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Team USA wins FIBA AmeriCup, Japan wins Asia Cup

By Bria Felicien

CORCAL GABLES, FL - SEPTEMBER 18: The 2019 USA Women's National Team poses for a team photo during the National Team Camp on September 18, 2019 at Watsco Center at University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
CORCAL GABLES, FL - SEPTEMBER 18: The 2019 USA Women's National Team poses for a team photo during the National Team Camp on September 18, 2019 at Watsco Center at University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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More gold for USA Basketball; Japan wins in Asia

The USA basketball women’s national team won gold at the 2019 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup tournament, capping an undefeated, dominant run in Puerto Rico.

“Winning gold never gets old,” said national team head coach Dawn Staley. “It’s gold or failure, and we put that pressure on ourselves. I’m glad we came out victorious.”

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To win the medal, Team USA beat Canada, silver medalists, 67-46. The 21-point win was the U.S.’s second-smallest margin of victory in the tournament. The 16-point win over Brazil to close out the group stage was the closest game Team USA played with the “young” group that made up the AmeriCup roster.

“Our national team program is going to be in great hands,” Staley said. “As long as the players commit to it, which they do time and time again, Cheryl (Reeve) and Dan (Hughes) both have won championships, they know what it’s like to be under pressure to win basketball games and we’re going to pass the baton to let them have it throughout the next stage. I’m super excited to see how they’re going to take our team to the next level.”

In the gold-medal game, the U.S. was led by Tina Charles (12 points, 11 rebounds), Sylvia Fowles (12 points, 6 rebounds) and Jordin Canada (11 points, 6 rebounds). Fowles was named the MVP of the tournament, averaging 13.2 points and 7.8 rebounds and shooting 76.6 percent from the floor throughout the week of games.

“I think I just went out there and played my game,” said Fowles via release, discussing her MVP honor. “Normally when I’m on a platform like this, I tend to rush and speed up. I think I’m at the age now where I can slow down and let the game come to me. I think that’s what I did throughout this tournament, I just let the game come to me and played well for the most part.”

Four other WNBA players made the AmeriCup All-Star Five Team: Canada, DeShields for Team USA, Kayla Alexander for Team Canada and Damiris Dantas, who competed for the Brazil team that won the bronze medal. Hosts Puerto Rico finished the tournament in fourth place.

Over in India, Team Japan took home its fourth-straight gold in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup after beating silver medalists China 71-68. Australia (sans Liz Cambage, coached by Sandy Brondello) finished third and Korea finished fourth. FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2019 All-Star Five consisted of MVP Nako Motohashi (Japan), who averaged 17.0 points, 5.0 assists per game, Yuki Miyazawa (Japan), Shao Ting (China), Han Xu (China) and Rebecca Allen (Australia).

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