sports 78 THE QUEENS COURIER • FEBRUARY 16, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM Jamaica Estates high school basketball player makes all-star team BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI smonteverdi@qns.com @smont76 An outstanding basketball player at a high school in Jamaica Estates has been selected to play on a national all-star team. Danielle Patterson, a senior at Th e Mary Louis Academy, was chosen out of hundreds of high school student athletes Queens Olympic gold medalist Dalilah Muhammad runs at Millrose Games BY JOSEPH SWIFT @JSwiftSports Photos by Joseph Swift Th e New Balance Armory Track & Field Center was home to the 110th running of the New York Road Runners Millrose Games on Saturday, Feb. 11. Th e Millrose Games is one of track and fi eld’s premier meets during the indoor season. Th e meet moved to the Armory in Washington Heights in 2012 aft er being held at Madison Square Garden from 1914 to 2011. Olympic Gold Medalist in the 400- meter hurdles, and graduate of Benjamin Cardozo High School, Dalilah Muhammad made her triumphant return to the Armory Saturday evening. Muhammad competed in the w omen’s 500-meters, (two and a half laps around the Armory oval) which is a race she has seldom run. Muhammad placed third with a time of 1:09.66. She used this race to test her fi tness and prepare for the outdoor season. “Every race I do is preparing me for the 400-meter hurdles,” Muhammad said. th Garden G hur Benjamin Mu phant retu om half ov s to play on the 2017 McDonald’s All American Girls Team, joining the ranks of past participants such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Candace Parker. Th e allstar event will take place on March 29 at Chicago’s United Center. Patterson, a forward for Th e Mary Louis Hilltoppers, spoke humbly about the honor at a press conference on Feb. 13 at the school. Th e player took time to thank her family, coaches, trainers, teammates and the entire school community for their ongoing support and encouragement. “As a young girl playing basketball, you dream about a moment like this time and time again,” Patterson said. “And now, for it to actually come true is an extreme honor.” Head coach JoAnn Arbitello-Pinnock, who is also a Mary Louis alumna, said that Patterson tried out for the under 18 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball team last summer. “I think that’s where the selection committee did a large part of the viewing for the girls that were selected,” Arbitello- Pinnock said. “And also, just based on her ability to play in the games that she’s played in.” Th e head coach also spoke about Patterson’s exceptional drive and character. “Danielle is a phenomenal student athlete,” Arbitello-Pinnock said. “She works hard on and off the court. She is a great teammate. She just exemplifi es what a student athlete really is, and we’re so proud of her.” Aft er graduation, Patterson will attend Notre Dame on a full scholarship and play for the women’s basketball team. “Being a part of Hilltopper nation is more than I could have ever hoped for, and the experiences that I have had here will follow me into college next year,” Patterson said. Th is year’s boys and girls all-star teams were selected from more than 750 nominees by the McDonald’s All American Games selection committee, which is led by Morgan Wootten, a hall-of-fame basketball coach. “Th e boys and girls selected to the McDonald’s All American Games 2017 rosters represent the future of basketball,” Wootten said. “We’re excited to see their talent on display in Chicago and look forward to following their respective careers.” Th e girls game begins at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29, and will be televised live on ESPN2. For more information about the McDonald’s All American Games, visit mcdonaldsallamerican.com. Photos by Suzanne Monteverdi/QNS Danielle Patterson stands with her parents and head coach.
QC02162017
To see the actual publication please follow the link above