Sophie Adams (left) and Ashlee Strawbridge. Photo supplied.National honours are again beckoning for two young Mid Canterbury basketballers, with one having been named in two national sides within a matter of days.

Ashburton College student Sophie Adams, and Ashlee Strawbridge – who now attends Rangi Ruru – have been named in the New Zealand Under-17 side which will head to Noumea in August to contest the FIBA Oceania Championships, while Strawbridge has also made the national under-18 side to contest the FIBA Under-18 3×3 World Cup in Mongolia.

She’ll join Sharne Pupuke-Robati, Tayla Dalton and Charlisse Leger-Walker for the tournament in Mongolia next week, in what’s likely to be an experience to remember.

The tournament will be played at the iconic Sukhbaatar Square on one centre court, with the 20 men’s and women’s teams divided into four groups of five teams for a round robin phase which will lead into elimination games.

Strawbridge and her Kiwi team-mates are in pool B which includes the team ranked second in the world, Russia, and world number seven Hungary, along with the USA and Poland.

The Kiwis are ranked 10th and will be seen as a threat by many, having won silver at the FIBA 3×3 Under-18 Asia Cup in 2018, losing to China 19-12 in the final.

China are the top ranked team at next week’s world event.

After that tournament’s over, Strawbridge will turn her attention back to the five-aside game and in August she’ll join Adams in the national under-17 side for the Noumea tournament.

The under-17 tournament in Noumea will run from August 19-24 and if the Kiwi girls can secure a top-two finish there it will secure them a place in the FIBA-Asia Under-18 Championships for 2020.

Adams and Strawbridge are also both part of the wider Canterbury Wildcats squad this year.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 31 May 2019