Current and former Boomers and Opals to guide Pacific Youth Leaders
By Luke Sicari, The Pick and Roll
GOLD COAST - A host of former Boomers and Opals stars are set to put the best young players through their paces at the first ever FIBA Pacific Youth Leaders (PYL) Basketball Camp in September.
The top young talent, aged from 17-20 from the Oceania region, will be put through a strenuous training program, involving elite on-court skill drills and an invaluable youth development program, focusing on off-court life lessons.
The contingent of Boomers and Opals stars set to help lead the camp includes Annie La Fleur, Glen Saville, Allison Tranquilli, Paul Rogers and Kelsey Griffin.
A select number of Boomers and Opals currently playing in the 2016 Rio Olympics Games are under consideration to attend, with the players to be confirmed after the competition concludes.
La Fleur won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and was inducted into the New South Wales Hall of Champions in 2015. She is also a three-time WNBL champion with the Sydney Flames (1993, 1997, 2001), and played in the WNBA for the Minnesota Lynx (1999) and Washington Mystics (2001-2003).
Saville was the 2001 NBL Grand Final MVP, where he led his Illawarra Hawks to their first ever championship. He was named the NBL’s best defensive player in 2003 and his number 12 jersey is retired by the Hawks. Saville is also a two-time Olympian, representing Australia in 2004 and 2008.
A two-time Olympian in 1996 and 2004, Tranquilli will also be one of the leaders at the camp. Tranquilli was the WNBL’s Rookie of the Year in 1992 and 1993 with the Melbourne Tigers and was awarded the WNBL Top Shooter Award in 1998.
A former draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1997, Rogers will also be in attendance. Rogers is a two-time Olympian who competed at the 2000 and 2004 Games and won the NBL Most Valuable Player in the 1999/2000 season with the Perth Wildcats. Rogers has also played for the Adelaide 36ers, and Spanish sides Casademont Girona and Real Madrid.
Griffin was the third overall pick in the WNBA draft in 2010 by the Connecticut Sun, and is currently playing for the Bendigo Spirit in the WNBL and a member of the Opals squad. She is a two-time WNBL Champion (2013, 2014), two-time WNBL Grand Final MVP (2013, 2014), two-time WNBL All-Star Five member (2015, 2016), and was named the 2015 WNBL Defensive Player of the Year.
The region's best emerging talent will be on display September 2nd-11th in Gold Coast, Australia.
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About FIBA
FIBA (fiba.com) - the world governing body for basketball - is an independent association formed by 215 National Basketball Federations throughout the world. It is recognised as the sole competent authority in basketball by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
For further information about FIBA, visit fiba.com or follow FIBA on facebook.com/fiba, twitter.com/fiba, instagram.com/fiba and youtube.com/fiba.
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About Pick and Roll
Launched in 2013, The Pick and Roll (pickandroll.com.au) is an independent, trusted source for Australian basketball coverage. We also provide a platform for writers to develop their talent and find opportunities.
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