MIES (Switzerland) - The FIBA U19 Women's Basketball World Cup 2023 in Madrid, Spain was widely heralded as the greatest ever edition in the competition's long and illustrious history.
From record crowds, to an innovative LED GlassFloor, some outstanding displays from the best young players in the world and USA making it to double digits with a landmark 10th title - it was an epic event.
The tournament was also highlighted by another run by Mali, fellow African nation Egypt picking up two wins and a super Third Place Game.
The Standings
Position | Nation | W-L Record |
|---|---|---|
1. | USA | 7-0 |
2. | Spain | 6-1 |
3. | Canada | 6-1 |
4. | France | 4-3 |
5. | Mali | 5-2 |
6. | Japan | 5-2 |
7. | Czechia | 4-3 |
8. | Lithuania | 3-4 |
9. | Australia | 4-3 |
10. | Germany | 3-4 |
11. | Italy | 3-4 |
12. | Egypt | 2-5 |
13. | China | 2-5 |
14. | Brazil | 1-6 |
15. | Chinese Taipei | 1-6 |
16. | Argentina | 0-7 |
The Summary
Perhaps typifying just how phenomenal this tournament was, the Quarter-Final clash between France and Japan left everyone breathless. The former dug out a crazy 80-78 overtime success, with Leila Lacan sinking a jaw-dropping 36 points.
The other three matchups were more one-sided with USA riding past Czechia with ease for a 121-61 victory, Canada easing past a valiant Mali 82-69 and Spain proving to be too strong for Lithuania with a 67-49 success.
The Semi-Finals saw France rolled over by USA 80-57, with the holders producing a strong team performance to keep their opponents at arms' length. Meanwhile Spain had raucous home support and alongside 24 points from star baller Iyana Martin Carrion, they outlasted Canada 77-70.
Canada would still finish on a high though, denying France bronze with an 80-73 overtime victory that was just another fine example of a competition throwing up so many brilliant games. And, if that wasn't enough, Spain pushed USA all the way in the Final before eventually being undone 69-66 in an intense and absorbing contest.
The MVP: Iyana Martin Carrion
There was some consolation for Iyana Martin Carrion of Spain who despite having to settle for silver, was still named TISSOT MVP in front of the adoring fans in the Spanish capital. She finished the competition with a performance efficiency valuation of 18.6 after top-scoring for Spain with 16.1 points per outing. She also averaged 3.3 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.6 steals.
The Spanish ace was joined on the All-Star Five by title-winning USA duo Joyce Edwards and Hannah Hidalgo, as well as Toby Fournier of Canada and Leila Lacan of France.
The Best Game: Another Final classic
After massive drama in 2017 when Russia landed a first title and an OT epic in 2019 in Bangkok, the tournament's best game was the Final itself for the third time in four editions.
It wasn't just the presence of a huge crowd cheering for the local favorites, or the way that Iyana Martin Carrion lit it up. When you throw in the ASB GlassFloor, the number of players all operating at a high level across both teams, it was an amazing advert for both women's hoops and FIBA youth basketball.
The Best Story: A record 7,000 crowd and ASB GlassFloor
Already known for their incredible support in terms of their numbers and the noise they make, the Spanish fans really did bring it like nobody else before. That resulted in a staggering 7,000 fans watching the title game in Madrid.
There was also huge anticipation heading into the competition around the ground-breaking ASB GlassFloor system and it was a roaring success. It added another exciting dimension to the event and received Five Star Feedback!
The Best Performer: Jana Elalfy
She may not have made the Quarter-Finals and therefore the All-Star Five, but Elalfy deserves massive credit for a monumental effort in taking Egypt to an unprecedented two wins. She posted an incredible tournament double-double of 21 points and 11 boards per game.
This was all the more impressive because she shot more than 50 percent from the floor, despite being regularly double and even triple-teamed under the basket. It's no wonder she was recruited by legendary coach Geno Auriemma for the renowned UConn program.
The Stats Leaders
Points
Player | Country | Points Per Game |
|---|---|---|
Jana Elalfy | Egypt | 21.4 |
Eleonora Villa | Italy | 18.6 |
Dominika Paurova | Czechia | 17.4 |
Leila Lacan | France | 17.1 |
Vitorria Blasigh | Italy | 16.9 |
Rebounds
Player | Country | Rebounds Per Game |
|---|---|---|
Toby Fournier | Canada | 13.7 |
Maimouna Haidara | Mali | 13.0 |
Anaelle Dutat | France | 12.6 |
Jana Elalfy | Egypt | 11.0 |
Frieda Buhner | Germany | 10.3 |
Assists
Player | Country | Assists Per Game |
|---|---|---|
Elena Buenavida | Spain | 6.1 |
Hannah Hidalgo | USA | 5.4 |
Ana Paula de Oliveira | Brazil | 5.1 |
Nanami Tsuno | Japan | 4.7 |
Beatrice Noemi Caloro | Italy | 4.3 |
FIBA