Paris Back to Team USA Camp

Sept. 5, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma junior Courtney Paris leaves for New York this week to join the USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team as they prepare for the upcoming FIBA Americas Championship.

Paris, one of three active collegians on the 22-member team, begins training with the U.S. team Friday, Sept. 7, at John Jay College in New York City, in hopes to earn a spot on the final 12-woman roster that will travel to the tournament in Chile.

"People have said over and over that it's not my year (to make the senior national team)," Paris said, "but I'm going to go out there, work my hardest and get better - what I always do on these trips.

"Hopefully, I'll earn a spot on the team but, if not, I've got a lot to look forward to in Oklahoma."

It will be Paris' second stint with the Senior National Team after competing in its Tour of Italy in April. The U.S. went 4-0 against all-star Italian squads with Paris' contribution increasing each game.

Paris has been a fixture on seven gold-medal-winning USA Basketball teams, most recently helping the Under 21 National Team win the 2007 FIBA U21 World Championship in July.

The FIBA Americans Championship is slated for Sept. 26-30 in Valdivia, Chile. The champion earns an automatic berth in the 2008 Olympic Games. In addition to the United States, teams participating include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Jamaica and Mexico.

Should the United States not win, gold the team will have the chance to qualify for the Olympics at the 2008 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, June 9-15, at a site to be determined.

The U.S. will train at John Jay College Sept. 7-12 before moving to Temple University, Philadelphia, for workouts Sept. 13-17. The USA tunes up against the Australia National Team in two contests, scheduled for Sept. 16 in Trenton, N.J., and Sept. 19 in Uncasville, Conn., prior to departing for Chile.

The WNBA's Seattle Storm head coach Anne Donovan leads the USA with assistants Mike Thibault, the 2006 WNBA Coach of the Year, and collegiate head coaches Gail Goestenkors (Texas) and Dawn Staley (Temple).

All healthy members who are not participating in the WNBA Championship finals are expected to report to camp.

Tamika Catchings, who underwent surgery Wednesday after suffering a torn right Achilles tendon in the Indiana Fever's loss to the Detroit Shock in Game 3 of the WNBA Eastern Conference finals Monday, has been scratched from the USA lineup.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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