USA – Nelson expects high quality final at U17 Championship

TOULOUSE (2010 FIBA U17 World Championship for Women) – The USA will aim to take gold and finish with an unbeaten record when they take on hosts France in the final of the FIBA U17 World Championship for Women in Toulouse on Sunday.

The Americans pulled away in the second half to beat China 97-74 in their semi-final and go up against the home nation for the second time in the tournament.

They two finalists met on the opening day of the tournament with the USA cruising to a 70-45 win.

FIBA.com caught up with USA head coach Barbara Nelson to talk about the win over China, how they match up with France and the togetherness among her players.

FIBA: First of all, congratulations on reaching the final. Can you give us your thoughts on the semi-final against China?
Nelson: China are a very good team. They are the best free-throw and three-point shooting team. Meng Li was very hot at the beginning of the game. We had to change our defense to contain the three-point shot more than ever in this tournament. So I am proud of the way my team re-adjusted. I am extremely excited to be in the gold medal game. We are very fortunate.”

FIBA: Looking ahead to the final, what do you think of the match-up?
Nelson: It should be a very good game. France play a game that is very similar to ours so that it will be interesting for the fans to watch. We will have to keep a close eye on Christelle Diallo and their quick guards.

FIBA: You have a very deep team. It’s been said that your 12 players are interchangeable and that any of them could be in the starting five. That must be a great asset. So it begs the question, what is the process to select the best players in the USA?
Nelson: There is a committee that receives a list of names submitted by coaches from schools and AAU teams (amateur teams) across the country. Kids who play basketball are seen over and over again between the ages of nine and 18. We pick the ones we are interested in based on what we see in that list.

FIBA: Nowadays, basketball is a truly global game. Is the American brand of basketball still unique and if so, in what way?
Nelson: There was a time when American basketball was recognised for tall and strong players. But nowadays, you look at China or Australia and you see that they too can offer those kinds of players. But I think that in America we are the only ones able to have players who combine a great skill level with athleticism. We can run, we can jump, we can absorb the physical impact and all the while we play well at both ends of the floor.

FIBA: Off the court, your players can be seen to be very easy-going and relaxed, eating pizzas, ice-creams and dancing in the stands. Can one be afraid of a possible overconfidence on their part or is it just that there is great harmony within the team?
Nelson: Oh no, my players are not overconfident – never! They just love each other and get along extremely well. I am going to tell you something, during our preparations we had a 12-hour bus trip from Spain to get to Rodez. My players did not complain. On the contrary, they were very happy to get to spend so much time together on the road. It was a lot of fun during the trip. We did hair shows, we sang and danced. But when it is time to play basketball, they really are able to focus completely.

FIBA: When thinking about France, what usually comes to mind is Paris, the Eiffel tower. Were you surprised when you arrived in Rodez and saw that it was small and quaint?
Nelson: Well, there is no question about the fact it was even better! People there were extremely friendly and very welcoming. The town was warm, the food absolutely incredible. We really had a fantastic time in Rodez. We were right in the middle of the town, and everything was close by. We even saw the Tour de France, and we didn’t cheer us Lance Armstrong, we cheered on everybody!

FIBA: It’s a well-known fact that US President Barack Obama is a big basketball fan. Now, here is some breaking news for you: he has decided to resign from the White House and announced his return to the hardwood. What position would you see him playing out on the court?
Nelson: (Laughs) No way, I don’t trust your sources. Anyway, he definitely should stay in office. There is so much to take care of: dealing with the healthcare reform, finding employment for all…I definitely would advise him to stay in office!

FIBA/LOC