Four WAIS Athletes Named in Devils Squad

Four WAIS athletes have earned selection for the Australian squad set to compete at the 2015 International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) World Championships in China.

Paralympians Amber Merritt and Sarah Vinci were selected alongside fellow West Australians Georgia Inglis and Natalie Alexander for the tournament which will be held in Beijing from June 29 – July 7.

The Australian Devils will be coached by David Gould who has set some lofty targets for the squad.

“We are hoping to go one better than our 2011 result when we achieved silver,” he said.

“With three girls returning for their second Under-25 World Championships, we have a mix of experience and youth. Amber Merritt and Sarah Vinci represented Australia at the 2012 Paralympics.”

Gould said that experience guaranteed nothing however, and challenged his group to demand performance.

“Our goal is always to have pressure from beneath. No one owns their spot in the team. We will have our last training camp over the weekend where will be working on our final preparation before heading to Beijing at the end of the month.

“All the girls have been working extremely hard individually and as a team over the last twelve months and are looking forward to the challenge of taking on the world.”

Gould said a strong team ethos underpinned his sides ability to play an exciting brand of basketball.

“We will have a very quick team to play up-tempo basketball in transition,” he said.

“Our leadership group does an amazing job of setting our culture and standards on and off the court. By exposing as many of our up-and-coming players to our standards now, we hope it holds us in good stead for the future.”

The Australian Devils Under-25 squad: Natalie Alexander (WA), Georgia Bishop-Cash (NSW), Jessica Cronje (NSW), Hannah Dodd (NSW), Georgia Inglis (WA), Amber Merritt (WA), Georgia Munro-Cook (NSW), Catherine Nelson (NSW), Ella Sabljak (QLD), Sarah Vinci (WA)

-withBasketballAus