NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Kansas signee Quentin Grimes leads USA Basketball in FIBA Americas

USA women’s basketball 3×3 team eliminated from competition.

The FIBA Americas championship is not the only international event current going on. As the women’s World Cup 3×3 event just concluded on Tuesday in Manila, Philippines. The US, represented by the Oregon Ducks’ women basketball team, fell to Italy 17-14 in the quarterfinals.

“We started out pretty slow and then just couldn’t get our rhythm,” said USA forward Ruthy Hebard. “Italy is a great team, they have really good guards – respect to them and of course we’re really bummed.I don’t think Italy did anything defensively that was different, we just didn’t play the best game and we should have come out a little more ready.”

USA (4-1) was called for two shot clock violations in their first three possessions. Those mistakes allowed Italy to take a 2-0 lead. But Hebard single-handily knotted the game up at 3 as she tallied all the Americans points. Following another bucket by the Italians, Sabrina Ionescu connected on her lone 2-pointer of the game to give the US its first lead of the game at 5-4.

Giulia Rulli answered right back with a 2-pointer of her own to put Italy back on top 6-5. The Italians pushed the lead to 10-6 with 5:13 left. Hebard and Oti Gildon then tallied two points apiece to get the USA within to (12-10) with 3:04 to go.

Italy made one more run to increase its lead to 17-12. Ionescu and Gilden each sank a free to close out the scoring.

The US is now 27-3 all-time in FIBA 3×3 World Cup play. Team USA won the event in 2012 and 2014 while taking bronze in 2016.

Italy went on to win the gold medal, defeating China (15-13) in semifinals and Russia (16-12) in the finals. France eared the bronze with a 21-14 victory over China.

USA U17 men to open camp soon

The USA U17 men’s basketball team will open a four-day training camp with 30 players on June 15 at the USOC in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Veteran national coach Don Showalter will lead the team in the World Cup event in Argentina.

Team USA has earned four gold medals and is 30-0 in the event.

USA U18 women’s team add three players

Louisville coach Jeff Walz added three players today to the U18 roster. The three players are: Desiree Caldwell (Cibolo, Texas), Maori Davenport (Troy, Ala.) and Ashley Joens (Iowa City, Iowa). Caldwell will be attending USC this fall while Joens will be a freshman at Iowa State.

Next: Preseason Big East rankings for 2018-19

The trio replaces Queen Egbo, Jordan Nixon and Abby Prohaska who have school commitments.

The U18 women will begin training camp on July 20. From camp they will depart for the FIBA Americas championship held in  Mexico City, Mexico  (Aug. 1-7).

USA  is 53-2 all-time in the competition. The US has captured gold nine times, including the last eight, and to silvers.