After a one-year break, adidas Eurocamp returned in 2025 with a tour model that saw many of the 3SSB Circuit’s top players compete internationally at a high level.
The team landed in Milan on June 9th and hit the ground running with a practice run by former Dallas Wings head coach Latricia Trammell. The team had that practice and a Tuesday morning shootaround to get prepared for its first test against Milano 3.
The 12-player squad slated to compete across northern Italy was a little short-handed with injuries to Oliviyah Edwards of Tacoma, Washington, and Kaleena Smith of Perris, California. Edwards made the trip but Smith was unable to travel.
After a slow start that saw the 3SSB Select squad score just seven first quarter points, the team found its groove, finishing with a 91-64 win. All 10 players scored, including three in double figures – Kate Harpring of Atlanta, Georgia (19 points, 5 steals), Bella Ragone 16 points, 7 rebounds), and Sunshine Garcia (13 points, 7 rebounds).
Lanelle Wright of Farmington, Minnesota, helped get the 3SSB Select squad of stars rolling with eight rebounds and five assists. She jumpstarted the vibe of getting others involved first, which was an adjustment for everyone on this squad who is used to being a primary scorer first. Lauren Hassell of Clarksville, Tennessee, threw a block party with five blocks in the game.
It was a great first step as the team built chemistry and familiarity with the pro-style coaching and pace in anticipation of the Friday showdown the Italian U18 national team, which FIBA has ranked 11th in the World entering the summer.
Thursday’s matchup was against an East Italy Selection squad, hosted by BFC Conegliano, about an hour outside of Venice. In front of a packed crowd, 3SSB Select took on a group of experienced players led by Lulu Luliano and Claudia Amabiglia. The intensity and growth in chemistry showed right off the bat. For the second game in a row everyone scored and this time five players finished in double-figures – Harpring with 24 points, Myah Epps of Fort Wayne, Indiana had 15 points as did Amari Byles of Cedar Hill, Texas, Ragone had 14 and Hassell finished with 12 points. Hassell also continued her dominance in the paint defensively with another four blocks. Wright led the way with four assists. Emelia Krstevski of Harbor City, California, had 10 rebounds, as did Byles, who notched the only double-double of the tour.
With the team clicking on all cylinders the big showdown against Italy’s U18 National Team was primed and ready.
It would be the Italians who struck first, executing their high ball-screen action flawlessly and for the first time during the tour a team out-rebounded their American counterparts. Italy would run out to a 10-point lead at the end of the first quarter. The Italians saw the lead cut to six before a 3-point barrage from Olivia Ostoni, who hit 5 of 9 from long range in the half, stretched the lead to 12. 3SSB Select would go on a run to close the gap at half to 56-51, outscoring Italy 34-29 in the second quarter.
The pace of the game swung significantly in the second half with the 3SSB Select group locking in defensively, allowing just 24 points in the second half to pull away with a 95-80 victory in front of a high-energy crowd rooting on their national team.
Byles was a force down the stretch. She finished with a game-high 21 points but more impressively she did it on just 12 shots from the field. She added five rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks, showing off why she’s considered one of the nation’s top prospects.
Adjusting to the international game is part of the journey and in this high intensity matchup several 3SSB Select players found themselves in foul trouble. Harpring, Hassell and Ragone all sat significant stretches of the game due to foul trouble. Making it tougher was the injury to Garcia at the end of the East Italy Selection game, which kept her out for the finale.
The 3SSB squad found new ways to work together and outscored Italy 44-24 in the second half. Defensively the 3SSB Select team had 17 steals, including four from both Harpring and Ragone, and three from Hassell along with her three blocks.
The growth of the group was impressive over the five days and the adjustments made to the FIBA rules and International style of play should pay dividends to all the players for years to come.
LEADERBOARD
POINTS (Total/Avg)
Harpring 58/19.3
Byles 44/14.7
Hassell 36/12.0
ASSISTS (Total)
Wright 12
Garcia 6
Epps 6
REBOUNDS (Total)
Krstevski 21
Byles 19
Ragone 17
REBOUNDS (Avg)
Krstevski 7.0
Garcia 6.5
Byles 6.3
3FG PERCENTAGE
Garcia 57.1%
Epps 50.0%
Mporokoso 44.4%
3FG MADE
Ragone 6
Garcia 4
Harpring 4
Mporokoso 4
2FG PERCENTAGE
Epps 58.5%
Ragone 54.6%
Harpring 54.1%
POINTS PER SHOT
Epps 1.47
Ragone 1.40
Garcia 1.33
