USA/NZL – USA women cut down Tall Ferns
BEIJING (Olympic Test Event) - The United States clinched their third straight victory at the 2008 Beijing Basketball Test Event with a 78-60 triumph over New Zealand on Wednesday evening. Leading 19-14 against a Tall Ferns side that has yet to win any of its four games, an 11-0 run that began at the end of the first quarter saw the USA take control for ...
BEIJING (Olympic Test Event) - The United States clinched their third straight victory at the 2008 Beijing Basketball Test Event with a 78-60 triumph over New Zealand on Wednesday evening.
Leading 19-14 against a Tall Ferns side that has yet to win any of its four games, an 11-0 run that began at the end of the first quarter saw the USA take control for good.
Anne Donovan’s team went to half-time ahead 48-22 and that advantage ballooned to 70-41 by the end of the third quarter.
With all but one (Swin Cash) of the USA starters on the bench for the final 10 minutes, New Zealand outscored the Americans 19-8 to make the score more respectable.
Sylvia Fowles had 14 points and Katie Smith 10 to lead a balance scoring attack for the three-time defending Olympic champions.
Every player scored for the United States, whose size advantage also showed in the battle for the rebounds as they grabbed 55 to just 35 for the Kiwis.
Crystal Langhorne had eight boards to go with her six points.
The result was not all that surprising, even though most of the players in this US team will not make the Olympic squad.
Several of the players like the Los Angeles Sparks top draft pick Candace Parker were unable to take part in this tournament.
Wednesday marked the first time that Donovan’s assistant coaches, Gail Goestenkors and former USA guard Dawn Staley, were on the bench, too.
Both just completed seasons with the American colleges teams they coach. Goestenkors is the boss of the University of Texas women’s team while Staley leads Temple University.
Captain Aneka Kerr had a game-high 17 points in defeat for New Zealand.
FIBA