Notre Dame & Georgia Tech to Play Barking Abbey as Part of European Tours

By Sam Neter on August 6, 2013

Barking Abbey will face off against two of the top women’s college basketball programmes from the States over the next fortnight, as Notre Dame and Georgia Tech pay visits to the UK as part of their European tours.

BA will begin by taking on Notre Dame on Tuesday 6th August (6pm tip), before playing Georgia Tech on Thursday August 15th (6pm tip). Both games will be at Barking Abbey School.

“This is a great opportunity for our players and programme,” said Barking Abbey Basketball Academy Director and Women’s Head Coach, Mark Clark. “To have some of our former players back, playing with our current players and going up against two of the top basketball programmes in the world will be a wonderful occasion. We encourage people to come out and get behind out players, past and present, as well as see a calibre of basketball rarely available in England.”

The BA team will consist of a combination of BA graduates such as GB Senior Women’s player Ella Clark, Mary Durojaye, and Kashmere Joseph, current students and GB/England junior internationals Melita Emanuel-Carr and Shanice Norton (who is currently with the England U16s so will be available for the Georgia Tech game only), and BA Division 1 players Roz Mason and Milly Watkins.

Notre Dame went 35-2 overall last season, 16-0 in the Big East Conference, taking the Big East Championship before having a post-season run to the Final Four where they lost 83-65 to UCONN. Their head coach, Ann ‘Muffett’ McGraw, was named The Associated Press’ Coach of the Year last season, whilst Notre Dame’s roster coming to the UK features two returning All-Americans in Natalie Achonwa and Kayla McBride, plus the reigning United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) National Freshman of the Year in guard Jewell Loyd.

Meanwhile, Georgia Tech went 14-16 overall, 7-11 in the ACC, where Notre Dame will be joining them next season. Georgia Tech feature senior Tyaunna Marshall, who last season made the All-ACC First Team after ranking second in the league in scoring at 17.9 points per game, sixth in rebounding at 8.3 per game and fourth in steals with 2.5 per game. She was the only player in the conference to rank in the top ten in all three statistical categories. Additionally, sophomore Brittany Jackson was named to the ACC’s Women’s Basketball All-Freshman team after averaging 10.3 points per game and being amongst the sharpest shooters in the league.

Entrance to both games at Barking Abbey (Sandringham Road, IG11 9AG) is free for spectators.

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