USA Women Storm To Second Consecutive FIBA U17 World Championship Crown With Sparkling 8-0 Mark
USA women once again stood atop the gold medal podium for the second time in as many tries at the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
W Following three days of trials, the
USA Basketball Women’s Developmental National Team Committee selected a 12-member roster for the 2012 USA Basketball Women’s U17 World Championship Team that consisted of two-time USA Basketball gold medalist Diamond DeShields (Norcross H.S./ Norcross, Ga.), six 2011 USA U16 gold medalists – Kaela Davis (Buford H.S./ Suwanee, Ga.); Rebecca Greenwell (Owensboro Catholic H.S./ Owesnboro, Ky.); Linnae Harper (Whitney Young H.S./ Chicago, Ill.); Erica McCall (Ridgeview H.S./ Bakersfield, Calif.); Taya Reimer (Hamilton Southeastern H.S./Fishers, Ind.); and Mercedes Russell (Springfield H.S./ Springfield, Ore.) – as well as first-time USA team members Lindsay Allen (St. John’s College H.S., D.C./Bowie, Md.); Oderah Chidom (Bishop O’Dowd H.S./Oakland, Calif.); Kai James (William T. Dwyer H.S./West Palm Beach, Fla.); Brianna Turner (Manvel H.S./Pearland, Texas); and Jessica Washington (Jenks H.S./Tulsa, Okla.).
Jill Rankin Schneider (Monterey
H.S., Texas) led the USA to its gold medal showing and was assisted by Gail Hook (Monarch H.S., Colo.) and Letitia Hughley (Mott C.C., Mich.). The trio helped qualify the USA for the U17 Worlds by virtue of their gold-medal
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inning its eight games by an average margin of victory of 35.0 points a game, the
finish at the 2011 FIBA Americas U16 Championship.
DeShields was named tournament
MVP and to the five-member all-tourna- ment team and Harper was also named to the five-member all-tournament team. Three U.S. players ranked as the
tournament’s best in various statistical categories. Allen listed No. 1 in assists (4.13 apg.) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.36), Harper was No. 1 in steals (4.25 spg.) and Russell was No. 1 in field goal percentage (.640). “They really played well at times,”
“They really played well at times. I'm just proud that they were able to win the gold medal for themselves because they've worked hard and they deserve it. They've been a great group to work with.”
USA Head Coach Jill Rankin Schneider
Below: The USA U17 team was convincing in its quest for the gold medal and the FIBA World Championship, winning its eight games by an averaged of 35.0 ppg.
Schneider said of her team. “I would have liked a little more consistency, but when you are in a tournament like this and you play as many games as they did, I'm not sure that's realistic. I'm just proud that they were able to win the gold medal for themselves because they've worked hard and they deserve it. They've been a great group to work with.” As a team, the USA listed first in 14
of 19 major statistical categories in the FIBA U17 World Championship, including scoring (90.8 ppg.), scoring margin (+35.0 pp.), field goal percentage
(.446), 3-point field goal percentage (.337), the rebounding margin (+18.5 rpg.), assists (17.0 apg.) and blocked shots (7.63 bpg.).
DeShields’ 14.8 ppg. set a USA U17
high, as did her 108 field goal attempts. Greenwell attempted a USA competition record 42 3-pointers, while Russell’s 64.0 percent from the field was a U.S. U17 record, as were Harper’s 34 steals.
As a team, the USA set rebounding
highs with 482 total and 60.2 rpg., as well as records of 7.6 bpg. and 15.5 spg. Lastly the USA bettered the field goals attempted