MERIDA, Mexico – The USA Basketball U16 Women’s National team came to here to claim their 4th consecutive gold medal beating Canada 79-59 finals of the FIBA Americas Championship. It was expected of this awesome young group that’s been together since the start of the trials back on May 25th.
Every game was a blowout despite some games starting off sloppy with missed shots and missed layups. Regardless of any start the USA finished every game with a crushing defensive effort and monstrous rebounding, especially on the offensive boards.
Sitting here in the cool air of the Poliforum Arena it was an all-day, everyday (except off day Thursday) feast of Americas basketball with a formidable USA lineup. The only team the USA did not get a chance to play was 6th place Brazil.
Game 1 vs 3rd place Puerto Rico was a shellacking 124-39 getting 36 offensive rebounds against a smaller and pesky PR team and every player scoring, six in double figures: Jerzy Robinson 21, Trinity Jones 19, McKenna Woliczko 12, Lanie Grant 12, Darriana Alexander 10, Hailee Swain 10 with Kelsi Andrews 11 rebounds.
Game 2 vs 5th place Columbia started off slow but with missed shots but by halftime the USA was up 22 enroute to a 93-29 win. This time five players hit double figures: Darriana Alexander 17, Hailee Swaim 14, Jacy Abii 13, Trinity Jones 12, Jerzy Robinson 12. Their best player (No.9) Marta Moscarella was one of the best college prospects outside North America.
Game 3 vs 7th place host Mexico was a short first quarter tussle before it got ugly fast going up 54 points at just halftime. This USA finished 123-27 for its second 100pt game with six in doubles: Jayla Jackson 17, Robinson 17, Hailee Swaim 15, Aaliyah Crump 15, McKenna Woliczko 12, 15 reb, Kelsi Andrews 12, Trinity Jones 10 rebounds.
Game 4 vs 8th place Dominican Republic was a very physical start with the USA getting a 106-34 win with everyone hitting the box score as Crump got 16, Robinson 15, 11r, Jones 13, Swaim 12, Lola Lampley 10,
Game 5 vs 4th place Argentina was a strong and competitive opening five minutes before the USA again crushed on the boards and won 112-48, McKenna Woliczko hits a big double-double with 24 points, 13 rebounds, Grant 20, Robinson 15, Crump 13 to advance to the gold medal finals.
The long expected final against Canada was exactly as it was billed our best, their best.
When the USA arrived here in Merida before the start of the tournament there was a warm-up scrimmage with Canada. It was a clear USA victory before the event started. As with most USAB international teams there’s usually a preliminary tournament, game or scrimmage before the event starts to gauge the adjustment to time and weather.
In Spain at the 2016 U17s the USA scrimmaged Australia prior to the event and soundly won. It prepared Australia for the later showdown as the brackets paired them in as a possible semifinal. The USA ended up losing to a big, prepared and competitive Aussies in the semifinals 73-60. The USA was not ready or rostered for this showdown. The prelim game gave everyone false expectations.
History was not going to happen here as this USA edition is loaded with big guards and athletic wing-forwards. The prelim game here was an extension of the gold medal game where it was a physical battle that came down to who could play the best defense and shut down the other team’s stars.
Neither team has a dominant big power forward or center. This is surprising as Canada needs either one or both to take advantage of their new roster look with strong athletic small forwards and small quick guards. Unfortunately for Canada, the USA is blessed to have even bigger guards and more athletic big wings which counter their forwards. All this minutia is important as both teams will need to face the FIBA World Cup participants next year.
Both teams got into each other’s faces, denying easy three-point kick outs or shots and the physical play allowed by FIBA rules kept both teams off balance as they drove the lane for contested layups. This meant the USA was going to win this game based on their size, length, and athleticism, especially at the guard position. Canada had trouble navigating the USA full court pressure and trap defense and the USA’s 19-10 first quarter lead came on nine points off turnovers. The USA outscored Canada 22-8 in the second quarter off Canada’s 15.4% shooting. This margin continued into the fourth quarter when Canada made a short run to close the gap to the final score.
Takeaways where many, some noted above. Canada came here with a younger, athletic guard set. Their main players (No. 25) Deniya Prawl is an athletic gift who’s a big guard with hops and no fear of getting into the lane for a short jumper. This game she was held to seven points as bigger USA players picked her up and challenged all her shots. This left Canada’s bigger wing / forward and leading scorer (22 points) (No. 24) Savannah Swords (Long Island Lutheran HS) open to get her jumpers and foul shots off her drives. The Canadian power forwards won some but lost most inside battles as (No. 10) Eriny Erinugha, Swords and Prawl combined for 14 of Canada’s 28 rebounds. The USA crushed again with 55 rebounds, 25 of them offensive.
The USA’s usual starting five: Swain, Abii, Robinson, Alexander and Wolizcko had no problem getting the first quarter lead. The USA bench – remember every one of these players are also the leading scorers and play every minute for their high school and travel teams – kept up the pressure.
The USA had every player on the roster hit double figures in at least one game except for Addison Bjorn who had sit out with food sickness for two games. Rumors are Canada had this problem earlier along with other issues being in a different country.
Every USA player that came here is getting a gold medal, loads of memories and the claim to be one of the few in this class (‘25/’26) to wear the USA emblem. Everyone has also received multiple scholarship offers with at least 50 USA college coaches showing up to “send their love”. No USA player, regardless of points or minutes played, is NOT getting a major Division One scholarship or having any offer pulled. This was about enjoying the event / journey and a gold medal on their neck and later in their house.
