Laila Phelia

Laila Phelia (born December 28, 2002) is an American college basketball player for the Michigan Wolverines. She represented the United States at the 2023 FIBA Women's AmeriCup and won a silver medal.

Laila Phelia
Phelia with Michigan at the 2023 Big Ten women's basketball tournament
No. 5 – Michigan Wolverines
PositionGuard
LeagueBig Ten Conference
Personal information
Born (2002-12-28) December 28, 2002
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Career information
High schoolMount Notre Dame (Reading, Ohio)
CollegeMichigan (2022–present)
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing  United States
FIBA Women's AmeriCup
Silver medal – second place2023 LeónTeam

High school career

Phelia played basketball for Mount Notre Dame High School in Reading, Ohio, where she was a four-time Girls Greater Catholic League first-team selection. As a freshman, she started 24 games and averaged 9.7 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. As a sophomore, she averaged 8.9 points and five rebounds per game, and helped lead the Cougars to the Division I state championship in 2019. As a junior, she averaged 13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.1 assists per game and helped lead the Cougars to a perfect 28–0 record and a regional championship before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a senior, she averaged 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game and led her team to another state championship in 2021.[1] She finished her high school career on a 72-game winning streak.[2] On April 27, 2020, she verbally committed to play basketball at Michigan.[3] She was ranked No. 28 by ESPN, No. 31 by Blue Star, No. 54 by ASGR and No. 57 by Prospects Nation.[4]

College career

Freshman season

During the 2021–22 season, Phelia appeared in 29 games with 14 starts, and averaged 8.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 22.9 minutes per game. She made her debut on November 9, 2021, in a game against IUPUI and recorded four points and four rebounds.[5] On December 19, 2021, she recorded 12 points, five rebounds, and two steals to help the Wolverines upset No. 5 Baylor, 74–68, in overtime during the Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Showcase. This marked Michigan's first win over a top-five opponent in program history.[6] She was subsequently named the Big Ten's co-freshmen of the week, and the USBWA National Freshman of the Week.[7][8] On February 6, 2022, she recorded a then career-high 24 points, four rebounds and three assists in a game against Iowa.[9] She scored in double figures nine times during the season. Following the season she was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team.[10][11]

Sophomore season

During the 2022–23 season, Phelia appeared in 26 games with 24 starts, and averaged 16.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 33.1 minutes per game. Phelia scored in double figures 23 times with eleven 20-point games. On November 16, 2022, she recorded a career-high 25 points, on 11-of-15 shooting, along with three rebounds, two steals and one block in a game against Western Michigan.[12][13] On November 27, 2022, during the final of the Gulf Coast Showcase against Baylor, she recorded 20 points and was named to the Gulf Coast Showcase All-Tournament Team.[14][15] On January 29, 2023, she suffered a leg injury in the final minutes of a game against Minnesota. At the time of her injury, she was the team's best defender and leading scorer.[16] She missed the month of February due to injury and returned on March 2, 2023, during the 2023 Big Ten women's basketball tournament. During the second-round game against Penn State she recorded 13 points and four rebounds.[17][18] Following the season, she was named to the All-Big Ten second team by both the coaches and media.[19][20]

National team career

On May 15, 2023, Phelia was named to the United States women's national basketball team for the 2023 FIBA Women's AmeriCup.[21][22] During the tournament she averaged 3.4 points, three rebounds and 1.1 steals in 20.9 minutes per game and won a silver medal. She played the fourth-most minutes on the team and held the second-best plus/minus average at +9.6.[23][24][25]

Personal life

Phelia's father, Greg, played basketball at Northern Kentucky from 1989 to 1993 and ranks 17th in program history with 1,310 points.[2]

References
  1. Weber, James (March 14, 2021). "Mount 'She played out of her mind.' MND, Bransford outlast Newark in 2OT for DI state title". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  2. "Laila Phelia Bio". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  3. Dermer, Shelby (April 27, 2020). "Mount Notre Dame junior guard Laila Phelia commits to University of Michigan". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  4. VanMetre, Sarah (November 11, 2020). "Wolverines Sign Trio to National Letters of Intent". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  5. VanMetre, Sarah (November 9, 2021). "Michigan Opens 2021-22 Campaign With Overtime Win Against IUPUI". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  6. VanMetre, Sarah (December 19, 2021). "U-M Takes Down Baylor in OT to Earn Program's First Win Over Top-Five Team". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  7. "Michigan's Kobe Bufkin, Laila Phelia earn Big Ten freshman of the week honors". The Detroit News. December 20, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  8. "Jones, Phelia Are USBWA Women's National, Freshman Players of the Week". sportswriters.net. December 21, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  9. VanMetre, Sarah (February 6, 2022). "Wolverines Hang On Against Iowa for Eighth Straight Win". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  10. VanMetre, Sarah (March 1, 2022). "KBA Named Coach of the Year; Hillmon, Brown and Phelia Honored by Big Ten". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  11. "2021-22 Big Ten Women's Basketball Honors Announced". BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. March 1, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  12. VanMetre, Sarah (November 16, 2022). "Kiser, Phelia Send Michigan Past Western Michigan". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  13. "Phelia, Kiser score 25 each, No. 23 Michigan women roll". apnews.com. November 16, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  14. Cushnir, Liza (November 27, 2022). "Michigan knocks off Baylor, 84-75, winning Gulf Coast Showcase". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  15. VanMetre, Sarah (November 27, 2022). "Wolverines End Game on 20-5 Run, Win Gulf Coast Showcase". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  16. Kahn, Andrew (February 21, 2023). "Michigan still adjusting without Laila Phelia, whose return date is unknown". MLive.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  17. Conlin, Jack (March 2, 2023). "Phelia makes immediate impact in return against Penn State". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  18. Ford, Ryan (March 2, 2023). "Big Ten women's basketball tournament: Michigan denies PSU, 63-61, in Laila Phelia's return". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  19. VanMetre, Sarah (February 28, 2023). "Brown, Kiser, Phelia Honored by Big Ten". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  20. "2022-23 Big Ten Women's Basketball Honors Announced". BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. February 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  21. VanMetre, Sarah (May 15, 2023). "Phelia Named to 2023 USA Basketball AmeriCup Team". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  22. Kahn, Andrew (May 15, 2023). "Michigan basketball player chosen for USA AmeriCup team". MLive.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  23. VanMetre, Sarah (July 10, 2023). "Phelia Helps USA Basketball to Silver at AmeriCup". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  24. Kahn, Andrew (July 10, 2023). "Michigan basketball player medals at international tournament". MLive.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  25. "FIBA: Cincinnati stars contribute to AmeriCup success". The Cincinnati Enquirer. July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
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