A key asset during Cumberland Valley's trek to the PIAA Class AAAA final in March, freshman Kelly Jekot is now vying for a roster spot on the USA Basketball Women's U16 Team.
Jekot, the Eagles 6-0 shooting guard, has already survived two rounds of cuts at the USA Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. As of Sunday morning, 95 girls from across the country remained for one of 12 roster spots.
Sue Phillips, head coach at Archbishop Mitty High School in California, will coach the U16 National Team that will compete at the 2013 FIBA Americas U16 Championships in Cancun, Mexico, June 19-23. The Trials will continue through Memorial Day weekend with as many as two cuts a day.
The FIBA Americas will feature eight U16 national teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean, with the top four finishing teams qualifying for the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship.
Jekot, who averaged 12.1 points per game in her first varsity season, recorded 42 3-pointers, 94 assists and nearly 200 rebounds this season. A Patriot-News Big 15 selection, Jekot and the Eagles ended a 26-7 campaign with a 60-45 loss to Spring-Ford in the Class AAAA final in Hershey.
Jekot is one of four players from Pennsylvania still vying for roster spots in Colorado Springs. Blackhawk sophomore guard Chassidy Omogrosso, Pottsville freshman guard Sadie Cresswell and East Stroudsburg-South junior guard Cy Lippold round out the list.
Midstate fans can follow Jekot's progress at USA Basketball.
Epler on Twitter: @threejacker