University of Tennessee Athletics
Incoming Lady Vol Spani Named to USA U19 National Team
July 07, 2009 | Women's Basketball
July 7, 2009
Incoming University of Tennessee Lady Vol hoopster Taber Spani was named to the 2009 USA Basketball Women's U19 National Team today. The team will compete at the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championships from July 23-August 2 in Bangkok, Thailand.
"The opportunity to play for USA Basketball has always been one of my goals and to see it come to fruition is really a dream come true," said Spani. "The experience so far has been incredible and I am really looking forward to playing against the world competition and bringing home the gold."
The team will train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., from July 9-16 before departing for Bangkok. Once in Thailand, the squad will practice from July 18-22 before competition begins on July 23.
The 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship features 16 national teams comprised of athletes 19-years-old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1990) that qualified through their FIBA zone tournaments.
The 16 teams have been drawn into four preliminary round pools of four teams each, and the USA has been placed into Group D with China, Mali and Spain. Group A features Argentina, Australia, France and South Korea; Group B includes Brazil, Czech Republic, Lithuania and Thailand; while Group C includes Canada, Japan, Russia and Tunisia.
The U.S. is slated to open preliminary round play against Spain on July 23, followed by China on July 24 and Mali on July 25. The top three finishing teams in each preliminary round group will advance to the July 27-29 second round, the quarterfinals will be played on July 31, semifinal action is scheduled for Aug. 1 and the gold medal will be contested on Aug. 2.
"Being able to play with the student-athletes from the USA has been great and we've all pushed each other. Now the chance to go and play against the best players my age in the world is going to really help me prepare myself for Tennessee," said Spani. "The players that we are going to face in Thailand are the biggest, strongest and best at our age in the game."
Named to the 2009 USA U19 World Championship Team are returning USA Basketball gold medalists Kelsey Bone (Dulles H.S. /Stafford, Texas); Skylar Diggins (Washington H.S. / South Bend, Ind.); Kelly Faris (Heritage Christian H.S. / Plainfield, Ind.); Nnemkadi Ogwumike (Stanford / Cypress, Texas) and Samantha Prahalis (Ohio State / Dix Hills, N.Y.), who helped the U.S. advance to the '09 U19 Worlds by claiming gold at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship.
Also selected for the '09 USA U19 Team were: LaSondra Barrett (Louisiana State / Jackson, Miss.); Layshia Clarendon (Cajon H.S. / San Bernadino, Calif.); Shenise Johnson (Miami, Fla. / Henrietta, N.Y.); C'eira Ricketts (Arkansas / Louisville, Ky.); Chay Shegog (North Carolina / Stafford, Va.); Taber Spani (Metro Academy / Lee's Summit, Mo.); and Destiny Williams (Benton Harbor H.S. / Benton Harbor, Mich.).
"All of the players that came to compete for the U.S. team are playing at the highest level of collegiate athletics. The ones who just finished their first year at college have brought a lot of experience to the team," said Spani. "The level of play has been so high, it is just going to help build and develop my game."
Coaching the U.S. team will be Carol Owens, head coach at Northern Illinois University. Assisting Owens will be University of Florida Head Coach Amanda Butler and Iowa State University Head Coach Bill Fennelly.
"I think this team offers multiple offensive weapons and has a lot of versatility," said Owens. "They are a great group of young ladies that will represent our country with class. I am extremely excited. I am really looking forward to seeing the staff and the team and get going. We have a special group and I am can't wait to work with them. Overall I would like to have an intense and productive training camp. Three things I would like to accomplish are: build team chemistry, establish our offensive and defensive philosophy and prepare the team for the level of competition we will be facing in Bangkok."
