May 29th, 2017Olivia Morgan-Cherchas, 2017 U 17 Provincial team member going to Canada Summer Games and Deanna Tuchscherer, former U15 Provincial Team player selected for Canadian National U16 team

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

U16 WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ANNOUNCES FIBA AMERICAS ROSTER

12 ATHLETES SET TO REPRESENT CANADA IN BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

TORONTO, ON (May 29, 2017) – Canada Basketball’s Women’s High Performance program is pleased to announce the final roster for the U16 Women’s National Team set to compete in the FIBA Americas Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“After a very competitive tryout we have selected 12 athletes to represent Canada this summer in Argentina for the FIBA U16 Women’s Americas Championship,” said Jodi Gram, Head Coach. “We look forward to a competitive tournament as we continue to grow our next generation of Canadian athletes.”

Gram (Bill Crothers S.S.) takes the helm in her second year as Head Coach along with Co-Head Coach Dani Sinclair (University of Victoria). Gram and Sinclair will be joined by Assistant Coach Albena Branzova-Dimitrova (UQAM) and Performance Analyst, Michele Sung (University of Manitoba).

The team is currently at training camp until June 3^rd at the University of Toronto - Mississauga and will travel to Buenos Aires, Argentina for the FIBA U16 Women's Americas Championship taking place June 7th-11th. The team looks to maintain its 2015 gold medal finish and also qualify for the 2018 FIBA U17 Worlds.

The team will tip-off the tournament against Venezuela on Wednesday June 7 at 12:45 p.m. EST.
Canada is currently ranked 4th worldwide in the FIBA youth girls rankings.

The full list of athletes and coaches can be found below. For media requests, please contact bwilliams@basketball.ca.

2017 U16 TEAM ROSTER

#	NAME	POSITION	HOMETOWN	SCHOOL
4	Sarah Te-Biasu	Point Guard	Montreal, QC	École Lucien-Pagé
5	Kaillie Hall	Shooting Guard	Stoney Creek, ON	Lincoln Prep
6	Aerial Wilson	Point Guard	Dundas, ON	TRC Academy
7	Kenya Côté–Lysius	Shooting Guard	St. Constant, QC	École Lucien-Pagé
8	Makayla Ennis	Shooting Guard/Small Forward	Brampton, ON	TRC Academy
9	Donna Ntambue	Small Forward	Montreal, Q	École Lucien-Page
10	Aaliyah Edwards	Forward	Kingston, ON	Frontenac Secondary
11	Yvonne Ejim	Power Forward	Calgary, AB	St. Elizabeth Seaton
12	Merissah Russell	Forward	Ottawa, ON	Longfields-Davison Heights SS
13	Brynn Masikewich	Power Forward	Calgary, AB	St. Francis Secondary
14	Deanna Tuchscherer	Power Forward	Chilliwack, BC	GW Graham Secondary
15	Olivia Morgan-Cherchas	Centre	Kamloops, BC	S. Kamloops Secondary

2017 U16 COACHING & TEAM STAFF

NAME	POSITION	HOMETOWN	AFFILIATION
Jodi Gram	Head Coach	Markham, ON	Bill Crothers Secondary
Dani Sinclair	Co-Head Coach	Victoria, BC	University of Victoria
Albena Branzova-Dimitrova	Assistant Coach	Montreal, QC	Université du Québec à Montréal
Michele Sung	Performance Analyst	Winnipeg, MB	University of Manitoba
Michelle Bell	Athletic Therapist	Brampton, ON	Ryerson University
Marcus Jansen	Physician	Toronto, ON	n/a
Mireille Beland	Head of Delegation	Repentigny, QC	Vanier College
Agnes Borg	Women’s Youth Player Development Manager	Toronto, ON	Canada Basketball
Vanessa Robertson	Team Assistant	Wolfville, NS	University of Ottawa

2017 U16 WOMEN’S AMERICAS CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

DATE	TIME (EST)	OPPONENT
Wednesday June 7	9:45 a.m.	Venezuela
Thursday June 8	2:15 p.m.	Dominican Republic
Friday June 9	4:30 p.m.	Argentina
Saturday June 10	TBC	Semi-Final
Sunday June 11	TBC	Final

For more information, contact:
Bailey Williams, bwilliams@basketball.ca, 647.460.7976