Tualatin's Love Lei Best leads Northwest contingent to U16 National Team tryouts

Freshmen Jayla Lackey of Benson and Amy Nduka of Eastside Catholic also headed to Colorado Springs for national team camp

Tualatin freshman Love Lei Best is one of 52 basketball players selected for the USA Basketball Women's U16 National Team trials next week in Colorado. / Dan Brood

Love Lei Best's fabulous freshman season rolls on.

The Tualatin wunderkind point guard was one of 52 players from around the country selected to participate in the USA Basketball Women's U16 National Team trials starting May 21 in Colorado Springs.

Also headed to Colorado Springs are Benson freshman forward Jayla Lackey and Eastside Catholic freshman post Amy Nduka, making up the Pacific Northwest contingent of players hoping to make the 12-player roster for the FIBA U16 Women's AmeriCup from June 16-22 in Irapuato, Mexico.

Best was a first-team High School On SI/SBLive Oregon all-state selection for the Timberwolves last season in leading the program to its first Class 6A state championship. She averaged 15.1 points, 4.4 assists and four steals per game.

Lackey was a first-team all-PIL selection for the Astros, leading them to the second round of the 6A state playoffs.

Eastside Catholic's Amy Nduka / Photo by Todd Milles

Nduka led a young Crusaders team to a 3A Metro League district title and was a second-team SBLive Washington all-state pick.

The United States has won the gold medal at the FIBA U16 Women's AmeriCup competition in seven of the eight editions, including the past four.

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