CHEKHOV, Russia — It was another game, another Spain game but this one was the third and final one of Team USA’s quest for the u19 FIBA gold medal. Earlier today the USA beat Spain again, for the third time (pre-event once in Spain, second in Pool B 72-57) again 80-65 in the semifinals of the u19 FIBA World Championships being held in Chekhov, Russia a distant suburb of Moscow.

The USA paved their way to tomorrow’s gold medal game moving quickly with their press and aggressive play for a 10-2 lead by the 6:17 mark. A bunch of three’s from (9) Laura Quevedo (who was at Miami in the fall for a few months) and got the back to 14-16 at 2:44 but trailed after the first quarter 16-21.

Coach Dawn Staley talks about the length and ability of her players in creating the edge to win against Spain.

Spain tied the game at 21 at 9:42 in the second quarter but the USA ran off 8 straight points in 1:20 seconds, abusing them inside with size on the offensive glass and power moves inside. Team USA collected 17 offensive rebounds by halftime and led 31-44. The Spaniards made another run in the third quarter getting to within 8 points a few times but more steals and offensive rebounds gave them a 62-50 lead that was never challenged after that. It was a game the USA would never lose as they just crushed Spain inside for 27 offensive rebounds and 66 of their 80 points in the paint. On the ugly side there were still too many turnovers (19 vs. Spain 18), missed threes going 0-10 and foul shots 56% (14-25). Guards 6-1 Quevedo (17 points) and Duke-verbal 5-8 (8) Angela Salvadores (7-23, 16 points) couldn’t rally Spain.

The USA defensive and inside offensive attack was anchored by 6-1 Napheesa Collier (UConn, 24 points, 14 rebounds), 6-3 Aja Wilson (South Carolina, 20pts, 14rebs), 6-5 Azura Stevens (Duke, 11 pts, 6 reb) and 6-0 Mariya Moore (Louisville, 10pts, 7 reb). It was the relentless inside rebounding attack (58-36) that carried the USA into the gold medal game tomorrow afternoon at 12:15pm (USA time).

USA Coach Dawn Staley talks about wearing out Spain with a relentless rebounding effort by her USA team for the third time.

This was a day of two big games, the other one a battle of the best talented rosters I’ve seen in years from Australia and especially Russia. No one except the home crowd expect such a very strong trashing of the Aussies 76-57 by a group of tall and athletic Russians in the other FIBA u19 semifinals.

The top name to remember is 6-4 17-year-old Maria Vadeeva Sparta&K M.R. Vidnoje (BC Sparta&K, MR Vidnoje) who’s the best young player in years on the FIBA Europe youth circuit (15s to 19s) and the second leading scorer for the Russian Nationals team, their youngest member by five years. Vadeeva’s height (6-4) and basketball IQ (father is former player, coach) is the cornerstone of the next generation of Russian basketball along with Sparta&K teammates forwards 6-4 Raisa Musina and 5-5 guard Kseniia Levchenko (a Becky Hammond-like pg). This group is needed as Russia has been living on the talents of their last great generation from the late 90s and early 2000s.

Vadeeva got a very quiet 7 points and 4 rebound at Russia jumped out to a 18-13 first quarter lead and dominated the game inside and crisp offensive sets. The Aussies couldn’t muster enough offensive power to match Russia’s big front line of Vadeeva, Musina, 6-4 Tatiana Semi (Dynamo) and 6-4 beast Zhosselina Maiga (BC Nadezhda). Vadeeva finished with 27 pts, 16 rebounds, Levchenko with 13pts, 7 assists, Musina 12 pts, 11 reb, and captain Daria Kolossovskaia 11 points (Sparta&K). Baylor freshman Kristy Wallace led the Aussies with 15 points.

Russia center Marina Vadeeva speaks with a translator about being a part of the new generation of young Russian basketball stars.