GB junior teams revealed for cancelled 2020 summer

The players that were in contention to represent Great Britain at this summer’s European Championships have been revealed.

GB announced the initial list of players for each of the three junior age group teams that were prevented from competing due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Charlie Ford, Chair of the Youth Teams Performance Group said:

“Although we understand that nothing can replace the opportunity to pull on the GB jersey; sing the national anthem and compete for European Championship medals, we hope that this announcement will be met with pride and a continued intention to be part of future squads whether that be at youth or senior level.

“Following [today’s] announcement, the representative performance leads in each home nation will be in touch with players individually to discuss next steps and support that is available.”

22 players were recognised amongst the Under-20s group including eight players from last year’s final 12 with Holly Winterburn earning All-Tournament honours in 2019.

Alex Baker and Esther Little were in contention to step up from the Under-18s squad, while there was a new name in Grace Heeps – a sophomore guard at UMass – following on from the discovery of Faye Parker.

Louise Rouse also earned a spot on the long-list with the Oaklands forward making a splash in the past 12 months in the WEABL as well as growing WBBL minutes having not previously competed at a European Championship.

GB Under-20s

Alex Baker, Leicester Riders/Charnwood
Katie Bennett, Durham Palatinates
Loren Christie, Buffalo (USA)
Imogen Cook, Caldwell (USA)
Teresa Da Silva, Northwest Florida State (USA)
Tia Freeman, Nottingham Wildcats
Shauna Harrison, California University (USA)
Grace Heeps, UMass (USA)
Alix Henderson, Point Loma (USA)
Megan Jones, UC Davis (USA)
Hannah Jump, Stanford (USA)
Milly Knowles, Eastern Washington (USA)
Esther Little, Ipswich/Copleston
Shawnisay Millar, Midwestern State (USA)
Rebecca Morrison, Caldwell (USA)
Faye Parker, Penn (USA)
Sian Phillips, Caledonia Pride
Louise Rouse, Oaklands College
Lauren Saa, Rider (USA)
Macy Spinks, Saint Anselm (USA)
Loie Webb, Lynn (USA)
Holly Winterburn, Oregon (USA)

Teams listed as of 2019-20 season

For the Under-18s, due to be led by Kenrick Liburd, there is a familiar group led by the likes of Amelia Sandie, Jade Mbam and Asha Andrews with the trio part of seven returning players from 2019’s final 12.

Isi Ozzy-Momodu starred for GB’s Under-16s last summer and would have been in line to make the step up alongside four other players including WEABL Northern Conference MVP, Abbey Whitehouse.

GB Under-18s

Asha Andrews, Sevenoaks Suns
Lilly Annim, Barking Abbey
Hannah Dawson, Leicester Riders/Charnwood
Ella Doherty, Caledonia Pride
Rebecca Adjeiwaah Dwomoh, (Spain)
Tamara Fournillier-Onadeko, Barking Abbey
Simona Henshaw-Ejiogu, Southwark Pride/CoLA
Molly James, Leicester Riders
Molly Lavin, Richmond Knights
Jocie Leavold, Oaklands College
Jannike Marshall, Caledonia Pride
Jade Mbam, Manchester Mystics
Isimenme Ozzy-Momodu, Southwark Pride/CoLA
Ella Pearson, Ipswich/Copleston
Shaniya Rose, Nottingham Wildcats
Amelia Sandie, Southwark Pride/CoLA
Becky Smith, Lancashire Spinners
Pollyanna Storie, Caledonia Pride
Cameron Taylor-Willis, Ipswich/Copleston
Abbey Whitehouse, Sheffield Hatters/Sheffield College

Teams listed as of 2019-20 season

Jen Leedham had been appointed as the new head coach of the GB Under-16s with Senior star Jo Leedham also on the coaching staff. A long-list of over 30 players were chosen amongst the initial squad with four players from last summer’s final 12 as well as Leia Edwards – MVP at the Under-16 National Cup finals.

GB Under-16s

Megan Adair, Derby Trailblazers
Isobel Bunyan, Cardiff Met Archers
Erin Caldwell, Solent Kestrels
Miriam Carrasco Menendez, Luton
Natalie Charity, Exeter Spartans
Florence Cotterill, Solent Kestrels
Kate Davies, Cardiff City
Leia Edwards, Newham Youngbloods
Lucretia Fakunle, Newham Youngbloods
Olivia Forster, Manchester Mystics
Zulieka Franklin, Sevenoaks Suns
Louisa Gibbins, Exeter Spartans
Hannah Gray, Ipswich
Saruna Gudza, Luton
Felicia Jacobs-Abiola, Haringey Angels
Fatmata Janneh, Newham Youngbloods
Katie Januszewska, Derby Trailblazers
Nicholle Lavinier, Newham Youngbloods
Paige Martin, Hastings High School (USA)
Tejonah-Sharon McKay, Hounslow Hawks
Oluwayemisi Mefful, Newcastle Eagles
Teniloa Okunrinkoya, Southwark Pride
Elena Ramos Matheson, Tenerife (Spain)
Carys Roy, Cardiff Met Archers
Kizzy Spence-Mussington, Manchester Mystics
Grace Strickland, Oaklands College
Jenni Torrance, West Lothian Wolves/Caledonia Pride
Lucy Tucker-Blackford, Madrid (Spain)
Oluwatunmise Salu, Newham Youngbloods
Tamara Smith-White, Oaklands College
Violet Stutz, Richmond Knights
Charli Wroe, Manchester Mystics

Do you like our work?

We have a tiny favour to ask. In 2018 we set out to make Hoopsfix sustainable by building our relationship directly with our readers. Up until now, Hoopsfix has been creating editorials, videos and podcasts to provide sorely missing coverage of the British game and its distinct culture and community.

We have funded Hoopsfix with our freelance work creating basketball media, but sadly that means not only does it fall behind our client’s priorities, but some of those clients are the same organisations we need to report objectively on putting us in a conflicted position.

We want to devote more time to our mission of helping British basketball reach its potential, and produce even more content for the basketball community by making Hoopsfix a sustainable 100% independent business funded directly by our readers through Patreon.

If everyone who enjoys our content chose to support us, our future would be much more secure. For as little as $3 per month, you can support Hoopsfix – and it only takes a minute.

We are tremendously honoured and humbled to have a community of people who value what we do, and we look forward to being at the forefront of the British game as it continues to evolve.

Support Hoopsfix