Women Defeat Brazil for Gold
By Craig Miller // USA Basketball // July 25, 2007
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (July 24, 2007) – Riding a huge fourth quarter scoring explosion as a team and a 27-point individual scoring effort by Matee Ajavon (Rutgers / Newark, N.J.), the USA Women's Pan American Games Team (5-0) outscored host Brazil (4-1) 30-13 in the game's final quarter to record a 79-66 win and capture the Pan American Games gold medal Tuesday evening in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The victory kept the U.S. team's slate a perfect 5-0 and earned the Americans the gold medal, the United States' first gold medal in Pan American Games competition since 1987.
Playing in front of a loud partisan Brazil crowd that was clad in yellow and green and numbering over 13,000, the 2007 squad did what three teams that came before it were unable to do - win the gold. Since claiming gold in 1987, the USA had earned silver once (2003) and bronze twice (1991 and 1999) (note-the women's basketball competition was canceled for 1995 Pan American Games).
"This feels terrific. We came down here as the youngest team in the tournament, but they also came out here with the biggest hearts," remarked USA head coach Dawn Staley. "I thought we had a shot of winning it because they all bought into the USA Basketball system which is a no star system. Everybody played their roles to the fullest and that's why we won. If it was any other way I think we could of come up short today.
"The committee put together a great team, full of players who are use to playing in this type of environment. In every single game here someone else has stepped up. Tonight it was Matee's night. We made adjustments as a coaching staff to alleviate some of the defensive assignments she had so she could do a little bit more on the offensive end and I think that was a great strategy by our coaching staff. This is a wonderful feeling, it's a tremendous feeling."
For the game's first 30 minutes neither team was able to shake the other.
The U.S. trailed 19-18 after one quarter, and still lagged behind by a single point at intermission, trailing Brazil 34-33.
Credited with just three points in the first half, Ajavon came out firing in the third quarter and behind her seven points during a 12-1 USA start of the third quarter, the USA moved out ahead 44-40 with 5:40 left in the third quarter.
Brazil closed the third quarter with a 13-5 offensive spurt and with 10 minutes left to play in the gold medal contest, the U.S. contingent was looking at a scoreboard that read Brazil 53, USA 49.
But the U.S. again started a quarter strongly.
Behind five points from Angel McCoughtry (Louisville / Baltimore, Md.) and four more from Ajavon, the Americans regained the lead with a 12-1 scoring run that left the score 63-56 with 6:03 to play.
Brazil made one last run and when veteran star Janeth Arcain made a rushed deep two-point shot as the shot clock expired, Brazil was back within three, 65-62, with 3:27 left.
Tasha Humphrey (Gainesville, GA) reciprocated on the other end by draining a 3-pointer as the shot clock sounded, and after Ajavon got out on a fastbreak for a layup, the threat was over and the Americas were up 70-62 with 2:01 to go.
Brazil kept plugging away and closed within five, 70-65, but Ajavon made Brazil pay when her defender went for the steal but came away empty handed, Ajavon drove the lane for two to seal the win.
"Once we got a four point lead, even though they came back, I think it kind of gave us a little bit of momentum and then in the fourth quarter Matee completely took over the game," said Candice Wiggins, who collected her second gold medal of the summer and was a member of the USA U21 World Championship Team that won gold. "When we needed her she hit big shots and she was just hot today. Throughout this entire tournament everybody has stepped up on different days and today was Mat's day and she really delivered."
Avajon's 27 point effort, which came on 11-of-18 shooting from the field, ranks tied for fifth for single game scoring by a USA player in the Pan Ams. Her 11 made field goals ties the USA record for most made field goals in a game.
The U.S. offensive efforts was also aided by McCoughtry who added 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, while also contributing nine rebounds. Humphrey finished with 11 points, making 3-of-5 3-point tries, and Nicky Anoskie (Tennessee / Staten Island, N.Y.) tallied 10 points and seven rebounds.
Holding a 39-27 advantage on the glass, Alexis Hornbuckle (Tennessee / Charleston, W. Va.) also had nine boards.
Brazil, after shooting 14-of-27 in the first half, finished the gold medal contest making just 41.1 percent of its shots.
Jancinto Micaela led Brazil's silver medal effort with 21 points.
Other members of the gold medal USA Pan American Games Team were: Jayne Appel (Stanford / Pleasant Hill, Calif.); Marissa Coleman (Maryland / Cheltenham, Md.); Emily Fox (Minnesota / Highlands Ranch, Colo.); Chardé Houston (Connecticut / San Diego, Calif.); Erlana Larkins (North Carolina / Riviera Beach, Fla.); and Mel Thomas (Connecticut / Cincinnati, Ohio).
Staley was assisted by Kathy Delaney-Smith of Harvard University (Mass.) and Bill Gibbons of College of the Holy Cross (Mass.).
In Tuesday's bronze medal game, Cuba (3-2) upended Canada (2-3) 62-49.
