Ann Strother Added To 2012 USA Basketball Women’s 3x3 National Team As Men’s And Women’s Teams Prep For FIBA 3x3 World Championship

Colorado Springs, Colo. • Aug. 18, 2012

The four men’s players and four women’s players that compose the 2012 USA Basketball 3x3 National Teams reconvened in Colorado Springs, Colo., for training camp as they prepare for the inaugural FIBA 3x3 World Championship to be played Aug. 23-26 in Athens, Greece. Ann Strother (Castle Rock, Colo.) has been added to the women’s team, replacing Alyssa Thomas (University of Maryland/Harrisburg, Pa.) who was unable to participate.

Joining Strother on the women’s 2012 USA Basketball 3x3 National Team are Skylar Diggins (University of Notre Dame/South Bend, Ind.), Bria Hartley (University of Connecticut/North Babylon, N.Y.) and Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford University/Cypress, Texas).

“Playing for Team USA is as good as it gets,” said Strother. “It’s an incredible honor to be here and to come in here and play with these three. I’m just excited for the opportunity.”

After a standout career at Highlands Ranch High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Strother played collegiately at the University of Connecticut from 2002-06. In her career with the Huskies, Strother helped the team to two national titles while scoring 1,699 career points. She was selected 15th overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft by the Houston Comets before being traded to the Phoenix Mercury. Strother played three seasons in the WNBA with the Mercury, Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream. She also played professionally in Russia and Spain, and served as the director of basketball operations for the University of Colorado women’s basketball team during the 2007-08 season, before returning to Castle Rock, Colo., where she currently attends nursing school.

Strother has previously represented USA Basketball at the 2003 Pan American Games and 2001 Junior World Championship, helping the U.S. to silver and bronze medals, respectively. Strother also participated against Diggins, Hartley and Ogwumike at the 2012 USA Basketball 3x3 National Team Women’s Tournament played July 8 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Diggins, Hartley and Ogwumike, along with Thomas, teamed to win the women’s tournament.

The 2012 USA 3x3 men’s team consisting of Adetayo Adesanya (Naperville, Ill.), Ira Brown (Corsicana, Texas), Tyree Hardge (Surprise, Ariz.) and Allen DuBois Williams (Tempe, Ariz.), reconvened in Colorado Springs, Colo., where they teamed to go 8-0 and win the 2012 USA Basketball 3x3 National Team Men’s Tournament that concluded on July 8.

The men’s and women’s teams were chosen to represent the United States by the 2012 USA Basketball 3x3 National Team Committee, consisting of USA Basketball 3x3 Program Director Travis Johnson, as well as Washington Wizards Vice President of Player Personnel Milt Newton and Deer Lakes High School (Cheswick, Pa.) boys basketball head coach Joe Lewandowski.

Johnson and Lewandowski are both in attendance at training camp this weekend to assist the teams in their preparation for the FIBA 3x3 World Championship.

Diggins, Hartley and Ogwumike all bring prior USA Basketball experience to the women’s USA 3x3 National Team. Diggins and Ogwumike were teammates on the 2011 USA World University Games Team that captured gold, Hartley and Ogwumike were teammates on the gold medalist 2010 USA FIBA Americas U18 Championship Team, Hartley played on the 2011 USA FIBA U19 World Championship Team that won gold and Diggins played on both the 2009 USA FIBA U19 World Championship and the 2008 USA FIBA Americas U18 Championship teams that won gold.

The members of the 2012 USA Basketball 3x3 National Teams will depart for Athens, Greece, on Monday.

The inaugural FIBA 3x3 World Championship features 24 men’s teams and 24 women’s national teams divided into four preliminary round groups of six teams each.  The U.S. men open against Turkey and Egypt on Aug. 23, then face England and Lebanon on Aug. 24, and close out preliminary play Aug. 25 against Romania.  The USA women open Aug. 23 and play Germany and Angola, then will take on Sri Lanka and Argentina on Aug. 24, and will conclude preliminary play versus Netherlands on Aug. 25. The top four finishing teams from each group advance to the Eight Finals to be played on Aug. 25, with winners advancing to the quarterfinals that will also be played Aug. 24. The semifinals, and the bronze and gold medal games, will be played Aug. 26.

About USA Basketball

Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men's and women's basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA sponsored international basketball competitions, as well as for some national competitions.

USA teams are the current men’s and women’s champions of the Olympics and FIBA World Championship; FIBA women’s U19 world champions; the men’s and women’s title holders for the FIBA U17 World Championship; and the men’s and women’s U18 and U16 FIBA Americas champions. USA Basketball currently ranks No. 1 in all five of FIBA's world ranking categories, including combined, men's, women's, boys and girls.

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