Parkway’s Mikaylah Williams was announced Thursday as one of 40 athletes expected to participate at the 2022 USA Basketball WU17 National Team trials later this month in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Williams, the country’s top 2023 women’s basketball recruit, was the only Louisiana athlete invited to compete. The trials will be held at the US Olympic & Paralympic Training Center starting May 26. The 12-member team will be announced June 1 and the selectees will return to Colorado Springs June 25-30 to prepare for the 2022 FIBA Women’s U17 World Cup July 9-17 in Debrecen, Hungary.
Williams does plan to attend the tryouts, according to her mother, Tonya Williams. Although the family is keeping recruiting information close to the vest, Williams is being recruited by UConn, LSU and Texas among others.
Participants and coaches were selected by the USA Basketball Women’s Development National Team Committee.
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The 6-foot-1 Williams averaged 22.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals for her 32-2 Lady Panthers, who advanced to the LHSAA Class 5A championship game in March. She was named the LSWA’s 5A MVP on the All-State team after earlier winning Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year recognition and Times All-City Player of the Year honors.
California led the way with nine invitees followed by Maryland with four, while New Jersey and Minnesota had three apiece.
The 2021 USA Women’s U16 National Team defeated Canada 118-45 for the gold medal at the 2021 FIBA Women’s U16 Americas Championship.
Court coaches for the trials are Carlesa Dixon of Summer Creek High School in Houston and Bobbi Morgan, the women’s basketball coach at Ursinus College in Pennsylvania. The USA has won the FIBA U17 Women’s World Cup four of the five times the event has been held, including the most recent occurrence in 2018.
Jimmy Watson covers Shreveport-Bossier area sports. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.