Started in 1951 for men and 1955 for women, the Pan American Games are held every four years in the year prior to the Olympics and are open only to countries from FIBA Americas. The USA women have won seven of 13 gold medals and rolled up a 72-12 record.
2007 Women's Pan American Games Results
Preliminary Round Pools Standings
Group A W-L Group B W-L
1-Brazil 3-0 1-USA 3-0
2-Canada 2-1 2-Cuba 2-1
3-Jamaica 1-2 3-Columbia 1-2
4-Mexico 0-3 4-Argentina 0-3
Preliminary Round
Friday, July 20
USA 95, Columbia 41
Canada 74, Mexico 63
Cuba 81, Argentina79
Brazil 81, Jamaica 69
Saturday, July 21
Cuba 81, Columbia 53
Brazil 88, Mexico 44
USA 85, Argentina 54
Canada 58, Jamaica 46
Sunday, July 22
Columbia 68, Argentina 66
Jamaica 69, Mexico 46
USA 78, Cuba 63
Brazil 77, Canada 63
SemifinalsMonday, July 23
Argentina 73, Jamaica 61
Brazil 79, Cuba 60
USA 75, Canada 59
Columbia 62, Mexico 55
Finals
Tuesday, July 24
Bronze Medal Game: Cuba 62, Canada 49
Gold Medal Game: USA , Brazil
7:45 p.m. 5th/6th Place Game: Argentina - Columbia
10:00 p.m. 7th/8th Place Game: Mexico - Jamaica
Final Standings
1. USA Brazil (5-0)
2. USA/Brazil (4-1)
3. Cuba
4. Canada
5. TBD
6. TBD
7. TBD
8. TBD
Official Basketball Box Score -- GAME TOTALS -- FINAL
USA Pan American Games Team vs Brazil
7/24/07 3:30 p.m. at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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VISITORS: USA Pan American Games Team
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
11 Nicky Anosike....... * 5-10 0-0 0-0 1 6 7 4 10 4 3 2 1 33
14 Natasha Humphrey.... * 4-8 3-5 0-1 0 4 4 4 11 0 3 0 0 33
5 Candice Wiggins..... * 2-6 0-2 0-0 1 1 2 2 4 1 2 0 1 19
6 Matee Ajavon........ * 11-18 2-3 3-6 0 1 1 4 27 2 4 0 1 34
9 Alexis Hornbuckle... * 2-9 1-2 0-0 4 5 9 2 5 3 2 0 2 36
10 Angel McCoughtry.... 7-11 2-2 1-1 4 5 9 2 17 0 3 0 1 23
13 Jayne Appel......... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
15 Erlana Larkins...... 2-3 0-0 0-0 3 1 4 0 4 0 0 0 1 13
4 Emily Fox........... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
8 Marissa Coleman..... 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 6
7 Melanie Thomas...... DNP
13 Charde Houston...... DNP
TEAM................ 1 2 3
Totals.............. 33-65 8-14 5-10 14 25 39 18 79 10 19 2 7 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 0-0 0.0% 2nd Half: 33-65 50.8% Game: 50.8% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 0-0 0.0% 2nd Half: 8-14 57.1% Game: 57.1% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 0-0 0.0% 2nd Half: 5-10 50.0% Game: 50.0% 0
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HOME TEAM: Brazil
TOT-FG 3-PT REBOUNDS
## Player Name FG-FGA FG-FGA FT-FTA OF DE TOT PF TP A TO BLK S MIN
11 Soeli Zakrzeski..... * 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 2 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 19
15 Kelly Santos........ * 2-7 0-1 2-4 1 4 5 3 6 1 3 0 0 32
4 Adriana Pinto....... * 6-12 3-6 4-4 0 2 2 1 19 1 3 0 0 40
7 Micaela Jacinto..... * 9-15 0-3 3-3 1 3 4 3 21 2 4 0 4 39
9 Janeth Arcain....... * 5-17 1-3 3-5 3 4 7 3 14 3 0 0 2 36
12 Jucimara Dantas..... 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
14 Graziane Coelho..... 1-2 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 8
5 Karen Rocha......... 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5
8 Tatiana Conceicao... 1-2 1-2 1-2 0 0 0 1 4 0 2 0 2 17
TEAM................ 1 2 3
Totals.............. 24-58 5-15 13-18 8 19 27 14 66 7 14 0 8 200
TOTAL FG% 1st Half: 0-0 0.0% 2nd Half: 24-58 41.4% Game: 41.4% DEADB
3-Pt. FG% 1st Half: 0-0 0.0% 2nd Half: 5-15 33.3% Game: 33.3% REBS
F Throw % 1st Half: 0-0 0.0% 2nd Half: 13-18 72.2% Game: 72.2% 0
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Officials: Issac Glass, Karem Lasuik, Mario Jose Aluz
Technical fouls: USA Pan American Games Team-None. Brazil-None.
Attendance: 13,200
Score by Periods 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
USA Pan American Games Team... 18 15 16 30 - 79
Brazil........................ 19 15 19 13 - 66
