Betnijah Laney

Position: Guard/Forward
Height:  6-0 • 183 cms
Weight: 160 lbs • 73 kgs
School: Smyrna High School ‘11
Hometown: Clayton, Delaware

USA Basketball Notes:

• Gold Medals: 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship, 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.
• Named as a finalist for the 2011 USA Basketball U19 World Championship Team on May 25, 2011.
• Member of the 2010 USA U17 World Championship Team that posted a perfect 8-0 record in the inaugural FIBA U17 World Championship; started one game and averaged 7.2 ppg. and 2.6 rpg.
• Helped the U.S. earn a 2-1 record to capture a pre-U17 World Championship tournament title in Spain against U17 national teams from Australia, Canada and Spain.
• Member of the 2009 USA U16 National Team, averaged 13.2 ppg., 3.8 rpg., 1.4 apg. and 1.4 spg. in 19.0 mpg. to help the USA capture a 5-0 record and gold medal at the 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women, which qualified the U.S. for the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship.
• Led the USA with 20 points versus Puerto Rico.

College Notes:

• Signed a National Letter of Intent to attend and compete for Rutgers in 2011-12.

High School Honors:

• Gatorade Delaware Girls Basketball Player of the Year (2010 and 2011).
• McDonald's High School All-American (2011), recorded six points and a pair of steals in the McDonald's All-American Game.
• WBCA High School All-American (2011), recorded a game-high 21 points and added seven rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in the WBCA High School All-American Game.
• Parade Magazine All-American (2011).
• All-Delaware first team (2010, 2011).
• ESPN Rise All-America second team (2010).
• Henolopen Conference Player of the Year (2008, 2009) and All-Henolopen first team (2008, 2009, 2010).
• All-state (2009) and all-state third team (2008).

High School Notes:

• Attends Smyrna High School (Del.), where she averaged 21.1 ppg., 10.1 rpg. and 4.5 apg. as a senior in 2010-11.
• Also competed in track & field.
• Twice scored a state record and career-high 52 points in 2008-09 (versus Dover and Woodbridge).
• As a junior in 2009-10 started in all 24 games played and averaged 21.0 ppg., 13.3 rpg., 5.6 apg., 2.5 spg. and 1.0 bpg; shot 46.4 percent from the field, 45.0 percent from 3-point and 72.8 percent from the free throw line.
• As a sophomore in 2008-09, started in all 23 games played and averaged 29.6 ppg., 16.9 rpg., 3.0 apg., 2.5 spg. and
  1.4 bpg. to help Smyrna to a 12-11 record; shot 58.0 percent from the field, 46.0 percent from 3-point and 65.0 percent from the free throw line.
• As a freshman in 2007-08, started in all 21 games played and averaged 19.8 ppg., 15.7 rpg., 3.7 apg., 1.7 spg. and 2.9 bpg. to help Smyrna to a 9-12 record and a fourth in state ranking; shot 50.0 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from 3-point and 65.0 percent from the free throw line.
• Has played for the AAU Philly Triple Threat, the New York Gauchos and the Mid-Atlantic Elite.

Personal Notes

• Born on Oct. 29, 1993, in Chestnut Hill, Pa.
• Daughter of Yolanda Laney; has one brother, Shakaris.
• Is a member of school's math honor roll.
• Betnijah has signed to play at Rutgers for C. Vivian Stringer, who coached Betnijah’s All-American mom, Yolanda Laney, at Cheney State. They advanced to a pair of NCAA Final Fours, and the very first NCAA Tournament title game in 1982.
• Volunteered locally as an elementary school motivational speaker and a youth basketball instructor.

USA Basketball Statistics: