The U.S. basketball team emerged victorious in the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup, securing a gold medal with a thrilling 69-66 triumph over Spain in Madrid. Former Centennial High School standout, Londynn Jones, played a significant role in the team’s success.
In a nail-biting finish, Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon made a crucial layup with only 22 seconds remaining, breaking the tie and preventing Spain from getting a shot off in their final possessions. This victory marked the third consecutive title win for the U.S., making it their ninth triumph in the last ten editions of the tournament.
Entering the fourth quarter with a narrow 54-52 lead, the U.S. garnered momentum as incoming Notre Dame freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo’s 3-point basket, with six minutes and 14 seconds left on the clock, fueled an impressive 8-0 run, propelling them to a 62-54 advantage.
Nevertheless, Spain fought back with guard Elena Buenavida contributing five points during a subsequent 7-0 run, reducing the deficit to 62-61 with 3 minutes and 46 seconds remaining. McMahon halted Spain’s momentum with a driving layup, reestablishing the U.S.’s lead.
Spain managed to tie the score at 66-66, courtesy of Buenavida’s 3-point play with 1 minute and 25 seconds left, followed by guard Iyana Martin Carrion’s driving layup with 45 seconds remaining. However, Spain’s inability to capitalize on their following possession, due to Hidalgo’s steal from guard Alicia Florez Getino, proved to be instrumental in the U.S.’s victory.
Following Hidalgo’s steal, UCLA guard Kiki Rice made the first of her two free throws. Although Rice missed the second, center Awa Fam secured the rebound. Nevertheless, Spain failed to capitalize on the opportunity, once again unable to get a shot off.
McMahon stood out as the leading scorer for the Americans, amassing 16 points by making six of her eight shots and four of five free throws. University of South Carolina sophomore guard Chloe Kitts also had an impressive performance, contributing 15 points by converting seven of her twelve shots.
Carrion emerged as the top scorer of the game with 19 points, supported by Buenavida’s 16 and Fam’s 11. The thrilling match attracted a crowd of 7,033 at Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad Madrid.
Despite her limited playing time of 16 minutes and 30 seconds as a substitute, Jones, a 5-foot, 5-inch UCLA sophomore guard, managed to contribute three points off the bench on Sunday. Throughout the tournament, she achieved an average of 8.7 points in seven games, all as a substitute. This gold medal marks Jones’ third international championship win, having previously been part of the U.S. teams that secured gold in the 2019 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2022 FIBA U18 Americas Championship.
The U.S. maintained an impeccable record throughout the tournament, with a flawless 7-0 performance. They have remained unbeaten in their last 21 games since suffering an 86-82 loss to Russia in the 2017 gold medal game.
On the other hand, Spain concluded the competition with a 6-1 record. They are currently ranked fourth in the girls’ rankings by FIBA, while the U.S. holds the top position. Participants in the tournament must be born on or after January 1, 2004.
The FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup first took place in 1985 and was initially held every four years until 2005. Since 2007, it has been biennial.
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