USA PanAM Team

[carolann]

Jamie Carey played well but team lost 70-67 -
"I thought Jamie (Carey) played exceptionally well tonight and kept our team organized on the court,” said Ryan. “She put us in possession to tie the game and go in to overtime and she was invaluable tonight. She played almost every minute of the entire game and her effort was incredible despite being mugged all over the court.”

They shoulda taken Stacy Stephens!! (but it is probably best for her that she stayed home and had surgery) Our team was badly outrebounded and out-muscled. McCarville will have to play a lot.
"There is a lot of things we need to improve on, but what we learned tonight was the physical nature of the game on this level,” commented USA Pan American Games Team and University of Virginia head coach Debbie Ryan.
http://www.usabasketball.com/women/03_wpag_exhcuba1.html

[anntaylor]

I'm REALLY glad that Jamie is playing so well for the Pan Am team - she's been the high scorer in 2 out of the 3 games that they've played so far. Kind of helps get over the fact that Stephens & Schrieber were overlooked for the USA teams.

[Jimi]

Go Jamie! She is a FINE player.

[ChipperF1]

"Schrieber were overlooked for the USA teams"

Heather Schreiber is on a USA team. She made the contingent for the World University Games.

Any team that wears USA Basketball uniforms is a Team USA, regardless of how the team was selected.

[anntaylor]

Yes, Schrieber's on a World University team representing the US; however, she was not selected to be on either team chosen at the USA basketball trials back in May.

[ksuJennyP]

Does anybody know why Laurie Koehn's not playing? Did she reinjure her foot? Because, you figure, after she did so well this year, and then she plays 3 minutes a game and then not at all in their last game, something has to be up.

[carolann]

Since USA basketball wanted the Big 12 to represent the country for the University games, I guess they had to leave some talented/experienced players available!

[anntaylor]

One more note: I think it's great that Anissa Hastings, along with Schrieber, was chosen to be on the Big 12 team for the World University games. Anissa hasn't gotten as much exposure as Stephens, Schrieber or Carey, so I'm glad she's getting "her due".

[carolann]

Yuck. USA loses to Cuba again in another exhibition game. Final Score 57-45. Carey shot 1 of 9 which was right in line with how most of her teammates were shooting.

Laurie Koehn did not play. I hope she is alright.

[Jimi]

Jamie Carey had a double double with 11 points and 10 assists in the team's final tune up game with Cuba. Laurie Koehn played 16 minutes but went only 1 for 8 from three point range. Over all the team had another BAD shooting night and lost 61-52.

[carolann]

...and the USA loses to Cuba again. This time the loss was in the first official game of the tournament. Final score was 84-62. Ann Strother and Laurie Koehn each scored 11 points to lead the team. The team's next game is Canada and then the team plays Brazil, another team with both experience and size.

[ChipperF1]

A rough game for the United States. Watching the game, I noticed that in many respect, the opponents physical style of play was getting to us. The Cubans are known for physical play and they have a size advantage on us.

The game with Canada will be a different sort of test for the lasses. Not as physical, but the Canadians brought a team with solid FIBA and NCAA experience. Team USA has a speed and athleticism advantage, plus I feel we can shoot the ball better and defend better than the Canadians. The opposition however, executes well, passes well and play a solid set of zone defenses that the switch in and out of well.

If Team USA doesn't get shellshocked by this early setback, they can even things up heading into the match with Brazil.

[carolann]

The USA PanAm team may be picking up steam. They are now 2-1 in pool play.

On Sunday, USA 56, Canada 53.
On Monday, USA 77, Brazil 64.

After a couple of poor shooting games, Jamie Carey came through with a USA PanAm record by hitting 6 of 6 from 3-point range. Carey scored a game high 20 points. The complete game story and boxscore is not available yet.

This is has to boost the confidence of the US players. Brazil

[carolann]

Yippee. Team USA will make the medal round.

Today's score 93-78, USA over Argentina. No one for the USA played much over 20 minutes today. Everyone got to play. Laurie Koehn and Jamie Carey both shot well again today.

[Jimi]

The USA defeated the Dominican Republic today 109-54.

Laurie Koehn led all scorers with 23. She was 6-8 from three point range and 1-1 from the foul line. She also had 2 assists, 2 steals and a block. She scored 20 points in the time span of one quarter.

WAY TO GO LK!!!!!!!! AND TEAM USA!

[ksuJennyP]

USA is playing in the Gold medal game after a win in overtime. We beat Brazil 75-69.

[carolann]

This is excellent. I'm proud of these young women. I think the young women's team was expected to dominate but I'm not so sure how much was expected of the Pan Am team. Interesting that I've read that the Pan Am team is considered the 'B' team and the World Championships for Young Women is the 'A' team. Yet the Pan Am team has had to face teams including other countries' senior national team members.

Jamie Carey is firmly establishing herself as one of the top point guards in the country.