Kalamunda Eastern Suns SBL and Under 18 Metro Women's player Adrienne Jones has been named to the Australian Under 17 Women's team to compete in the inaugural FIBA Oceania U17 Championships in Brisbane.  Wanneroo member Donna Ironmonger was also selected to the role of Team Manager for the Women's side. Both will be representing WA and Australia from August 20-22. Basketball Australia reports below.

Basketball Australia has selected its men’s and women’s teams in the U17 age category.

The Australian men’s and women’s U17 teams will contest the inaugural FIBA Oceania U17 Championships at Vince Hickey Basketball Stadium in Auchenflower, Brisbane from August 20–22.

The winners will be crowned Oceania Champions and earn the right to take on the globe’s best junior basketball players at the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championships in Germany (men) and France (women).

The men’s team will be coached by former NBL Head Coach Guy Molloy, who coached the Australian U23 team at the 2005 World Championships in Argentina and has guided the Vic Metro U18 state team to three consecutive gold medals at the 2007, 2008 and 2009 national championships.

The women’s team will be coached by Peter Lonergan, who heads the NSW National Intensive Training Program and was an assistant coach with the Australian Opals when they won the FIBA World Championship for Women in 2006.

“This age group classification is an exciting new development in world basketball that provides an amazing opportunity for young athletes to test their skills among the world’s best players of the same age,” Basketball Australia’s General Manager of National Teams and Competitions Lorraine Landon said.

“We would like to congratulate the athletes and coaches selected to represent Australia and look forward to a vibrant series.”

Australia and New Zealand are the two competing nations at the FIBA Oceania U17 Championships, decided in a best-of-three games format.

Fans can purchase tickets at the venue.

The Australian U17 Women’s Team:
(Name – Junior Association / State team)

Aneeka SMITH – Sturt / SA Country
Tessa LAVEY – Bendigo / VIC Country
Mikhaela DONNELLY – Logan / QLD South
Lauren NICHOLSON – Sutherland / NSW Metro
Adrienne JONES – Willetton / WA Metro
Stephanie TALBOT – Eastern Mavericks / SA Country
Olivia THOMPSON – Forestville / SA Country
Sara BLICAVS – Melbourne / VIC Metro
Gretel TIPPETT – Brisbane / QLD South
Nadeen PAYNE – Hyats / QLD North
Rosie FADLJEVIC – Dandenong / VIC Metro
Tayla ROBERTS – Trojans / Tasmania

Reserves:
Jacinta VANDENBURG – Dandenong / VIC Metro
Hannah KASER – Dandenong / VIC Country
Maddison ALLEN - Port Hunter / NSW Country

Head Coach: Peter LONERGAN
Assistant coach:  Sandy TOMLEY
Assistant coach: Marissa FILLIPOU
Team Manager: Donna IRONMONGER
Physiotherapist:  Rosie MOLLOY

The Australian U17 Men’s Team:
(Name – Junior Association / State team)

Daniel HILL – Sutherland / NSW Metro
Mitch NORTON – Townsville / QLD North
Ashley CONSTABLE – Ballarat / VIC Country
Isaiah OMAMOGHO – South Adelaide / SA Metro
Taylor DYSON – Knox / VIC Metro
Garett SCHEIBNER – Brisbane / QLD South
Jarrod FRYAR – Ballarat / VIC country
Owen ODIGIE – Dandenong / VIC Metro
Phil CHIRCU – North Sydney / NSW Metro
Sam GILMORE – Diamond Valley / VIC Metro
Tom DOWNIE – Benalla / VIC Country
Daniel CARLIN – Central Districts / SA Metro

Reserves:
Andrija DUMOVIC – City of Sydney / NSW Metro
Sam POOLE – Shepparton / VIC Country
Stephen ROWE – Norths / ACT
Jake SADAUSKAS – Norwood / SA Metro

Head Coach: Guy MOLLOY
Assistant Coach: Paul JONES
Assistant coach: Alan McAUGHTRY
Team Manager: David REHN
Physiotherapist: Eirik ULVESTAD