June 17, 2007 • Colorado Springs, Colorado

• Gold Medal Game Box Score: USA White 103, USA Blue 88
• Bronze Medal Game Box Score: USA Red 82, Brazil 69
  
• 2007 Youth Development Festival Results/Schedule

USA White Team players and coaches alike celebrate their gold medal showing at the 2007 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival. (Photo: Steven Maikoski)

Thanks to 14 points from Kelsey Bone (Dulles H.S. / Stafford, Texas), the USA White Team (5-0) outscored the USA Blue (2-3) 31-22 in the third quarter and cruised on to record a 103-88 victory in the gold medal game of the 2007 USA Basketball Youth Development Festival. Bone paced the White in the win recording a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. In the bronze medal contest, the USA Red (3-2) rebounded from its semifinal loss to take down Brazil (0-5) 82-69 as Nneka Ogwumike (Cy-Fair H.S. / Cypress, Texas) accounted for 18 points, eight rebounds and six steals.

The White's spotless 5-0 record marked the fifth time in as many Festivals that the gold medalist went undefeated.

The USA Basketball Youth Development Festival gives U.S. participants exposure to USA Basketball, international basketball rules and the opportunity to go head-to-head against the best prep players in North America and Brazil. The entry-level event combines position clinics, which target post or perimeter skills, with practice sessions and the four-team, five-game tournament. The Youth Development Festival features top U.S. high school rising juniors and seniors and a junior national team from Brazil.

Gold Medal Game: USA White 103, USA Blue 88

Samantha Prahalis hangs in the air during action in the gold medal game. (Photo: Steven Maikoski)

After a nearly even first half between USA White and USA Blue in the gold medal contest, Bone recorded a monstrous third quarter and scored 14 of her game high 19 points to help the USA White squad secure a comfortable lead it never relinquished in a 103-88 win.

"Before we even had a practice I asked the kids what their goal was, and they all said win the gold medal," said USA White head coach Caryn Jarocki (Highlands Ranch H.S., Colo.). "So the whole time that's all we've been after. The unselfish play, teamwork and the spirit of these kids was the difference today. We just kept running, and pushing and doing what we needed to do. The kids had the will and they all bought into our team concept."

That game started off red hot as USA White's first 12 points were the result of four 3-pointers to open the quarter, including three from deep from Tiffany Hayes (Winter Haven H.S. / Winter Haven, Fla.), who finished with 14 points (4-of-7 3pt FGs) and four assists. Shay Selby (Regina H.S. / Geneva, Ohio) also connected from deep with 10:41 on the clock to put USA Blue's first points on the board.

Headed into the second quarter owning a 22-18 lead, USA White opened the period with a 7-2 run. But an offensive rebound and bucket from Alyssia Brewer ( Sapulpa H.S. / Sapulpa, Okla.) with 7:10 on the clock launched a 16-7 Blue run that cut White's lead to three, 44-41, at the half.

"We had a big talk at halftime when we were only up by three, and we talked about intensity and heart," said Caroline Doty (Germantown Academy / Ft. Washington, Pa.). "We wanted to win the gold medal so bad that we just kept fighting and fighting."

Bone scored the first two points of the second half at 11:30 and proceeded to dominate the third period action with 12 more points to help USA White reach its largest lead of the game, 16 points, with 4:26 on the clock. USA White headed into the fourth period with a 75-63 advantage.

Caroline Doty poured in 13 points to help lead the USA White to gold. (Photo: Steven Maikoski)

"I hadn't been playing my best, so I just decided I had to come in and step up. I wanted to show everyone the real Kelsey Bone at my full potential." Bone said. "It felt great. I had a goal in mind, with the rest of my team, to get the gold medal. Knowing that I was doing what I needed to do to get us there felt really good."

