Kiki Rice displayed an impressive performance, scoring a total of 10 points, joining two other American players in reaching double figures. Her teammate, Londynn Jones from UCLA, also contributed five points. This outstanding performance led the U.S. to secure a victorious start in the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup with an 85-66 win against Mali in Madrid.
The U.S. initially faced a slight deficit, trailing behind with scores of 2-0 and 4-2. However, they quickly turned the tide by scoring 12 consecutive points, solidifying their dominance over Mali in the Group B game held at the Jorge Garbajosa Arena.
Rice’s impressive statistics included making three out of six shots, converting one out of two attempted three-pointers, successfully landing all three free throws, and grabbing five rebounds throughout her playing time of 19 minutes and 32 seconds.
Jones, who entered the game from the bench, showcased her skills with one successful shot out of five attempts, including one out of three three-pointers, and scoring both free throws in her playing time of 13 minutes and 35 seconds.
Cotie McMahon, the Ohio State forward, emerged as the leading scorer for the American team, contributing 15 points. In contrast, Maimouna Haidara, the Mali forward, surpassed all scorers with 17 points and secured the game-high 16 rebounds.
Historically, the U.S. has maintained an unbeatable record of 5-0 against Mali in the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup, winning each game with a margin of at least 19 points.
The U.S. currently holds the top rank in the FIBA girls rankings, primarily due to their consistent impressive performances in international tournaments. On the other hand, Mali, a West African nation, is currently positioned at 19th in the rankings.
It is important to note that all players participating in this tournament must have been born on or after January 1, 2004.
Rice and Jones have a history of success as teammates, previously winning gold medals in the 2019 FIBA Americas U16 Championship and the 2022 FIBA U18 Americas Championship. Rice also had the privilege of playing for the U.S. team that secured a gold medal in the 2022 FIBA 3×3 U18 World Cup.
The U.S. will continue their group phase journey as they face off against the 13th-ranked Germany on Sunday. The game is scheduled to start at 9:15 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time and can be streamed live on YouTube.com/FIBA.
In their first game of the tournament, Germany secured a 67-59 victory against the 28th-ranked Chinese Taipei on Saturday.
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