Sports

St. Piux X Hoopster Named to U17 National Women's Team

Asia Durr also played on the USA Basketball U16 team last year.

A sia Durr, who attends St. Pius X High School, was one of 12 players named to the 2014 National Women’s Under-17 basketball team, USA Basketball announced Monday.

The team will play in the FIBA U17 World Championship June 28-July 6 in the Czech Republic.

Durr, of Douglasville, is one of six members on the team who were gold-medalists from the 2013 U16 national team.

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Durr was the U16 team’s most valuable player.

One other Georgia player was also named to the team — Te'a Cooper of Powder Springs (McEachern High School).

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The team was selected after four days of tryouts at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The 12 players were whittled down from the 145 who were invited to the trials.

Next up for the team is training camp June 12-17, an exhibition tournament in France June 20-22, then to the Czech Republic on June 23 to prepare for the world tournament.

USA Basketball posted this quick Q and A with Durr following the team announcement:

How did you think you had performed in this year’s trials?
This year I felt pretty good. There were times where I felt like I didn’t play too well. But I think I still stayed on top of it, still did the small things, which led to big things. I felt pretty good, but this time I was more nervous. I prayed and prayed, and I’m so happy I made the team.

You have been through the selection process previously, how did you feel this time when you heard your name called?
Tears came to my eyes, and I thanked God, that’s the first thing I did. It’s just a feeling of joy.

Including you there are six players back this year from last year’s USA U16 Team; what can you personally bring from last year’s experience to this year’s team?
Maybe knowing that last year coach Sue wanted me to constantly push the ball up the floor, hopefully I can score some buckets for the team and just help my teammates get better.

What kind of things would you tell your teammates who have not been involved in an international game before?
I’d tell them that the game is physical. They don’t call fouls. You get pushed down, and there’s no foul. So, I’d tell them to be ready because girls are going to be out there trying to knock you down, trying to fight for the gold. 


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