USA W-U19 Team Claims Third Consecutive FIBA World Championship
Sunday, August 2, 2009 | Women's Basketball
The 2009 USA U19 World Championship Team, of which UF head coach Amanda Butler is an assistant, won its third consecutive gold medal, defeating Spain 87-71 in the final game of the FIVB World Championships on Sunday in Bangkok, Thailand.
The United States (8-1) placed five players in double-figure scoring, including two players – Nnemkadi Ogwumike (22) and Samantha Prahlis (21) – who scored 20 or more points each in the game.
The U.S. now owns a record four gold medals and one bronze at the FIBA U19 Worlds and has posted a 49-11 all-time record in U19 World Championship play.
“This is very exciting and very rewarding,” Butler said. “It's great when you invest so much time and energy and get the big prize at the end because that's what we came over here to do. The talent was always there and the effort was always there, but we grew the most in coming together and becoming good as a group, as opposed to just being good individually.”
For the game, the U.S. shot 44.2 percent (34-of-77) from the field and out-rebounded Spain, 46-33. The Americans shot a sizzling 83 percent (15-of-18) from the floor in the opening quarter to break out to an early 14-0 lead that they would not relinquish.
Spain was 8-0 heading into Sunday's gold medal game, including a 90-86 win against the United States on the opening day of play.
The official website for the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championships for Women is: http://thailand2009.fiba.com/ and complete coverage of Coach Butler's participation in the championships will be available at www.GatorZone.com.
-UF-
