I'm watching the game on the FIBA website. USA up 87-40 with 4:00 left in the 4th qtr. The game is over. France is 47 points behind. If it took them 3+qtrs to score 40, how are they going to score 47 pts in 4 min?
3 min left - 87-40.
Van Lith just hit a corner 3 to put the USA up by 50, 90-40.
Less than a minute to go.
92-40 with 38.3 sec to go.
Game over.
Final score USA 92 - France 40. France was
never in this game. Team USA took the fight out of them (and their heart & soul) in the first half, as
France only scored 12 points in the second half. With the USA in the tournament, they did the best they could, 2nd place. They did not have a team that could beat the USA.
Boston leads the USA in scoring with 16.
Team USA was NEVER challenged at any time during this tournament. TOTAL domination!!! This was truly an All-Star team. The USA coaches didn't have to do a lot of "coaching" today. Their team took control from the tip, and never looked back. They never let France think they had any chance of challenging/winning this game. The USA went up early then continued to pull away. The hole France was in early got deeper as the game went along.
The USA's players were simply better and more polished than the French team. France didn't fare any better than any of the other teams the USA played. Horston owned France's big (Rupert) on both ends, and was getting
anything she wanted in the paint.
The best thing about these games were that (no one got hurt) we got to see the elite players in the next 3 classes in games against some of the best players, not just in the USA, but in the world. It's one thing to see them against lesser talent they usually face in high school, it something else to see how they fare against other elite players in FIBA competition.
Boston, Horston & Jones on the ALL-Tournament team -
Horston named the tournament MVP.
Australia took 3rd place - Bronze medals today.
Nice crowd on hand today for the final game. Very large contingent from the USA. Boston accepts the championship trophy at mid-court on behalf of the USA.
The players, coaches and parents that made the trip have just experienced 10 days in Europe they will never forget. Congratulations to the USA U17 women's basketball team. Two thumbs up and a tip of the cap. Job well done ladies. Your efforts this week were truly "
golden". Enjoy your post game celebration this evening and your flight home.