Culloden Academy pupil to play for Scotland at international basketball tournament

EMILY Hill has been selected for the Scotland 3×3 basketball squad to compete at the School Games National Finals.

The fifth year Culloden Academy pupil has been called up for the national under-17 squad which will take on England, Wales and Ireland in Loughborough this weekend.

Hill (17) who plays for Inverness basketball club Highland Bears, has played for Scotland previously, but this is the first time she will be playing in the 3×3 version of the game for the national team.

The teenager, who plays at centre, is looking forward to the challenge of the tournament and is confident that they can do well.

“I competed for Scotland before, but this is the first time I will be playing in 3×3 basketball,” she said.

“I think this will be a good experience to play alongside different players and to experience the game in a different way.

“It was a surprise to be called up to the Scotland team as the opportunity just came up.

“I hope that we can play well as a team and that I can use my basketball strengths to the best of my ability.”

Earlier this year, Hill represented Scotland in the under-16 squad for the Four Nations Tournament in Ireland, with two other players from the Highland Bears, Charlotte Alexander and Grace Alexander.

She said 3×3 basketball is a different game to a regular game of five players on each team, but is confident that she will adapt well.

She said: “It is different to playing regular basketball, as it is played on a half court and is more about ball movement and looking for where open players are. It is a more tactical game.”

Hill previously lived in California, but didn’t take up basketball until she moved back to Scotland in 2020.

She said: “My cousins played basketball and I just fell in love with the sport after the first year.

“Since then I have been practising every week.

“I was selected to play for Scotland under-14 after my first year playing the game and then progressed to Scotland’s under-16 level.

“That has helped grow my performances a lot as a player.

“Basketball has also helped me develop as a person, get to know new people and gain more experiences.”

Hill says she is still undecided where she wants to take her basketball career, but at the moment is enjoying playing the game and having the chance to represent Scotland in international competition.

“I am not sure yet, but I think it would be really cool to go abroad and play basketball,” she said.

“To have the chance to experience that would be amazing.”

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.