Angel Reese dominates in first game for USA in win over Venezuela

LEON (Mexico) - In her first game playing for Team USA, Angel Reese recorded a near double-double performance as USA held off a feisty Venezuela team in the fourth quarter to win their first game of the 2023 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 80-54 on Saturday afternoon at Domo de la Feria in León, Guanajuato, Mexico.

USA held Venezuela to just five points in the first quarter while Deja Kelly and Charisma Osborne led the scoring for USA and four other players all got on the scoreboard as USA led 20-5.

Venezuela put up 19 shot attempts in the first quarter but could not sink a shot over a stifling USA defense that controlled the paint and the boards.

In the second quarter Janiah Barker added 7 points herself for USA while Rayah Marshall dominated the boards grabbing 9 total rebounds including 6 on the defensive glass.

Daniela Wallen led Venezuela in scoring at the half but as they had no answer for USA’s defense they trailed 50-16 at the break.

However, Venezuela would not give up despite facing the defending AmeriCup champions and kept pushing offensively in the second half, scoring 14 points in the third quarter and even outscoring USA 24-14 in the final frame.

But with Rickea Jackson, Reese and Barker all in double digits while eight members of Team USA scored 6 or more points in the match, Venezuela could not close the gap despite Wallen putting up 9 second half points and Aguehil Fajardo Girall adding 10.

Depth and rebounding separated the two teams as USA controlled the boards on both ends of the game, out-rebounding Venezuela 62-33. But Venezuela still stayed in the game, grabbing 11 steals playing quick defense and with Waleska Perez making plays started to close the once 34-point gap in the final quarter.

But as USA hit 47 percent of their shots while also grabbing 48 defensive rebounds and keep Venezuela from scoring any second chance points, they held of a feisty Venezuela team that showed their endurance in the final minutes.

Reese finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds, Jackson added 11 points and 5 rebounds, and Marshall finished with 7 points and a dominant 14 rebounds in USA’s first win of the competition.

Wallen finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists for Venezuela in the loss while Girall added 10 points and Perez added 6 points and 7 assists.

FIBA