nicole Harris
- Molly Urquhart-Moran
- Kaitlyn Papworth
- Kate Leckenby
- Jess McCulloch
- Evie Patterson
- Brittany Anderson
- Amy Howard
Staff
- Head coach: Larry Davidson
- Team manager: Sally Duncan
- Assistant coach: Jo Larkin
- Physiotherapist: Dave Taylor
The men’s team announcement will follow shortly.
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