All 12 WNBA teams are represented with 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team finalists.
Four Minnesota Lynx players — Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, Maya Moore and Lindsay Whalen — are among 25 finalists selected by USA Basketball, the most of any league team, it was announced Monday.
“Naming the Olympic Team finalists is another step in our selection process,” said Carol Callan, USA Basketball Women’s National Team Director, in a released statement. “We eventually have to get down to a 12-member team. Because of the quality and talent in the USA National Team pool, every time we pare the list it is a difficult task.”
Augustus (2008, 2012) and Fowles (2008, 2012) are among six hopefuls as Olympic multiple gold medalists; Moore (2012) and Whalen (2012) are among four others with at least one gold medal — 10 current WNBAers in all.
The Lynx lead with four players, followed by Los Angeles and Phoenix with three and the other nine clubs with one each.
The U.S. owns the longest Olympic gold medal streak in women’s team sports with five straight.
USA Basketball will conduct a training camp Feb. 21-23 at the University of Connecticut. This minicamp is expected to be the final camp for team selections, which will be announced at a later date and will come from the finalists’ pool.
Globe-tracking the Lynx
Devereaux Peters and Renee Montgomery had impressive performances for their respective clubs in wins last weekend. Peters scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Wista Can-Pack Krakow. Montgomery had consecutive double-figure games: 16 points and 20 points for Canberra.
Augustus (Dyanamo Kursk) and Peters will be in action Wednesday in EuroLeague play.
Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.
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