HANDSWORTH secondary's old killer combination of Diana Lee and Kristjana Young will unite once more to help Team Canada fight for basketball glory at the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championships for Women scheduled for July 21-31 in Puerto Montt, ChileYoung and Lee were two of the 12 players named to the Junior Women's National Team roster last week. Lee is one of six players who suited up for the team last year and she is also coming off of a week training with the senior national team earlier this year. The five-footseven point guard played her freshman season at NCAA school Boise State last year.
Young, a six-foot slasher, suited up for the UBC Thunderbirds this past season. Both Young and Lee earned their way onto the starting lineups of their respective university teams during their freshman seasons.
The Young and Lee duo terrorized the British Columbia high school basketball scene for four years from 2006 to 2010, helping the Royals claim back-to-back AAA provincial titles in their Grade 11 and 12 seasons. Lee was named provincial tournament MVP in 2009 while Young earned the same honour in 2010.
Canada is one of 16 teams to qualify for the world championship tournament and will take on China on July 21, Egypt on July 22 and Italy on July 23 in the group stage.
Canada is making its fifth appearance at the FIBA tournament and also coming off their best showing - a fourth place finish in the last tournament, held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2009. The tournament website is chile2011. fiba.com.
aprest@nsnews.com
