Paris Posts Another Double-Double For USA

TUNIS, Tunisia -- Even a day off and playing in the night's last game couldn't slow down the USA Women's U19 World Championship Team. Picking right up where it had left off, the USA continued its dominating play, handing Puerto Rico (1-3) a 116-28 loss behind a team effort that featured Candice Wiggins (Stanford/Poway, Calif.) finishing with 21 points Tuesday night in Tunis, Tunisia. The U.S. concludes preliminary round play in the 2005 FIBA U19 World Championship on Wednesday against 3-1 South Korea.

"I proud of the team for not losing their focus. Sometimes when you get big leads there's a tendency to really play sloppy basketball," said USA mentor Gail Goestenkors. "We stayed with our game plan, we executed, played great team basketball, played very, very unselfish basketball. I was proud of the team for staying focused throughout the 40 minute game."

This game's outcome was clear to see very quickly. Puerto Rico's Mari Placido opened the game's scoring with a 3-pointer and that was about it for Puerto Rico as the U.S. ripped off 15 straight points and only allowed Puerto Rico four more points the rest of the quarter.

Box Score | World Championship Schedule | USA Central

Wiggins got the U.S. started on its 15-0 run with a three that tied the game, and following a layup from Essence Carson (Rutgers/Paterson, N.J.), Wiggins dropped in another three, then added a layup, and the USA was off to the races.

The USA defense overwhelmed Puerto Rico and the islanders managed to shoot just 3-for-14 in the first 10 minutes. That, and their eight turnovers, sealed their fate.

The USA led 34-7 after the first quarter and proved just too much for Puerto Rico. At halftime the lead had grown to 65-17 and the U.S. had made 65.0 percent of its shots (26-40 FGs, 6-1 3pt FGs).

Puerto Rico scored the first points of the third quarter and those were its only points of the stanza as the U.S. scored 26 consecutive points to push its advantage to 91-19 after three quarters of play. And it was just more of the same in the fourth as the red, white and blue raced in for the 116-28 win.

All 12 U.S. players scored, including five in double figures. In addition to Wiggins 21 points, which came on 8-of-11 shooting, aiding the USA's victorious efforts were: Crystal Langhorne (Maryland/ Willingboro, N.J.), 17 points, on 7-of-10 shooting, and 12 rebounds; Courtney Paris (Piedmont H.S./Piedmont, Calif.), 14 points and 12 rebounds; Abby Waner (ThunderRidge H.S./Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 12 points; Marissa Coleman (St. John's College H.S./Cheltenham, Md.), 11 points. Christina Wirth (Seton Catholic H.S./Mesa, Ariz.) added nine points and Carson finished with nine points and a team best six steals as well.

Paris, who will join OU as a freshman in the fall, collected her second double-double of the tournament while improving her per game averages to 11.8 points and 7.5 rebounds. Despite being the youngest athlete on the squad, the Piedmont, Calif. native is the second leading rebounder and third leading scorer. Neither of the previous stats are her most impressive though, that mark would be her soaring .656 (21-for-32) field goal percentage.

The United States closes out preliminary play Wednesday and despite its 4-0 record, the number one seed from Group A has not yet been assured as South Korea and Russia sit right on the USA heels with 3-1 records.

"It's going to be a track meet," predicted Goestenkors about Wednesday's game against South Korea.. "South Korea is second in our pool in scoring, second in 3-point field goal percentage right behind us and first in steals. They average over 17 steals a game and the next closest team is at 11 steals a game. They really play the passing lanes, they press the entire game. We're going to have to take care of the basketball and play focused basketball because they make you play wild if you let them. You have to maintain your poise and focus and we have to take advantage of our size."

In other Tuesday preliminary round play, in Group A, South Korea outscored Congo (0-4) 77-65, while Russia (3-1) scored with 0.3 seconds left in overtime to nip Serbia and Montenegro (2-2) 88-87. In Group B action, Australia's (3-1) strong second half paved the way to an 82-73 win over Canada (1-3); China (4-0) kept its record clean after scoring an 88-54 win over host Tunisia (0-4); and in the nightcap, Spain (2-2) earned a critical 69-53 win over Hungary (2-2)..

Serving as assistant coaches to head coach Goestenkors are Felisha Legette-Jack, head coach at Hofstra University's (N.Y.), and Carol Ross, head mentor at the University of Mississippi.

To be eligible for the 2005 USA U19 World Championship Team, an athlete must have been born on or after Jan. 1, 1986 (19-years-old or younger).

Formerly known as the FIBA Women's Junior World Championship and held every four years since 1985, the U.S. boasts of a 24-10 overall record and has captured one gold and one bronze medal. In 2001, at the most recent tournament, a USA Basketball team piloted by University of Connecticut's Geno Auriemma and featuring players like Alana Beard and Diana Taurasi collected the bronze medal with a 6-1 record.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Paris Posts Another Double-Double For USA

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