Paris, USA Playing for Gold Sunday

Box Score | Paris, Team USA 'Chillin' in Chile'

VALDIVIA, Chile -- Courtney Paris will be playing for a gold medal. So what else is new?

Paris scored two points and grabbed four rebounds as the USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team doubled Argentina, 106-53, in Saturday's semifinal matchup at the FIBA Americas Tournament.

The United States (4-0) advances to the tournament's gold-medal game and is one win away from an automatic berth in the 2008 Olympic Games. The U.S. meets Cuba, who nipped Brazil 69-67 in the other semifinal, in the final for a rematch of the opening game of the tournament.

"I thought it was another great effort on our part," U.S. head coach Anne Donovan said. "Defensively we came out focused and took charge of the game right from the beginning, I was really pleased with that. Our running game was top notch. From start to finish I thought we handled it well."

Rebekkah Brunson came off the bench to score a game-leading 20 points for the USA. Candace Parker added 17 and Seimone Augustus scored 11.

Parker scored the game's first six points as the U.S. opened with a 13-2 run, setting the tone for a 28-9 first-quarter lead.

The starting five sat during the second quarter and watched the U.S. bench take the lead to 56-15 at the half.

Against Argentina, America shot 59 percent from the field (42-for-71) and forced 30 turnovers.
The USA led 78-31 after three quarters.

Paris, who played 12 minutes Saturday, has been a part of five gold-medal-winning USA Basketball teams, most recently with the Under 21 women's team that captured the FIBA U21 World Championship in July. The U.S. Senior National Team, 10-0 in 2007, has not lost an international contest since Paris joined the roster in April.

Mariana Cava scored 20 points to lead Argentina, which advanced to the semifinals by finishing second in Group A.

The FIBA Americas Championship Game will be played Sunday at 3 p.m. Central.

In the consolation semifinals, Canada (2-2) bested Mexico (0-4) 77-38, and host Chile (2-2) beat Jamaica (0-4), 75-67.