KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Shawnee Mission West High School’s S’Mya Nichols made the cut for the USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team.
She was among 12 of the 30 finalists who competed for roster spots during trials over a four-day span in Colorado Springs. The team was officially announced on June 3.
Team USA is set to play in the 2022 FIBA U18 Women’s Americans Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which runs from June 13-19.
In preliminary round group play, the team first faces off against Colombia at 1:30 p.m. June 13. Team USA then takes on Puerto Rico at 1:30 p.m. June 14 before the final day of group play on June 15 against El Salvador, with tipoff set for 1:30 p.m.
Nichols is only one of four players on the roster that is set to graduate in 2023.
The other eight players are committed to power five conferences: Isuneh Brady (Connecticut), Kailyn Gilbert (Arizona), Londynn Jones (UCLA), Cotie McMahon (Ohio State), Indya Nivar (Stanford), Justine Pissott (Tennessee), Kiki Rice (UCLA) and Grace VanSlooten (Oregon).
Team USA has won gold in nine of the last 10 FIBA U18 Women’s Americas Championships since 1996.
The team will be coached by Joni Taylor of Texas A&M.