Local youth makes national team

MOSES LAKE — While the rest of the Columbia Basin will be watching this weekend’s NBA All-Star game from the comfort of their living rooms, Moses Lake’s Jessica Loera, 11, will be living it.

Last month Jessica was one of just five girls chosen from more than 880,000 nominees to represent the 2008-2009 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA National Team at the NBA All-Star game this weekend in Phoenix.

Jessica, who plays basketball with the Moses Lake Parks and Recreation department, said she was excited about her selection.

“I was happy,” she said. “I was really surprised I got nominated.”

Jessica was nominated to the program by Lori Moholt-Phillips and Jessica made the top 49, her mother Lori Loera said.

After Jessica was picked to be in the top 49, she had to make a 3-minute video and submit it to the selection committee by Jan. 5, Lori Loera said.

“From that point we had to produce a 3-minute video tape over Christmas time,” she said. “(Jessica) talked about her goals, sportsmanship, leadership and all of that. Then she had to do some basketball skills. We heard back in the third week of January she was one of the top five girls.”

The Loera’s submitted their tape to the NBA before the deadline and were supposed to hear from the selection committee on Jan. 25.

When Jan. 22 came, Lori Loera called her daughter.

“My mom called and said she had big news,” Jessica said.

When she heard her mother had something important to tell her, Jessica said she wanted to know what day it was.

It was Jan. 22 and the Loera’s weren’t supposed to hear of the national team selection for three days, Lori Loera said. 

“When I told her I had some big news, (Jessica) said, ‘What’s the date today?’” Lori Loera said. “When I told her it was (Jan. 22) she said, ‘OK, it’s not that.’”

Jessica was wrong.

Her mother was calling to tell her daughter she was one of five girls selected to the 2008-2009 Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Nation Team.

With Jessica and her mother leaving for Phoenix this Friday, Jessica said she can’t wait to go.

“I am really, really excited,” she said. “I have been waiting for a long time to go.”

After finding out she was one of five people selected, Jessica said her mother told her she could tell her classmates.

“Mom said I could tell my class, so I told them,” she said. “They said no fair because I get to miss a school day.”

While Jessica will be making her first trip to the NBA All-Star game, this will be the second trip for her mother.

“Lightening struck twice in the Loera house,” she said.

Jessica’s older sister Jordan, who is a starter for the Chiefs basketball team, was selected to the 2004-2005 national team when she was Jessica’s age.

The Loeras will participate in the NBA All-Star game festivities, meet players, and play in an all-star game of their own this weekend.

While the NBA is rooted deeply in basketball, Lori Loera said the sport is not what the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program is about.

“The thing with this program is that it is not all about the basketball,” she said. “That is part of it. But it’s (about) the character building, what you do for the community, being a caring person for others. Definitely that was Jordan, that is Jessica, too. It’s about giving back.”