USA - Graves added to U16 Team USA

From theleafchronicle.com
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Clarksville High's Bashaara Graves' dream is now a reality.

The soon-to-be sophomore was officially added to the 2009 USA Basketball Women's U16 National Team. USA Basketball announced her addition Thursday.

"It's exciting and fun at the same time knowing I'm on the team," Graves said while waiting in the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport for her return flight to Nashville Thursday. "The whole experience is fun and all my teammates are cool."

Graves, the team's only alternate, will be replacing Bolingbrook High's Morgan Tuck, who won't be able to play due to a knee injury.

The 6-foot-2 Graves was actually invited to stay in Colorado Springs for practice, because Tuck hurt her knee on the second day of workouts. The U16 team was first announced on May 31.

"As far as Bashaara Graves is concerned, her staying here was an exciting thing," USA U16 and Wingate University head coach Barbara Nelson said. "She had the opportunity to practice with the team all week, and she is ready to go. She will fill that spot wonderfully, and we are excited about Bashaara joining our team."

Team USA is gearing up for the inaugural FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women and Graves said she will be off until August.

"We'll come back for more practice in August and then we'll leave to go to Mexico," she said.

The date and times for the tournament featuring eight U16 national teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean have yet to be announced.

But if Team USA finishes in the top three, it qualifies for the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship, which will be played July 16-25 in Toulouse and Rodez, France.

"This is a chance of a lifetime," Graves said. "This is a real honor and one of the highest things I've done. This will also help me with colleges."