In most high schools, the cardinal sin is checking your phone in class. But as up-and-coming basketball star Isabelle Bourne's phone continued to light up with texts from her parents, she finally read the message telling her to check her email. <\/p>\n
\"I checked it and I was just so shocked. I was in the middle of class and I just started smiling. I had to control myself a bit,\" she said. <\/p>\n
The email informed the 16-year-old Canberra Capitals development player that she had been selected in Australia's under-17's side and was headed to Guam for the Oceania championships, which start on Monday. <\/p>\n
After years honing her skills with coaches, her two older sisters and on her own, national selectors had rewarded the rangy wing's abilities and work ethic with her first Australian team selection. <\/p>\n
\"It's been one of my goals for a long time,\" she said with a huge smile and a laugh, suggesting both a sense of pride, and relief. \"I'm so excited.\" <\/p>\n
At the start of 2017, Bourne moved her belongings to the Australian Institute of Sport, starting a scholarship at Basketball Australia's centre of excellence. <\/p>\n
While the move is a huge step for most athletes, Bourne had received some of the best preparation available. <\/p>\n
Basketball ACT head of high performance Phil Brown headed the AIS women's team for 24 years, winning coach of the year and a WNBL title in 1999. <\/p>\n
Since his start at Basketball ACT in 2014, he has helped ready the tall teenager for the opportunities ahead. <\/p>\n
What started with older sister Emma sharing tips with Bourne in the family driveway developed to individual workouts with Brown and a host of other talented coaches around town. <\/p>\n
Bourne's height, speed and skillset allowed her to dominate smaller defenders in the post or blow by bigger ones from the perimeter. <\/p>\n
\"The first thing you see watching Issie play is her length and athleticism,\" Brown said. <\/p>\n
\"She is mobile and long, and that alone makes her stand out as a basketball athlete. <\/p>\n
\"She has been an impact player for ACT representative teams through under-16 and under-18 Australian championships, catching the attention of national selectors in the process.\" <\/p>\n
In February's under-18 national championships, Bourne finished seventh in points per game and second in rebounding, asserting herself against the top talents in the country. <\/p>\n
Off the back of that, now she's going to Guam. <\/p>\n
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More here: <\/p>\n
Canberra's Isabelle Bourne to make Australian debut at Oceania ... - The Canberra Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In most high schools, the cardinal sin is checking your phone in class. But as up-and-coming basketball star Isabelle Bourne's phone continued to light up with texts from her parents, she finally read the message telling her to check her email. \"I checked it and I was just so shocked Continue reading