USA - U20 Women leave no doubt, dominate host Mexico

MEXICO (FIBA Americas U20 Championship for Women) - After a 60-21 halftime lead, the USA (3-0) U20 National Team never looked back in its 124-38 romp of host Mexico (1-2) Thursday at the 2006 FIBA Americas U20 Championship for Women in Mexico City, Mexico.

The Americans literally ran away with the game, opening the contest with a 12-0 run that was followed by a 13-2 streak in the first period, a 10-0 run in the second, a monstrous 19-0 run in the third and a 8-0 streak in the fourth.

"This team is not afraid to really get after it ," said Michigan State and USA U20 National Team head coach Joanne P. McCallie . "They are a motivated group in the sense that even though they really haven't been challenged by the opponent, they have motivated themselves. Everybody on this team could be a captain in one way or another. The way they play as a team, with the extra pass, is a tremendous strength of theirs."

McCallie is assisted by the University of California's Joanne Boyle and Furman University's (S.C.) Sam Dixon.

The USA's 26-of-45 mark from the free-throw line established a new USA U20 high for free throws made and attempted, and Marscilla Packer (Ohio State / Pickerington, Ohio) set a new individual game-high mark with 20 points.

"Staying focused the entire game was our main goal coming into tonight, and I feel like we were successful," Packer said. "It's really about playing against ourselves and controlling what we do as a team and individuals. It felt good tonight, but it's about winning games. As long as we're winning, I'm happy."

Along with Packer, four other U.S. players scored in double digits, and by halftime, all 11 active USA team members had scored. Essence Carson (Rutgers / Paterson, N.J.) tallied 18 points, Courtney Paris (Oklahoma / Piedmont, Calif.) scored 16, Jolene Anderson (Wisconsin / Port Wing, Wis.) added 15 and Kia Vaughn (Rutgers / Bronx, N.Y.), in just her second outing with the team, contributed 14 points. Devanei Hampton (California / Oakland, Calif.) is unable to participate in the tournament due to a knee injury.

Maria Orozco led Mexico with 15 points, and the second leading scorer, Elsa Sancedo, had just six.

The USA, as it has in all three of its game, dominated statistical categories, shooting a scorching 63.2 percent, including 52.1 percent from 3-point, forcing 31 turnovers and outrebounding Mexico 26-19. And though the USA shot just 57.8 percent from the line (26-45), Mexico only attempted 12 free throws and made just six.

USA Basketball