Photo by: USA Basketball
Chennedy Carter Leads USA U19 Women’s Team In Scoring As They Eclipse Host Italy In Exhibition, 62-36
Jul 18, 2017 | Women's Basketball
SPILIMBERGO, Italy (July 18, 2017) – Texas A&M freshman Chennedy Carter (Arlington, Texas) was the game's leading scorer with 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting, propelling the 2017 USA Women's U19 World Cup Team (2-0) past host Italy (0-2) for a 62-36 exhibition victory on Tuesday night in Spilimbergo, Italy. Carter was also credited with four of the USA's 16 steals leading a strong defensive effort for the Stars & Stripes.
The red, white and blue took control of the game with 7:30 left in the third quarter, and up just 10 points, by turning up the heat on defense, which spurred the offense into a 15-0 scoring run, seven of which came from Carter, to close the third period up 51-26.
"We just played a little bit harder (than yesterday)," said Carter. "We focused more on the defensive end. When you focus more on the defensive end, it creates offense, and that allowed us to run in transition and finish some breaks. We played together and played as a team tonight. We helped each other out. We stayed within coach's plan and we came out successful."
In the day's earlier game of the 2017 Refrion Cup, a round-robin exhibition tournament, Spain (1-1) picked up a 56-50 victory over Latvia (1-1). The Refrion Cup concludes July 19 with the USA facing Latvia (10:30 a.m.) in the early game, followed by the closing game between Italy and Spain. (12:30 p.m.).
Alecia Sutton (Texas/St. Louis, Mo.) was the game's only other double-digit scorer and finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Joyner Holmes (Texas/Cedar Hill, Texas), eight points and a game-best nine rebounds and Ruthy Hebard (Oregon/Fairbanks, Alaska), eight points and three rebounds; were the team's next top scorers.
"Defensively, we were much better," said USA U19 and University of Pittsburgh head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio. "We were more aggressive picking up their guards full court and disrupting what they were trying to do defensively, limiting them to a shorter clock in the half court. We stayed in plays. We played good help defense, so I'm very pleased with our improvement from yesterday to today. Offensively, I thought the ball movement was good and we made a lot of good decisions in transition within the half court and the open floor. We still struggled to shoot the ball like we are capable of doing. One thing I continue to tell this team is, continue to shoot the ball with a lot of confidence. As long as it's in rhythm and you're open and it's a good shot, then you have the green light to take it. We will be a dangerous team once we start hitting shots, because if we can put in a defensive effort like we had tonight with a great shooting performance, this could be a great team.
"In a short time, we are asking a lot of them. They are coming together as a team, but we still have a ways to go. You never settle for anything you've done. You're always trying to improve moving forward and going into the next game."
Tyasha Harris (South Carolina/Noblesville, Ind.) put up the game's first points and the USA never trailed. The first period, however, saw the score knotted three times and after a Hebard layup broke a 7-7 tie, Sutton sandwiched an Italy basket with a put-back and a jumper at the first quarter buzzer, giving the Americans a 13-9 lead.
In the second quarter the USA began to slowly pull away. Holding a 21-16 edge, the U.S. got scores from four different players in an 11-3 run that expanded the lead to 32-19 with 2:09 to play before the break. Each team scored two more field goals, which included an Italian 3-pointer, before the half and the USA headed into the locker room up 36-24.
For the initial 2:30 out of the break neither team managed to connect the ball with the net, until Italy broke the scoring drought with two points at 7:30, which closed the gap to 10 points, 36-26 before the USA's 15-0 run.
The USA's defense was so effective in the third quarter, it forced Italy, which closed out the game shooting 25.0 percent (14-56 FGs) overall and 17.6 percent (3-17 3pt FGs) from beyond the arc, into a frigid 8.3 percent (1-12 FGs) from the floor and 0-of-5 from 3-point during the stanza. Further, the USA scored 10 points on the fast break, had eight steals and collected 10 points off of 10 Italian turnovers in the third quarter alone.
"Italy was really fast," said Sutton. "They could score. But, what we focused on tonight was defending, and I think our defense played really well tonight. I think that's what made us successful tonight."
Italy never again threatened and the USA cruised in for the victory.
The U.S. squad, which hit just 38.5 percent (25-65 FGs) of its shots on the night, outrebounded Italy 53-21 and dished out 15 assists. The American women also earned 25 points off of Italy's 21 turnovers, outscored Italy 38-14 in the paint, 25-0 in transition and 38-11 off the bench.
"Megan (Walker) stepped up really well, Sug (Alecia Sutton) stepped up and played well," said Holmes. "I think our players did well to rebound today, and we hedged hard on screens for our guards. I think we all played well. It was a good team effort tonight."
Postgame Quotes – Chennedy Carter
What was the difference in the halves of today's game?
We just played a little bit harder. We focused more on the defensive end. When you focus more on the defensive end, it creates offense, and that allowed us to run in transition and finish some breaks.
Where was the improvement today from yesterday?
