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14 Olairi Kosu (RUS)
09/08/2021
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20-20 vision: Kosu becomes latest member of exclusive U19 club

DEBRECEN (Hungary) - 20 points. 20 rebounds. Not a bad day at the office for Anastasia Kosu after leading Russia to their second win at the FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup on Sunday.

The Russian starlet posted the mammoth double-double to propel her side to another victory as they overcame hosts Hungary, 70-56, to set out their intentions for the tournament.

Kosu has a bright future in the game having already taken to the floor in EuroLeague Women action with Dynamo Kursk, two years on from winning the MVP award at the FIBA U16 Women's European Championship as a 14-year-old.

There have been 13 such occasions of a player recording 20+ rebounds in a single game at the U19 event since records began tracking this data from 1997 onwards, but Kosu becomes just the seventh player to achieve the rarity of also scoring 20+ points in the same game.

We have dug up the archives to take a look back on the other members of the '20-20 club':

Maria VADEEVA - Russia


2017: 22 points, 23 rebounds v Mali

2015: 23 points, 21 rebounds v Egypt

Vadeeva is so good she did it twice. The current Russia senior star first did it in the 2015 event on home soil with 23 points and 21 rebounds in just 22 minutes of a dominant win over Egypt as part of four double-doubles. Vadeeva repeated the feat in 2017 on the way to becoming MVP in leading Russia to the title with a 22-point, 23-rebound display against Mali.

Victoria LLORENTE - Argentina

2015: 25 points, 22 rebounds v Chinese Taipei

Llorente pulled down 22 rebounds to go with 25 points, a day earlier than Vadeeva's effort in 2015, though the Argentine's battling performance came in vain as her side were beaten by four points by Chinese Taipei. The 1996-born forward was the leading rebounder at the event with just shy of 14 boards per game, boosted by the display to become part of the elite group.

Nneka OGWUMIKE - USA

2009: 22 points, 20 rebounds v Spain

Arguably the most special of all the performances that make it in as Ogwumike pulled it off on the biggest youth stage of them all during the 2009 Final. The two-time FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup champion helped the USA to more success at the U19 level with 22 points and 20 rebounds in the 87-71 triumph over Spain in Bangkok, 12 years ago.

 

Naignouma COULIBALY - Mali

2007: 25 points, 26 rebounds v Japan

The sole member of the '25-25 club' - the all-time record for rebounds in a single game was set by Coulibaly in the 2007 edition with Spain's Laura Nicholls in second place with 24 rebounds in the same event (just 7 points scored, however). Coulibaly finished with 25 points and 26 rebounds - 18 on the offensive end - in a 15-point loss for Mali, and would become an Olympian the following year in Beijing.

Salma MNASRIA - Tunisia

2005: 22 points, 21 rebounds v China

Like Vadeeva, Mnasria also produced the goods in front of home fans having delivered an impressive performance of 22 points and 21 rebounds when the tournament was held in Nabeul and Tunis. However, it proved to be a rare bright moment for Tunisia as they finished the tournament without a win to their name.

Erika DE SOUZA - Brazil

2001: 25 points, 22 rebounds v Lithuania

The founding member of the club two decades ago, though the first recorded 20+ rebound performance actually came four years earlier when Cuba's Yakelyn Plutin Tizon had 20 points along with 16 rebounds in 1997. De Souza posted 25 points and 22 rebounds to lead Brazil to a 79-74 triumph over Lithuania in the Group Phase and also finished the U19 event with a 27-point haul against the same opponents to bow out in style. Was still playing at the age of 39 last season.

FIBA