U16 Women to compete in top division of EuroBasket after promotion in 2024
GB’s U16 Women’s team are set to start their FIBA U16 Women’s EuroBasket campaign this Friday in Pitesti, Romania.
This will be the final youth level EuroBasket competition of the summer, before the Senior Men’s team jet off to Tampere, Finland at the end of the month.
Whilst it's been an exciting summer of British basketball across the board, with great strides made by each youth side, this competition has the potential to be the most exciting.
Last year, GB’s U16 Women’s team finished third in the FIBA U16 Women’s EuroBasket Division B, earning qualification to the top flight of European competition.
Here, they will relish the opportunity to test themselves against the continent’s elite, showing why GB belong amongst the upper echelons of international ball.
Head Coach Donnie MacDonald, who led GB in their promotion-winning efforts in 2024, will take charge once more, in the hopes that she can help establish GB amongst tough competition.
Neve Rugette - Loomis Chaffee School (USA)
Anya Scruton - Richmond Knights
Edith Sol Boniface - UEM Mataro (Spain)
Bella Rogers - Sports City Angels (USA)
Isey Guttormsdottir-Frost - Valur Reykjavik Basketball (Iceland)
Mojan Malek - Manchester Mystics
Caoimhe Stupart - Boroughmuir Blaze
Chantelle Okoli - Milton Keynes Breakers
Katie Hancock - Sheffield Hatters
Ophelia Larder-Lee - Sheffield Hatters
Nikita Cornford - Kingston Lions
Kyhanna Campbell - Nottingham Wildcats
Head Coach - Donnie MacDonald
Assistant Coach - Siobhan Prior
Assistant Coach - Callum Knox
Head of Delegation - Paula Charity
Team Manager - Sarah Wagstaff
Physio - Wura Ijelu
Physio - Kayleigh Jones
Strength and Condition Coach - Aiden Griggs
Performance Analyst - Ezekiel Oyede
Neve Rugette, Anya Scruton, Ophelia Larder-Lee, Caoimhe Stupart, and Mojan Malek all return alongside Head Coach MacDonald, having featured in the third-place finish last year, and are set to receive greater roles and responsibilities.
Rugette is one of two in the squad who have made the move to the US, playing her high school basketball for the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut. A crafty point guard, Neve uses her agility to weave her way to the basket and finish amongst taller defenders.
Also in America, Bella Rogers plays for the Sports City Angels whilst attending Loveland High School in Ohio. A 6’1” small forward, Rodgers provides a complete offensive game, secure with the fundamentals and able to score at every level. She will compete at her first EuroBasket this summer.
Caoimhe Stupart returns to the squad as well from last year’s successful campaign. She recently won the Basketball Scotland play-off finals with the Boroughmuir Blaze in East Kilbride, Scotland.
Ophelia Larder-Lee arrives for her second EuroBasket with GB U16s. She plays her club basketball alongside EuroBasket debutant Katie Hancock. Larder-Lee was named in the All-Star Five at the Junior Final Fours 2025 of the NBL, where she averaged a staggering 25.5 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game.
Mojan Malek also played for the 2024 squad. Malek won MVP of the U16 Girls National Cup earlier this year, scoring 22 points, and adding 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks in a stuffed box score performance. She provides another quality guard presence, handling the ball and distributing to her teammates.
Isey Guttormsdottir-Frost, 15-year-old sister of Bo Guttormsdottir-Frost, who starred in GB’s U18’s side as well as competing in the European Youth Olympic Festival in 3x3 and in the Senior Women’s EuroBasket, has been called up for her first EuroBasket competition. A talented young guard, Isey’s combination of high-level ball skills with her long 6’1” frame gives her a dynamic offensive edge.
Nikita Cornford is another one to look out for. An honourable mention in the Junior Final Fours in 2024, the Kingston Lions forward is a versatile athlete, winning the gold medal at the World Union of Karate-Do Federations held in Malmo this summer.
GB will take on Spain at 11:00 am (BST) on Friday, 15 August, before facing Slovenia at 1:30 pm (BST) on 16 August and Latvia at 1:30 pm (BST) on 17 August to round out Group A.