Mavunga, Reimer invited to USA Basketball U16 Team trials

Posted by RRR on May 19, 2011 at 4:00am | Page Views: 3,471

Sophomore standouts Stephanie Mavunga (Brownsburg) and Taya Reimer (Hamilton Southeastern) are two of 35 athletes invited to the trials for the 2011 USA Basketball Women’s U16 National Team. The Under 16 trials will take place from May 26 to May 30 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mavunga, a highly recruited 6’3 guard/forward solid body, possesses that greatly valued combination of powerful post moves with atheltic guard skills, not to mention a monster defensive presence and mindset. As a sophomore, Mavunga led her Bulldogs team to a 20-5 record, averaging 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 51.6 percent from the field. She had 14 double-doubles on the season, including a 30-point, 17-rebound outburst in a 66-40 win over Plainfield last December.

Reimer is also a highly recruited 6’3 forward with a tremendous amount of upside to her game. Strong, with a college-ready body, Reimer is more of a finesse player who favors the midland territory between the perimeter and the paint. She can hurt you from outside, but has the ability to exploit mismatches in the lane with her preferred face-to-the-basket post technique and athletic skill. Last season, Reimer averaged 14.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 blocks per game, leading her Royals team to a 15-6 record. According to ESPN Rise, Reimer has already received a number of offers, including a pitch from UConn head coach Geno Auriemma.

Mavunga was named AP Third Team All-State and garnered MVP honors in her team’s first place finish in the Hall of Fame Tournament. Reimer was named AP High Honorable Mention and All-Hamilton County First Team. Both were selected to the IBCA 2011 Underclass First 15, ICGSA First Team All-State and Hoosier Crossroads All Conference Team, where Reimer has bragging rights over Mavunga with a 53-52 conference win last December; however, both succombed to conference champion McCutcheon during 2010-11.

The field of U16 National Team invitees includes 17 players from the Class of 2013 class and 18 from the Class of 2014. Of the 35 athletes invited to attend the trials, 12 will be selected to compete in the FIBA Americas under 16 Championship. The 12 team members will resume training camp June 3-11 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, prior to the their departure for the 2011 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, which will take place June 13-18 in Mérida, Mexico. The top four finishers in 2011 will qualify for the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship.

If either or both Mavunga and Reimer make the team, it will be a very, very busy summer season.

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