Ginger May of Greenville recently has been chosen to compete in the USA Junior Nationals basketball competition to be held in Columbus, Ohio July 22-28.

She was chosen in late February to compete in the state round of play held in Tuscaloosa at the University of Alabama in March. She apparently did very well in the state round, as she has now been chosen to compete at the national level.

During the state round, athletes from all over Alabama are chosen to participate in the event, then placed on teams with people with whom they have never played before. The teams do not practice together until the week of the event and then must perform with these strangers in the competition.

May said when she found out she had been chosen for the national competition, she was surprised because the competition at the state level "was tough."

She said there were several games held at once in a large gym facility in a tournament-like set-up. She also said there were some tough competitors, such as one of her teammates who was 6'3".

The team that May played on also won every game they played during the competition. Members from each team were chosen to move on to nationals and compete on the Alabama Junior Nationals team in Ohio.

Once again, the team will not practice together until the week of the event, making for some tough adjusting and preparation for each team member.

May says she most likely will not be attending the national competition for a number of reasons, but she said she is excited about the offer and the opportunity. She said she probably will be competing in a barrel racing event in Jackson, Miss., that week.

"We were just so thrilled that she got chosen," said May's mother, Lynn. "Basketball is her first love.

"Yeah, I'm going to stay with that (basketball)," May said. "There's more action in it (as opposed to other sports)."

The competition, based in Madison, Wisconsin, "provides one of the top amateur competitions in the United States and offers its program to all athletes who have a high interest in basketball and are interested in developing their skills and techniques through statewide, national and international competition," according to the congratulatory letter program representatives sent May.

USA Junior Nationals offer one-day competitions at 37 sites throughout the U.S. during the spring and competitions are scheduled in four regions of the nation.

According to the letter, "athletes who demonstrate advanced skills, team leadership, competitive spirit and good sportsmanship go on to the next level of play which is the USA Junior National Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio."