TUR/USA - USA dispatch Turkey to remain only unbeaten team

RODEZ (FIBA U17 World Championship for Women) - The USA beat Turkey 84-55 at the Amphitheatre in Rodez to stand as the last unbeaten team (4-0) and secure their place in the quarter-finals of the U17 World Championship for Women.

Barbara Nelson's girls became the only team with a 100 percent record after China lost to Belgium earlier in the day in Toulouse.

The Americans suffocated the Turks from the very start, forcing them to score from the perimeter and the move worked to great effect as Hasan Firaet Okul’s girls could only make one of their 17 first-quarter field goal attempts to trail 21-4 at the end of the period.

It wasn’t too long before Barbara Nelson’s charges led by 20 and they kept adding to their advantage for the rest of the game.

Every American player scored. Jewell Loyd and Morgan Tuck had 11 points each to lead a balanced offense.

The defeat dropped Turkey to 1-3 but they still have a remote chance of securing a place in the last eight.

They will face Russia in their last Preliminary Round game on Wednesday while the USA go up against Japan.

Quotes

Barbara Nelson (USA head coach): We struggled to communicate. Sometimes we weren’t  on the same page. Normally we are strong  inside, but today, we were more outside. We have to focus on our strength.

Hasan Firat Okul (Coach Turkey): We passed the ball very well. We had three-points shots and we were quite good, but we lost in the paint.  Our goal was to show people some good basketball. We had fun and we are happy with that.

FIBA/LOC