FIBA Americas - FIBA Americas U18 Champ for Women returns to Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS (2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women) – FIBA Americas and USA Basketball today announced that the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, will be the site of the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women to take place from 23rd to 27th June.

The announcement marks the event’s return to Colorado Springs, where it was previously held in 2006.

“USA Basketball is excited to again take on the responsibility of hosting the FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women. This is a great event that will feature many of the best young players from our zone,” said Jim Tooley, CEO/Executive Director of USA Basketball.

The 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women will feature eight national teams: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the USA. Only athletes 18-years-old or younger (born on or after 1st January 1992) are eligible.

The top four finishing sides will earn qualifying berths for the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women scheduled to be played from 21st to 31st July next year. Chile and Latvia are bidding to host that tournament and the FIBA Central Board is due to make a decision on the matter in Puerto Rico on the 17th-18th April of this year.

“We want to thank USA Basketball and the US Olympic Committee for coming forward to organise this event that features the top U18 women athletes in our region,” said FIBA Americas Secretary General Alberto Garcia. “The US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs has magnificent installations to meet all the requirements of the participating teams.”

The tournament format will see the eight national sides divided into two preliminary round groups consisting of four teams each. The preliminary round will be played from 23rd to 25th June, with each team facing the other three in its preliminary group.

The top two teams in each preliminary round group will then advance to the medal round semi-finals on Saturday 26th June and battle it out for the top four places. Meanwhile, teams who came in third and fourth in each preliminary round group will play consolation semi-finals to determine places five through eight.

The FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women gold and bronze medal games as well as the 5th-8th place games will all be held on Sunday 27th June.

Originally known as the FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifier, the FIBA Americas U18 Championship was held every four years from 1988 through 2004, and is now contested every other year.

Sites of prior FIBA Americas U18 Championships for Women include: Buenos Aires, Argentina (2008); Colorado Springs, USA (2006); Mayaguez, Puerto Rico (2004); Mar del Plata, Argentina (2000); Chetumal, Mexico (1996); Guanajuato, Mexico (1992); and Sao Paulo, Brazil (1988).

FIBA