Menu
Brazil or bust
Local duo heads south for basketball
A local pair of basketball standouts is part of a delegation headed to Brazil this month to play basketball.
Layne Skiles, a Purdy alumna, and Madi Stokes, Cassville alumna, are part of the USA D-2 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams – Brazil Tour 2019.
Both currently play for Missouri Southern in Joplin.
The teams are made up of invited NCAA Division II basketball players from throughout the United States. Team members have been recognized at the national, regional and conference levels.
“This is an outstanding group of basketball players that come from 10 different state and 12 different colleges and universities from across the United States,” said Ron Smith, director of USA Sports Tours and Events. “We feel that we have some of the best of the best representing NCAA Division II basketball from across the country. These players have been high achievers both on the court and in the classroom. They represent everything good that the NCAA Division II institutions have to offer.”
The USA D-2 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams will begin their Brazil Tour 2019 in Orlando on July 22. The tour runs from July 22-31. After team orientation on July 22 in Orlando, the team departs for Sao Paulo, Brazil. The USA D-2 basketball teams will play their first games on July 24 in the city of Sorocaba and their second set of games on July 25 in the city of Jundiai versus their U22 Club Team. Both cities are in the state of Sao Paulo.
On Friday, July 26 the teams will fly to Rio de Janeiro. The teams will have time on Copacabana Beach, tour the world famous Christ the Redeemer Statue and Sugar Loaf Mountain. The teams will play on Saturday, July 27 and Monday, July 29 in Rio de Janeiro at the Botafogo Clube and Fluminense Clube. The team will depart Brazil on Wednesday morning of July 31 and return to the U.S.
While in Brazil the teams will experience educational, cultural and social aspects of Brazilian life through city, school and sports club visits. They will be conducting a youth clinic while in the city of Jundiai. While in Rio the team will stay on the world famous Copacabana Beach and tour the Christ the Redeemer Statue, Sugar Loaf Mountain, two of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, plus Ipanema Beach, the International Market (Ipanema) and the Lapa Steps.
Tentative Game Schedule
Wednesday, July 24
USA D-2 Women vs. Sorocaba
USA D-2 Men vs. Sorocaba
Thursday, July 25
USA D-2 Women vs. Jundiai
USA D-2 Men vs. Jundiai
Saturday, July 27
USA D-2 Women vs. Mangueira
USA D-2 Men vs. Botafogo
Monday, July 29
USA D-2 Women vs. Fluminense
USA D-2 Men vs. Fluminense
2019 USA D-2 Women’s Basketball Team - Brazil Tour
Cassie Askvig, University of Mary
Peyton Boom. Minnesota State University-Moorhead
Kiley Borowicz, Minnesota State University-Moorhead
Amber Buch, Missouri Southern State University
Halley Busse, Wayne State College
Kim Crown, University of Central Missouri
Coral Gillette, University of Mary
Alexis McAfee, Washburn University
Layne Skiles, Missouri Southern State University
Madi Stokes, Missouri Southern State University
USA D-2 Women’s Coaches
Head Coach – Ronnie Ressel (Head Coach, Missouri Southern State University)
Asst. Coach – Heather Davis (Assistant Coach, University of Central Oklahoma)