After 26 days on the road, coming back to the USA with a gold medal hanging around your neck is worth is at this age.
2024 FIBA U17 Worlds
The top four teams here have qualified for the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup scheduled for somewhere in Mexico July 13-21. This means another tryout next year and another changes to make it back or for someone who was cut (unprepared or not ready or not invited) to get their chance. Argentina has a nice player in (No.15) Milagros Morell and Puerto Rico has a feisty group of small guards. It will be up to the USA and Canada to come back to Mexico to get a U17s medal.
Canada needs to find more size inside and to also find ways to get Prawl and Swords more offensive help. The USA guard pressure showed the vulnerability of their guard line and their ability to rebound inside. The usual global suspects: France, Australia, China, Serbia, Germany, etc will be decided later this summer at their FIBA regional events. Europe usually has 7 teams qualify for Worlds so there’s a lot of competition ahead.
The USA really doesn’t need to change their roster but there’s open issues to be resolved by the player who want to make the team next year. The two are: shooting % and an inside bigger presence.
The shooting issue will be decided on who comes back next year making contested shots (or making open threes). Sure, a ton of missed layups was an issue but in the US simple bumps to the basket are rarely called. You’ll see most suspect guard fouls out front before any inside play. Another year of maturity and knowing the style will help that. The outside shooting will depend on who works on their shot. Except for Lanie Grant there was inconsistent shooting with most teams just getting up on USA players and forcing them to create to the basket.
The roster can be divided into two groups: starters and bench.
MVP Robinson was a gem who just physically dominated anyone who played her. She grabbed every one of her bump-missed layups for a putback while hitting some open threes. All-Star Wolcizko, who was not selected for the April Mini Camp in Dallas, TX at the Women’s Final Four was do it all player, playing every position while defending guards to bigs. Swain ran this team and played defense like a pro. Abii’s ability to play out front along with similar aggressive play like Robinson on offense coupled with out front defense made her a key cog to the lineup.
From here you can plug in a number of players in this last spot. Darriana Alexander was the fifth starter with her tremendous first step speed on defense and rebounding from the wing. A need for a shooter in this spot or moving a bigger post into this space next year could change the roster look.
Other roster players showed exceptional in various games but most had up and down shooting games. Jones, Crump, Bjorn, Jackson and Lampley all serve the same positional needs while Grant (shooter) and Andrews (post) had set spots.
If the USA brings in some player who did not get selected in April or May, then at least two to three spots could be up for contention. From the above, who’s going to make the contested shots in games (not just in drills at USAB tryouts)? And what bigs could be options as the USA will need more inside help.
Andrews outlasted this year’s contestants but will have a year to get in better shape and get her knee to full strength. Look for Oliviyah Edwards to come back with more maturity to match her physical skills along with injured the week before the trials Olivia Vukosa, Lauren Hassell, Marley Spiers and late cuts Alexandra Eschmeyer, Isabell Rangone and Sydney Douglas. Next year’s team will need two or three of these on the roster. I expect Douglas to be a force at the next trials.
This leaves who’s being cut or added from all the big wings, small forwards on this year’s team in Merida.
Expect competition to come for position held by Bjorn, Jackson, Alexander, Grant and Lampley and Andrews from anyone who made it to the last cut. Look for not invited 2026 names like Madison Carlton, Elise Larson, Marisa Taylor and 2027’s like KieAundria Acree, Miciah Fusllier, Micah Ojo, Sydney Savoury and Spiers. There were some other names like Emilee Skinner, UT who people at the trials mentioned by no one knew her birth year.
Will this team win again in 2024 in Mexico again? Without a doubt. I expected more from the FIBA Americas participating teams like Canada and maybe Brazil but found these two powerhouses, especially Brazil very lacking with talent. The best players south of the border were from Columbia and Argentina.
The expected FIBA global competition should come from teams like France, Australia, China and Spain. Other European teams still need to show what they have as the U16A Division competes this mid-August in Izmir, Turkey. The 10-team Asia U16s will be July 10-16 in Amman Jordan. The effects of the pandemic on their Federation programs will be determined this summer, especially how Australia and China’s rosters are constructed.
FIBA AMERICAS U16 ALL-STARS: The obvious selection as U16 FIBA Americas MVP was Jerzy Robinson, (the tournament’s leading scorer with a 17.3ppg / 10.2rpg average); McKenna Woliczko (the 9th leading scorer with 11.8ppg); Argentina’s forward Milagros Morell; Canada’s Cearah Parchment and Puerto Rico’s Desirek Nieves.
NEXT SUMMER: The FIBA U17 World Cup will be July 13-21 back here in Mexico. That means all teams coming here should be decided by the end of August. The USA U17 roster will be up for competition next May. This year there were 55 invited players. This could decrease or stay the same depending on how many changes need to be made and if anyone come in ready to steal someone’s spot.
Anyone on this USA or Canada roster won’t be playing summer travel ball until maybe the end of the July period. In the past, many USA players skipped this after coming back from a long time away or showed up and didn’t play. They already have all the offers they need to choose from.
TRAVEL: Getting into and out of Merida was simple if you came with a stop in Mexico first. If you came out of Florida (Orlando, Miami) it was a horror show getting home as storms took over the region with canceled flights that caused travel to extend from 24 to 36hrs to get home. This is the reason why this story is a tad later than usual. The game results were posted immediately. This roundup and analysis is what people really want to know.
