Abby Cubillo facts for kids
| No. 8 – Canberra Capitals | ||||||||||||||
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| Guard | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | 18 May 1999 Darwin, Northern Territory |
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| Nationality | Australian | |||||||||||||
| High school | Lake Ginninderra College (Canberra, ACT) |
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| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | University of Canberra | |||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2018–present | |||||||||||||
| League | WNBL | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–present | Canberra Capitals | |||||||||||||
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Abby Cubillo (born 18 May 1999) is an Australian professional basketball player. She plays as a guard for the University of Canberra Capitals in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). Abby is a national champion and a world champion. She is also the first player born and raised in the Northern Territory to play in the WNBL.
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Early Life and Basketball Journey
Abby Lorna Cubillo was born in Darwin on 18 May 1999. Her father is one of the Larrakia, who are the traditional owners of the Darwin area. This means Abby is of Aboriginal Australian descent.
Abby moved from Darwin to Sydney, where she attended Barker College. While there, she won a gold medal at the Pacific School Games, showing her early talent in basketball.
Training at the Australian Institute of Sport
In November 2015, Abby was chosen for a special program at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra. The AIS is a top training center for young athletes in Australia. She was one of only eight players to get a spot in their basketball program.
Abby was the second person from the Northern Territory to receive an AIS basketball scholarship. The first was Toni Gabelish, who trained there in the early 1990s. While in Canberra, Abby also studied at the University of Canberra Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra.
Playing for Australia
Abby spent two years training at the AIS. During this time, she played for the Capitals Academy team in the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL). She also continued her studies at the University of Canberra.
In July 2016, Abby was the starting point guard for the Australia women's national under-17 basketball team, known as the Sapphires. They played in the 2016 FIBA Under-17 World Championship for Women in Spain. The Sapphires played incredibly well and won the gold medal, making Abby a world champion!
Later that year, in September, Abby was also chosen for the Australia women's national under-19 basketball team, called the Gems. This team was preparing for the 2017 FIBA Under-19 Women's Basketball World Cup in Italy.
Professional Career
Abby Cubillo made her professional debut in the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) on 12 October 2018. She played for the University of Canberra Capitals against the Sydney University Flames at Brydens Stadium.
This was a big moment because Abby became the first player born and raised in the Northern Territory to play in the WNBL. The Capitals won the game 97–78. Even though Abby was only on the court for a short time, she grabbed a rebound and made an assist.
National Champion
In December 2018, the WNBL held an Indigenous round. For this special event, Abby helped reveal the unique Indigenous-themed uniforms that the Capitals wore in their game against Perth Lynx.
The Capitals went on to win the WNBL finals that season. Even though Abby did not play in the final series, she was part of the team. This meant she became a national champion, a fantastic achievement for a young player!
