Full Court Prep
Chiney Ogwumike Named McDonald’s All-American Player of the Year
By Lee Michaelson
Publisher
Chiney Ogwumike was named this year’s recipient of the Morgan Wooten Player-of-the-Year Award for her accomplishments on and off the court, McDonald’s and Coach Wooten announced Wednesday.
Ogwumike, a three-year all-state selection from Cy-Fair High School in Cypress, Texas is the ninth annual female winner of the award, joining such women’s basketball stars as Maya Moore (2007), Tina Charles (2006), Candace Parker (2004) and Ivory Latta (2003). Ogwumike was selected from a group of finalists that including Odyssey Sims (irving MacArthur High School, Irving, Texas), winner of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Player of the Year Award, as well as Bria Hartley (North Babylon High School, North Babylon, New York), Kaneisha Horn (Ramsay High School, Birmingham, Alabama), and Natasha Howard (Toledo Waite High School, Toledo, Ohio).
McDonald’s Player of the Year Finalists Announced
By Lee Michaelson
Publisher
Chelsea Gray (St. Mary’s High School – Stockton, CA), Bria Hartley (North Babylon High School – North Babylon, NY, Kaneisha Horn (Ramsay High School – Birmingham, AL), Natasha Howard (Toledo Waite High School – Toledo, OH), Chiney Ogwumike (Cy-Fair High School – Cypress, TX) and Odyssey Sims (Irving MacArthur High School – Irving, TX) are the six finalists for this year’s Morgan Wootten Player of the Year Award, McDonald’s announced today. Sims has previously been announced as the winner of the WBCA’s National High School Player of the Year Award.
The annual award, named after DeMatha High School coaching legend Morgan Wootten, who heads the McDonald’s All-American Selection Committee, recognizes the nation’s top boys and girls high school senior student-athletes. In addition to their skills on the court, the winners of the prestigious award must demonstrate outstanding character, exhibit leadership, and embody the values of being a student-athlete, both in the classroom and in the community.
Winners of the award will be announced March 10, 2010. The 2010 McDonald’s All American Basketball Games will be played on March 31 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The Girls Game tips off at 5:30 p.m. ET, and will broadcast live on ESPNU, with the Boys’ Game, also nationally telecast, to follow immediately afterward.
Proceeds from the 2010 McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Games will go to Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) of Central Ohio. Millions of dollars have been raised since the first Game was played in 1978.
USA Draws Group A for 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship
By Hoopsgal
Publisher
Team USA will compete against France, Canada, Japan, Russia and Turkey Group A of the preliminary round of the inaugural FIBA U17 World Championship for Women, slated to take place in Rodez and Toulouse, France, from July 16-25 of this year. Six other teams—Argentina, Australia, Belgium, China, Mali and Spain Will participate in Group B, based on the draw conducted by FIBA today.
Up first for the Americans, who qualified for the tournament after running the table last summer by 70 point-per-game margins on the way to the gold medal in the 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women in Mexico City, is host country France on July 16. The US next meets Russia on July 17, followed by Canada, its closest competitor in the U16 Championships (July 18), Turkey (July 20) and Japan (July 21).
“I am excited about our draw for the tournament,” said Barb Nelson, USA U17 and Wingate University head coach. “Competing against the host team in France will make for an exciting game for the players and the fans. We are familiar with Canada as we played them in the FIBA Americas championship last summer, and Russia, Turkey and Japan typically are very disciplined and well coached. I am excited to watch film on all of the teams as we know very little about them at this point other than we are all striving to win the gold medal.”
- McDonald’s All-American Squads Announced
- Wingate’s Nelson to Head USA Basketball U17 Team
- Sims Named WBCA High School Player of the Year; WBCA High School All Americans Announced
- Full Court High School Top 25: Week of January 27, 2010
- True Confessions - Rating High School Basketball Talent is Far from a Science
- Destiny Williams Leaves Illinois for Baylor
- Brea Olinda Upsets Top-Ranked Mater Dei in Southern California Prep Shoot-Out
- Holiday Tournaments Spotlight Prep Standouts: East
- Versyp, Dunn To Be Honored by Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame
- Plenty of Prep Talent on Display at Dunbar Lady Tiger Invitational/ Aspire Elite Classic
- Injuries—At All Levels—Must Be Taken Seriously
- St. Mary’s, Mater Dei to Face Off in Nike Tournament of Champions Final
- Great Match-Ups On Tap as Nike Tournament of Champions Reaches Semifinals
- Nike Tournament of Champions Updates
- Sister Act: St. Anthony Saints Bring Family Atmosphere to the Court
- 2009 Nike Tournament of Champions Kicks Off Friday—No “Gimme” Games Here
- Stanford Snares Nation’s Top Recruit
- LA’s Oldest Fall League for Girls Offers Opportunity to Run, Gun and Have Some Fun
- Full Court Prep: No Lone Star in Texas
- “Peak by Friday” Coaching: Sacrificing Players’ Futures on the Altar of This Week’s Win
- Coaches’ Corner: Rest and Recovery—Making the Most of Your “Get Away” (Part 2)
- Coaches’ Corner: Rest and Recovery—Making the Most of Your “Get Away” (Part I)
- U.S. Wins U16 Gold with 103-52 Win Over Canada; Argentina Takes Bronze over Brazil
- Tours de Force by U.S. Teens Suggests a Dominant Future for U.S. in International Women’s Basketball
- U.S., Canadian Teens Advance to Gold Medal Round of FIBA Americas Women’s U16 Championships
- U.S. Sails Past Puerto Rico, Secures Spot in Women’s U16 Semifinals
- U.S. Teens Off to a White-Hot Start with 128-17 Blow-Out of Dominican Republic
- Coaches’ Corner: Late Summer, Early Fall a Crucial Time for Athletic Conditioning
- U.S. Teens Kick Off Quest for FIBA Americas Gold
- High School Recruiting Bans: Cheating the Kids?

