University of Tennessee Athletics
CUBA TAKES USA WOMEN'S PAN AM SQUAD 61-52 IN EXHIBITION FINALE
July 29, 2003 | Women's Basketball
July 29, 2003
HAVANA, CUBA
Cuba made it a clean sweep, winning the third and final exhibition game against the USA Women's Pan American Games Team in Havana Thursday night by a score of 6152. Trailing late, the USA rallied in the final period and managed to get within three, 5350, with 3:22 to play, but Cuba finished the game with an 82 scoring run to capture the 6152 victory. The win was Cuba's third straight over the United States. Jenni Benningfield (Vanderbilt / Louisville, Ky.) paced the Americans with 14 points while Jamie Carey (Texas / Thornton, Colo.) recorded the first double-double of her career after scoring 11 points and dishing out an outstanding 10 assists.
"I think we identified some critical areas this week, and one of the things we need to work on is blocking out because we will not out-rebound this team," commented USA Pan American Games Team and University of Virginia head coach Debbie Ryan. "We need to be more fundamentally sound and work on our defensive slides when someone penetrates,. I think we also need to spend a lot of time on offense because trying to run an offense in this short amount of time is difficult. I don't think we are beating ourselves or that the Cubans are unbeatable. I think we are just inexperienced, young, and we need more practice time. We know what we have to do."
"After five games I think Jamie Carey has done a great job with running the offense and tonight she had an exceptional performance with 10 assists. Jenni Benningfield has been steady for us, Rebekkah Brunson has had her moments and Nicole Powell is in a bit of a slump but I think she'll definitely come out it. Barbara Turner is starting to emerge and Loree Moore has been consistent for us. We will be fine, it's all about finding the right pieces for the puzzle."
For the third straight night, the U.S. failed to connect on easy baskets early and at the end of the first period Cuba led 18-9 as the USA shot just 4-of-14 (28.9 percentage) from the field, while being out-rebounded 14-6.
Laurie Koehn (Kansas State / Hesston, Kan.) entered the game at 7:45 in the second period and immediately nailed a 3-pointer. Carey followed with a steal and after she found Barbara Turner (Connecticut / Cleveland) for a bucket, the USA had pulled within five points at 21-16 with 5:45 remaining. Cuba assembled a 10-5 run over the final minutes of the half to take a 31-21 halftime lead.
"I think everyone is obviously frustrated because we are all used to coming from programs that win," said Benningfield, who shot 5-of-7 from the field for the game. "None of us like to lose, so I think everyone is a little frustrated. We need to use that frustration to keep growing so when we play Cuba in the Pan American Games we will be ready. I think we'll walk away from here more experienced and I think it will help us down the road this summer."
Down by 10 to start the third quarter, Cuba, fueled by its outside shooting, expanded its lead to the biggest margin of the night of 41-28. Ryan called timeout and Benningfield answered the call for the U.S. by sinking a 3-pointer to make it 41-31, and two possessions later she completed a 10-foot jumper at the top of the key to pull the U.S. within eight points, 41-33. The teams exchanged baskets over the final three minutes and at the end of the third period Cuba held a 46-39 lead over the USA.
At 3:22 in the final campaign, Rebekkah Brunson (Georgetown / Oxon Hill, Md.) drove the lane and converted a basket and the U.S. closed within three points of the of its rivals 53-50. But Cuba's Yamile Martinez drove the length of the court for an untouched layup and Cuba close the final quarter with an 8-2 run to insure the 61-52 victory.
Carey and Benningfield were the only U.S. players in double scoring figures. Martinez and Yuliseni Soria guided Cuba with 17 points a piece.
Overall, the U.S. team shot a cold 31.4 percent (16-51 FGs) from the field, and made 7-of-27 threes (25.8 percent). Cuba likewise struggled with its shooting, making just 37.3 percent. Cuba also held the upper hand on the glass, out-rebounding the U.S. 44-to-33.
Ryan is being assisted on the sidelines by Indiana University's Kathi Bennett and University at Albany's (N.Y.) Trina Patterson.
Opening its training on July 17, the USA Basketball Pan American Games Team is currently training for the 2003 Pan American Games that will be played Aug. 2-9 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
The U.S. squad will now return to the United States where it will train July 26-28 at the Berkeley Prep School (Tampa, Fla.), then journey to Santo Domingo. The team will practice at 6:00 p.m. on July 26, followed by two-a-days at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on July 27 and 28.
The 2003 Pan American Games will be played Aug. 2-9 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The game schedule for the women's basketball competition is to be announced.
