May 19, 2000 SEATTLE - Washington freshman basketball player Loree Payne (Havre, Mont.) is currently participating in the 2000 R. Williams Jones Cup Team Trials at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Trials continue through Monday, May 22. Payne, who finished her freshman season as the Huskies' leading scorer (17.4 ppg) was invited by USA Basketball, along with approximately 50 other elite women's college basketball players. Reports from camp say that her Trials scrimmage team was down 20 points Thursday night and Payne hit a three point basket to send it to overtime. She followed that with the game-winning shot. From the trials, a team of 12 players will be selected to compete in the R. William Jones Cup held July 16-20 in Taipei, Taiwan. The team is also slated to participate in a nationally televised exhibition game with the 2000 Olympic Team, September 3 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The trials are a part of the Summer Development Camp, a format designed to prepare the elite, collegiate athlete for international basketball competition and to learn what it takes to become an Olympian. Payne, a 6-foot guard, started all 30 games in her first season as a Husky. Her season total of 521 points shattered the freshman scoring record of 475, held by Carlin McClary since 1979. Payne was named to the Pac-10 Conference All-Freshman Team and earned All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors. Washington finished the year with a record of 8-22 overall.
Following is a list of the players who were invited to camp: |
