PORTLAND, OR – The Nike Hoop Summit after 25 years of hosting a USA all-star men’s high school all-star squad versus an International men’s youth all-star team finally added a Women’s game. Men’s Games: 25; Women’s Games: 1.
It was surprisingly held the following weekend that featured the most watched Women’s Final Four in history with the LSU Tigers winning the NCAA Division One Championship in Dallas, Texas over Iowa. For everyone who follows or even takes a slight interest in the game knows the absolute fanfare that took place with two of the Championship game stars Tiger Angel Reese and Hawkeye Caitlin Clark. Bravo for them both as the sheer amount of publicity will bring them more financial opportunities because everyone eyes are on them.
This first women’s game between a USA team comprised of many of the USA Junior Women’s National U17 gold medal winners along with two of the USA Women’s U18 gold medal winners, all combined to bring the best to face an u19 level International team comprised of mostly foreign players being schooled in the USA and a few from overseas.
For the graduating high school USA players this was a last hurrah in the scholastic careers before they move onto college within the next 60 days. Yes, these players are due on camps to start college as soon as they graduate.
This team was flat loaded with USA U17 gold medalists. Leading the way is FIBA u17 MVP JuJu Watkins (Sylmar, CA / Southern California), Mikaylah Williams (Bossier City, LA / LSU), Jada Williams (Kansas City, MO / Arizona), Jadyn Donovan (Upper Marlboro, MD / Duke), Sunaja Agara (Minneapolis, MN / Stanford), Madison Booker (Rindgeland, MS / Texas), Breya Cunningham (Chula Vista, CA / Arizona), Aaylah DelRosario (Danbury, CT / LSU), Hannah Hidalgo (Merchantville, NJ / Notre Dame) along with USA 3X gold medalists (M.Williams), Kamorea Arnold (Germantown, WI / Connecticut) and Sahara Williams (Waterloo, IA / Oklahoma). The only non-USAB team members are Zoe Brooks (Plainfield, NJ / North Carolina State) and Ashlynn Shade (Noblesville, IN / Connecticut).
The International team featured a few notable players including: 5-10 Diana Collins Brookwood HS (Sweden) headed to Ohio State, 6-7 Letycia Vasconcelos (Montverde Academy / Baylor) and 6-2 Canada Junior National Team dunking phenom 2024 Toby Fournier (Crestwood Prep, Ontario). Coming from Australia was 5-9 Shaneice Swain (UC Capitals) and 6-1 Nyadiew Puoch (Soutside Flyers).
The USA jumped out front 32-22 after the 1st quarter but saw the World team close the score to within six points in the 2nd quarter on Toby Fournier’s 11-point, 8 rebounds but still trailed at halftime 53-46. KK Arnold (10 points) and Mikaylah Williams (8 points) led the USA at half as Aussie Shaneice Swain led the World with 12 points.
The second half was a continuation of the first half battle with Team USA maintaining it’s six to 10 point margin in the third quarter before the World cut the lead to three points, 62-59 with 5:02 left behind the impressive height of 6-7 Vasconcelos, 6-5 Madina Okot (Zentech Sparks, Kenya) and 6-2 Fournier. Still the USA held 75-65 after three.
Mikaylah Williams’s two consecutive (six of seven from the 3) three-fest of shots opened up the USA lead at the start of the fourth quarter as the USA opened a 20-point margin quickly and finished with a 100-79 victory.
“I think it was just all the (outside shooting) reps (during the team practices) I put in,” explained game leading scorer Mikaylah Williams. “And my teammates feeding me.”
“This is another path, a new path for the next generation coming behind us,” said guard K.K. Arnold (10 points). “This was a decent crowd,” said Hannah Hildago (13 points, 8 assists). “It’s only going to get bigger from here.”
The significance of this first Hoop Summit game was not lost on the World Coach Carly Clarke. “I’ve watched these young women play ar0und the world in preparation for this game and certainly know what they are capable of”, explained World Coach Carly Clarke. “I’ve had a chance to compete against US teams a lot and certainly know it’s a full 40-minute battle against them. What I think happened today is what happens often, their depth and speed and athleticism wears you down. I felt we had a pretty good game plan and thought our players really competed. It would be fun to play them again and try to clean some things up. So sure we came in with the belief we had the pieces to compete.”
So, the title of this story tells a bigger tale as it took over 28 years to finally have a women’s game. I know I have asked selected people for this type of game for over 10 years (2005-2018) up until a time before the covid pandemic. A deeper dive into the “why” this long would expose a lot information that denied a lot of prior female high school players this game platform. USA Basketball puts together the USA teams and works with Nike, as the event sponsor, to construct the World teams.
