USA Women's U18 National Team Tops Chile, Moves On to Gold Medal Game
June 27, 2010- Will Play Brazil For Gold On June 27 At 5:45 P.M. -
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Another quick start and strong finish pushed the USA Women's U18 National Team (4-0) within one win of its ultimate goal.
Eight different U.S. players scored at least eight points on June 26, leading the Americans to a 98-28 win over Chile (2-2) in a medal semfinal game of the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
The win puts the USA in the gold medal game against Brazil (3-1), a 50-49 winner over Canada in Saturday's other medal semfinal, at 5:45 p.m. on June 27. The game is not only a rematch of the USA's 89-46 triumph over the Brazilians during preliminary round play but also several rounds of scrimmages in the days leading up to the tournament.
"We're going to find a way to get our team focused on some different things and understanding that, 'Hey, when you're playing for a gold medal, all bets are off,' " said Jen Rizzotti, USA and University of Hartford head coach. "You don't know how that team is going to come out and play. So we can't rely on the result of the first time we met, and we have to treat it like it's a brand new basketball game."
Chiney Ogwumike (Cy-Fair H.S./Cypress, Texas) again led the USA with 17 points and seven rebounds against Chile. Kayla McBride (Villa Maria Academy/Erie, Pa.) had 10 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists, while Theresa Plaisance (Vandebilt Catholic H.S./Marerro, La.) had 11 points and six rebounds.
Reshanda Gray (Washington Prep H.S./Los Angeles, Calif.) finished with nine points and eight rebounds, while Diamond DeShields (Norcross H.S./Norcross, Ga), Bria Hartley (North Babylon H.S./North Babylon, N.Y.), Malina Howard (Twinsburg H.S./Twinsburg, Ohio) and Alexis Jones (MacArthur H.S./Irving, Texas) each scored eight points.
Overall, the USA shot 53.1 percent from the field and scored 72 of their 98 points in the paint, in addition to out-rebounding Chile, 59-10.
"Our kids have done a phenomenal job over the last three weeks of growing in that area and understanding that that's the easiest bucket you can have is around the basket," Rizzotti said. "We went from being a jump-shooting team two weeks ago to a team that really looks for our post players, and I'm very pleased with that."
Having beaten Brazil previously and several times in pre-tournament scrimmages, the USA does not appear to be looking past its opponent.
"I don't think so, because we know what's at stake - that gold medal," McBride said. "Even though we have beat them four times or whatever, including scrimmages, I just think we have to come out and play our game, and we should be fine."
Chile (2-2) and Canada (3-1) will play for the bronze medal on June 27 at 3:30 p.m. Argentina (2-2) and Mexico (2-2), despite being out of medal contention, will play at 1:15 in an important fifth-place game to determine who earns this tournament's final berth in the 2011 U19 World Championship in Chile.
The top four finishers in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship, plus Chile as the host nation, qualify for next year's U19 Worlds. Since Chile (2-2) is one of the top four, the fifth-place finisher will earn a berth to the U19 Worlds.
Costa Rica (0-4) and Puerto Rico (0-4) will play at 11 a.m. on June 27 for seventh place.
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