University of North Carolina Athletics
Larkins, Latta Finalists For USA Basketball Teams
May 23, 2005 | Women's Basketball
May 23, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina women's basketball players Erlana Larkins and Ivory Latta were announced among the finalists Sunday when USA Basketball narrowed the pool of players contending for spots on two teams that will compete internationally this summer.
Larkins, a rising sophomore forward/center from Riviera Beach, Fla., will be one of 15 finalists playing for a spot on the USA Women's U19 World Championship team. Latta, a rising junior guard from McConnells, S.C., is one of 16 who will compete for a position on the USA Women's World University Games team. Both rosters will be trimmed to 12 during upcoming training camps.
Joining Larkins as finalists for the U19 team are Jolene Anderson (Wisconsin); Nicky Anosike (Tennessee); Erika Arriaran (Norco, Calif.); Keshonda Carrier (LaGrange High School/Auburn); Essence Carson (Rutgers); Quianna Chaney (LSU); Marissa Coleman (St. Johns College High School/Maryland); Crystal Langhorne (Maryland); Courtney Paris (Piedmont High School/Oklahoma); Abby Waner (ThunderRidge High School/Duke); Candice Wiggins (Stanford); Earnesia Williams (Sapulpa High School/Texas); Christina Wirth (Seton Catholic High School/Vanderbilt) and Sharnee' Zoll (Virginia).
The Under 19 team will hold training camp June 3-7 in San Diego then participate in the 2005 International Sports Invitational at San Diego State, where the U.S. will play teams from Australia, China and Russia. In early July, the squad will go to Budapest, Hungary, for five days of training and two exhibition games against the Hungarian U19 team before traveling to Tunis, Tunisia, for the FIBA U19 World Championship Tournament July 15-24. The squad will be coached by Duke's Gail Goestenkors.
Joining Latta as finalists for the World University Games Team are Seimone Augustus (LSU); Alison Bales (Duke); Monique Currie (Duke); Jessica Davenport (Ohio State); Megan Duffy (Notre Dame); Candice Dupree (Temple); Sylvia Fowles (LSU); Erin Grant (Texas Tech); Brandie Hoskins (Ohio State); Shawntinice Polk (Arizona); Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers); Leah Rush (Oklahoma); Liz Shimek (Michigan State); Brooke Smith (Stanford); and Lisa Willis (UCLA).
The finalists will begin training camp in Colorado Springs on July 28. On Aug. 5, the squad will travel to Izmir, Turkey, and train there until the World University Games competition gets underway on Aug. 10. The women's basketball competition includes teams from 21 countries and will run through Aug. 19. The U.S. team will be coached by Harvard's Kathy Delaney-Smith.
Finalists for both teams were selected following USA Basketball trials May 19-21 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Tar Heel forward Camille Little, a rising junior, also participated in the trials, which included approximately 60 players competing for spots on the two squads.