The post pandemic basketball landscape is shifting as this year’s NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament saw many upsets and unexpected winners advance, something the women’s game has been lacking. The usual suspect teams didn’t make it to the Finals, only powerhouse South Carolina. Three teams (champion LSU, Virginia Tech and runner-up Iowa) broadened the national fan base that gave the Dallas Tournament an historic TV rating of 9.9M. New blood and new stars brought new viewers.
What this Hoop Summit was about was exactly that – the new blood and new stars about to enter college and bring more excitement to their teams.
The two most heralded high school recipients of NIL opportunities, Jada Williams headed to Arizona (along with Brea Cunningham) and the FIBA U17 MVP JuJu Watkins going to Southern Cal spoke about what the hoopla of this years Women’s Final Four meant for them and for future players.
“I think they are really paving the way for us,” said Arizona-bound guard Jada Williams. “They’re making it possible for us to following in their shoes and earn a leaving basically. They’re laying out the platform and we all know it’s not going to be easy. It’s all the same journey, working for each other. They’re paving the way for us, so now we’re going to pave the way for the younger generation.”
“Every college women’s basketball player is working towards the same goal which is equal opportunity,” explained the USA’s top rated high school player JuJu Watkins. “I am happy that Caitlin and Angel are getting the recognition they deserve. It really sets the tone for NCAA basketball.”
SCORING: Mikaylah Williams led all USA scorers with 22 points followed by Hildago (13 points), Arnold (10 points), Agara (10 points) and Sarah Williams (10 points). Madison Booker led the USA with eight rebounds. The World team was led by Aussie Shaneice Swaim with 19 points followed by Fournier’s 18 and Pouch’s 16 points.
CROWD QUOTE: “I am pretty confident when these ladies take the stage at the next level they’ll be playing in front of sold out arenas” said USA Coach Sue Phillips who’s led USABWJN teams to four gold medals. “They are our future stars and been an incredible honor and privilege to coach them tonight.”
TOBY QUOTE: The 2024 Canadian forward finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds. “Honestly just having confidence in myself and my teammates and how they were playing,” Fournier explained. “Just be able to play my game. I think confidence is definitely key for me just being able to hit my shots and to get to places on the floor where I can make it.
CARLY QUOTE: “It’s been a blast from the start of the week we were talking about the legacy aspect, the fact that this was the first women’s game and how unique the opportunity is,” said Carly Clarke. “It was new to me. I’ve have the opportunity to coach Canada (women’s teams) on the international stage a lot but it’s a whole different experience to try and meld people from all over the world. I am super appreciate of all the players because they’ve been all open minded, hard working, receptive and gave a heck of an effort tonight.”
NOTES: Nine of the USA Team players were selected as Blue Star 30 at the start of their high school careers. Agara, Arnold, Booker, Cunningham, DelRosario, Donovan, Watkins, J.Williams, S.Williams were Blue Star 30 players. Watkins and Hildago were co-MVPs of the McDonalds game two weeks ago.
MENS GAME: The USA came from behind to take a 90-84 win against a taller World team in the fourth quarter behind key scoring by Bronny James (11 points) including a key pair of free throws to seal the game with 5.4 seconds remaining. The World team fell behind quickly by 10 points and held a 46-39 lead at halftime. The World team surged in the third quarter to take a 67-66 lead by the start of the fourth quarter. The USA Team was led by 6-8 Texas-bound Ron Holland (Duncanville, TX) collected 14 points, 9 rebounds along with Isaiah Collier’s 11 points. Guards DaJaun Wagner and Justin Edwards added 10 points each. Duke-bound 6-8 forward Mackenzie Mgbako (Roselle Catholic, NJ) lead the World team with 22 points.
THE BRONNY SHOW: The Men’s game featured two of the USA’s top guards in Philly area’s D.J. Wagner (Camden, NJ) and Justin Edwards (Philadelphia, PA) both headed to Kentucky along with a famous son in 6-3 guard Bronny James who stopped interviews after being asked about a college decision. Most people think it will be USC to be “close to home” unless someone thinks he is NBA draft material. The media crowd was heavier than usual with star studded recruits in house along with LeBron James sitting court side to watch his son perform.
This was a weaker but taller men’s World team as the composition, like the women’s squad, featured many players who happen to be going to a variety of high school, prep and academy schools in the US. This made it easier to fill a roster without the long process of talent ID, getting team and federation permissions and then squaring off the US Visa and travel arrangements. Also the “behind-the-scenes” team of people who worked on this process are no longer doing that.
The USA Men’s team has won 18 of the 25 games (starting in 1995) with the World taking 7 and the last one in 2018.
HOOP SUMMIT MENS GAME BOX SCORE LINK // HOOP SUMMITT GIRLS GAME BOX SCORE LINK
