2012 WOMEN’S U18 CHAMPIONSHIP Golden Once Again, USA Women’s U18
“At times people think it (winning gold) might just be a forgone
conclusion and you just show up, but this team earned it, I’m telling you. They worked hard, we had a ton of adversity and it was never easy.”
USA Head Coach Katie Meier
players and finishing with nine after an injury sidelined another U.S. player, the USA women overcame that adversity to claim the gold medal with a perfect 5-0 slate at the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. In claiming the USA’s sixth-straight
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gold at the event, the Americans, guided by University of Miami head coach Katie Meier, qualified for the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. The USA Basketball Women’s
Junior National Team Committee announced the USA U18 roster on May 21 after three days of trials. The United States squad included
2011 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year Breanna Stewart (Cicero-North H.S./North Syracuse, N.Y.) and previous USA gold medalists Bashaara Graves (Clarksville H.S./ Clarksville, Tenn.); Imani Stafford (Winward School/Los Angeles, Calif.); Morgan Tuck (Bolingbrook H.S./ Bolingbrook, Ill.); and Jannah Tucker (New Town H.S./Randallstown, Md.). The team also featured three-time trials participant Moriah Jefferson (Texas Home Educators Sports Association/ Glenn Heights, Texas); two-time trials partici- pant Alexis Prince (Edgewater/ Orlando, Fla.); 2010 USA U16 National Team
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espite starting the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women with just 10
Above: The USA U16 squad rolled to a perfect 5-0 slate at the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. Below: Alexis Smith (#11), Morgan Tuck (#12) and Bashaara Graves (#13) enjoy a minute with the FIBA Americas U18 Championship trophy.
trials participants Kendall Cooper (St. Anthony H.S./ Carson, Calif.) and Allisha Gray (Washington County H.S/ Sandersville, Ga.); and USA Basketball newcomers Lexie Brown (North Gwinnett H.S./ Suwanee, Ga.); Michaela Mabrey (Manasquan H.S./Belmar, N.J.); and Brittney Sykes (University H.S./Newark, N.J.). Candice Agee (Silverado H.S./Victorville, Calif.) was selected to replace Stafford after she was unable to play due to an injury. Gray was injured during training camp and unable to compete, and Sykes, who returned home due to personal reasons, and both were not replaced. Assisting Meier along the sidelines
were collegiate head coaches Nikki Caldwell of Louisiana State University and Kelly Graves of Gonzaga University. Stewart, who has now captured gold
medals at the FIBA U17 and U19 World Championships and the U16 and U18 FIBA Americas Championships, was
Team Dominates En Route To 5-0 Record And Qualifying Spot For 2013 U19 Worlds
voted the tournament MVP. “I was really surprised I got that,
actually,” said the humble Stewart on her MVP award. "It's nice, but I'd rather have a gold medal." While Stewart ranked as the tourna-
ment’s second leading scorer (14.0 ppg.) and third leading rebounder (7.8 rpg), Tuck topped the tournament charts and set a new USA U18 record for scoring average at 17.8 ppg. and added 5.0 rpg. Following a week off after trials, the