Really, just defense. We played together and played as a team tonight. We helped each other out. We stayed within coach's plan and we came out successful.
What is the early verdict on Latvia tomorrow?
I don't know much about them. We saw them play. I know they can run the floor. To improve before tomorrow night, I just think we can focus more on us and focus on our plays, finishing, and continue to stress the defensive end. If we defend, we should come out successful again.
The red, white and blue took control of the game with 7:30 left in the third quarter, and up just 10 points, by turning up the heat on defense, which spurred the offense into a 15-0 scoring run, seven of which came from Carter, to close the third period up 51-26.
"We just played a little bit harder (than yesterday)," said Carter. "We focused more on the defensive end. When you focus more on the defensive end, it creates offense, and that allowed us to run in transition and finish some breaks. We played together and played as a team tonight. We helped each other out. We stayed within coach's plan and we came out successful."
In the day's earlier game of the 2017 Refrion Cup, a round-robin exhibition tournament, Spain (1-1) picked up a 56-50 victory over Latvia (1-1). The Refrion Cup concludes July 19 with the USA facing Latvia (10:30 a.m.) in the early game, followed by the closing game between Italy and Spain. (12:30 p.m.).
Alecia Sutton (Texas/St. Louis, Mo.) was the game's only other double-digit scorer and finished with 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Joyner Holmes (Texas/Cedar Hill, Texas), eight points and a game-best nine rebounds and Ruthy Hebard (Oregon/Fairbanks, Alaska), eight points and three rebounds; were the team's next top scorers.
"Defensively, we were much better," said USA U19 and University of Pittsburgh head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio. "We were more aggressive picking up their guards full court and disrupting what they were trying to do defensively, limiting them to a shorter clock in the half court. We stayed in plays. We played good help defense, so I'm very pleased with our improvement from yesterday to today. Offensively, I thought the ball movement was good and we made a lot of good decisions in transition within the half court and the open floor. We still struggled to shoot the ball like we are capable of doing. One thing I continue to tell this team is, continue to shoot the ball with a lot of confidence. As long as it's in rhythm and you're open and it's a good shot, then you have the green light to take it. We will be a dangerous team once we start hitting shots, because if we can put in a defensive effort like we had tonight with a great shooting performance, this could be a great team.
"In a short time, we are asking a lot of them. They are coming together as a team, but we still have a ways to go. You never settle for anything you've done. You're always trying to improve moving forward and going into the next game."
Tyasha Harris (South Carolina/Noblesville, Ind.) put up the game's first points and the USA never trailed. The first period, however, saw the score knotted three times and after a Hebard layup broke a 7-7 tie, Sutton sandwiched an Italy basket with a put-back and a jumper at the first quarter buzzer, giving the Americans a 13-9 lead.
In the second quarter the USA began to slowly pull away. Holding a 21-16 edge, the U.S. got scores from four different players in an 11-3 run that expanded the lead to 32-19 with 2:09 to play before the break. Each team scored two more field goals, which included an Italian 3-pointer, before the half and the USA headed into the locker room up 36-24.
For the initial 2:30 out of the break neither team managed to connect the ball with the net, until Italy broke the scoring drought with two points at 7:30, which closed the gap to 10 points, 36-26 before the USA's 15-0 run.
The USA's defense was so effective in the third quarter, it forced Italy, which closed out the game shooting 25.0 percent (14-56 FGs) overall and 17.6 percent (3-17 3pt FGs) from beyond the arc, into a frigid 8.3 percent (1-12 FGs) from the floor and 0-of-5 from 3-point during the stanza. Further, the USA scored 10 points on the fast break, had eight steals and collected 10 points off of 10 Italian turnovers in the third quarter alone.
"Italy was really fast," said Sutton. "They could score. But, what we focused on tonight was defending, and I think our defense played really well tonight. I think that's what made us successful tonight."
Italy never again threatened and the USA cruised in for the victory.
The U.S. squad, which hit just 38.5 percent (25-65 FGs) of its shots on the night, outrebounded Italy 53-21 and dished out 15 assists. The American women also earned 25 points off of Italy's 21 turnovers, outscored Italy 38-14 in the paint, 25-0 in transition and 38-11 off the bench.
"Megan (Walker) stepped up really well, Sug (Alecia Sutton) stepped up and played well," said Holmes. "I think our players did well to rebound today, and we hedged hard on screens for our guards. I think we all played well. It was a good team effort tonight."
Postgame Quotes – Chennedy Carter
What was the difference in the halves of today's game?
We just played a little bit harder. We focused more on the defensive end. When you focus more on the defensive end, it creates offense, and that allowed us to run in transition and finish some breaks.
Where was the improvement today from yesterday?
Really, just defense. We played together and played as a team tonight. We helped each other out. We stayed within coach's plan and we came out successful.
What is the early verdict on Latvia tomorrow?
I don't know much about them. We saw them play. I know they can run the floor. To improve before tomorrow night, I just think we can focus more on us and focus on our plays, finishing, and continue to stress the defensive end. If we defend, we should come out successful again.
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