Justine Colley will take to the world basketball stage today.
The East Preston native and Saint Mary’s Huskies-bound guard is suiting up for Canada at the FIBA world under-19 women’s basketball championship in Bangkok. Canada, which sits 13th in FIBA’s world ranking, opens the tournament against Russia this evening and will play nine games in 11 days.
“I think she’ll do very well,” said Huskies head coach Scott Munro. “Justine competes hard, she’s a good defender, she can set the table as a point guard, and she can score. She does a lot of things that allow her to contribute.”
Colley, who starred with the Halifax Grammar Gryphons in the high school ranks, was one of the most highly-recruited female basketball players from Nova Scotia in years. She eschewed a number of NCAA Division 1 offers to attend Saint Mary’s because she wanted to be closer to home.
The 18-year-old averaged 6.4 points and 3.4 rebounds at last summer’s FIBA Americas under-18 championship, playing a big role in helping Canada qualify for worlds.
She is a two-time MVP of the metro high school circuit and made national all-star teams three times while suiting up for Nova Scotia’s youth teams from 2002 to 2008.
