Incoming Gamecock Set For Team USA Trials

COLUMBIA, S.C. (USC SID) — South Carolina signee Tyasha Harris (Noblesville, Ind./Heritage Christian) is one of 27 athletes invited to USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team Trials that will take place May 28-30 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. It marks the third-straight season a current or future Gamecock has been invited to a USA Basketball trial and the second trials for Harris, who took part in the 2013 U16 trials.

Trials later this month will be used to select the 12-member roster for the 2016 USA Basketball U18 Women’s National Team as the U.S. looks to defend its 2014 U18 gold at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship July 13-17 in Valdivia, Chile. Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998).

The 27-athlete trials include 14 with prior USA Basketball experience, including two who helped the U.S. to the U19 World Championship gold medal under South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley. Three others recently teamed up to win the 2016 USA Basketball 3×3 U18 National Tournament on May 1 and will represent USA Basketball at the 2016 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Championship in June, and one was on the runner-up team at the national tournament. Six players will arrive at the 2016 U18 trials with two previous USA Basketball trials with four others, including Harris, having taken part in one previous trial. The invitees include 13 players taking part in their first USA Basketball national team event.

The 2016 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team will be led by a trio of former USA Basketball players and current collegiate head coaches in Suzie McConnell-Serio as the USA head coach and Kamie Ethridge and Charlotte Smith as assistant coaches.