USA Basketball reveals Women's U16 National Team roster

USA Basketball revealed the 12-person roster for the Women’s Under-16 National Team. From a field of 52 athletes, the selection dwindled to 22 before finalizing the squad. Before making the team, these women’s basketball standouts went through four days of tryouts in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Leading the way is Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka, the only player on the roster with previous international experience. The forward from Bullis School was part of the USA Basketball team that won gold in the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup. Meanwhile, she averaged 18.5 points and 11.1 rebounds during her sophomore season with the Bulldogs.

Joining her is Nation Williams, Nevada’s Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 17.3 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. She led Centennial High School to the Nevada Class 5A state championship and won MVP.

Meanwhile, Texas is the only state with two representatives in this USA Basketball squad. Jazman Bailey is a guard from Mansfield Lakeridge High School who averaged 12.8 points and two steals per game. Likewise, Plano East High School’s Arianna Robinson participated in the Women’s Junior National Team minicamp in Florida last April.

For the other guards, Tatianna Griffin hails from California’s Ontario Christian High School. In her first year, Griffin averaged 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.8 steals per game. There’s also Long Island Lutheran’s Olivia Jones, who averaged 19.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game as a junior.

Completing the guard rotation is Sandy Creek High School’s Morghan Reckley, who averaged 24.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.8 steals per game.

As for the forwards, Jordyn Haywood is a wing player who led Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day to the Missouri high school basketball Class 4 state finals. There’s also Olathe South High School’s Eve Long, who already has college basketball offers from over 10 programs. Likewise, Broomfield High School’s Reece Gilpatrick helped her school finish with a 25-2 record last season.

Finally, Micah Ojo (Princess Anne High School) and Caroline Bradley (Oak Grove High School). Ojo led her squad to a Virginia Class 5 state championship, while Bradley is the only natural center on the roster.

This USA Basketball team will compete in the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup from June 16-22 in Irapuato, Mexico. Steve Gomez from Lubbock Christian University will be the head coach. Assisting him are Brittany Johnson (Evanston Township) and Krystle Johnson (Hoover High School). Team USA has won all but one of this tournament’s eight editions, with Canada winning in 2015.