USA Blue fought hard down the stretch, and a score from Alicia Manning (Etowah H.S. / Woodstock, Ga.) cut the White lead to seven, 79-72, with 8:20 remaining in the game. However, White guard Samantha Prahalis (Commack H.S. / Dix Hills, N.Y.) countered with two points that were followed by a 3-pointer from Briana Gilbreath (Cinco Ranch H.S. / Katy, Texas) and USA Blue never threatened again.

In addition to Bone, USA White boasted of six additional players in double figures. Amber Gray (Lakota West H.S. / Cincinnati, Ohio) tallied 16 points and six rebounds; Hayes scored 14 points and dished four assists; Doty recorded 13 points, five rebounds and four assists; Shanay Washington (Del Valle H.S. / Austin, Texas) had 12; and Monique Oliver (North Las Vegas H.S. / North Las Vegas, Nev.) and Gilbreath, who also grabbed nine rebounds, each scored 10 points.

Jasmine Dixon (Poly H.S. / Long Beach, Calif.) led the USA Blue scorers with 12 points, followed by Brewer, Manning, Casey Morris (Peidmont H.S. / Fairfield, Calif.) and Selby, who each tallied 11 points. Glory Johnson (Webb School / Knoxville, Tenn.) also contributed 10 points. Collecting eight rebounds for Blue were Ayana Dunning, Ashley Gayle and Manning.

Bronze Medal Game: USA Red 82, Brazil 69

Glory Johnson makes a strong move to the basket in the Youth Development Festival gold medal game. Johnson and her Blue teammates came up sort, falling 103-88 to the USA White.

Ogwumike, Nikki Speed (Marlborough H.S. / Pasadena, Calif.) and Shekinna Stricklen (Morrilton H.S. / Morrilton, Ark) scored four points apiece as the Red Team jumped out to a 12-0 lead over Brazil in Sunday's Youth Development Festival bronze medal game, putting a disappointing semifinal loss behind them with an 82-69 victory.

The USA Red held its opponent scoreless for almost five minutes until a Brazil layup at the 7:20 mark made it a 12-2 game. Capitalizing on five Red turnovers, Brazil sliced the deficit to 20-14 at the end of the first period, and Brazil remained feisty throughout the remainder of the contest.

"I know my team didn't like that loss last night, they're competitive kids," said head coach Jackie Boswell (Seton Keough H.S. / Maryland Magic AAU). "But I think that loss was good for them. I think they did a great job today. They got out to a big lead right off, so that showed me that they were ready to play offense."

With the Red leading 31-25 late in the second period, Ogwumike nailed a 3-pointer and followed that up with a layup to expand her Red team's lead to 36-28.

Holding a 10 point advantage, 42-32, at halftime, Brazil's Samara Ferreira's 3-point play on a layup and free-throw cut the gap to 58-50 with 1:38 remaining in the third quarter, but Stricklen responded with a basket seconds later, as the Red staked a 60-50 advantage heading to the fourth.

Scoring the first four points of the final stanza as Tayler Hill (South H.S. / Minneapolis, Minn.) and Heather Buck (Stonington H.S. / Stonington, Conn.) accounted for two points each, the USA red lead reached as many as 15 before posting the 82-69 victory.
Emilee Harmon (Pickerington H.S. / Pickerington, Ohio), a 6-2 forward who finished with 12 points, joined Stricklen (14) and Ogwumike (18) as the only three Red players to score in double-figures.

Patricia Ribeiro led Brazil with 19 points, five rebounds and five steals, and Samara Ferreira added 14 points and eight rebounds.

"I think I performed pretty well," Ogwumike said. "The Festival has allowed me to not always look at myself as someone who is dependent on points, because everyone here can score and everybody here brings that attribute to the team. The camp helped a lot me with my other skills."

Now, Boswell and Ogwumike agreed, the challenge is to implement the knowledge at home.

"The Festival was awesome," Boswell said. "I'm going to go back and tell my kids how hard they have to work and what an opportunity that basketball is in front of them. It's been an awesome experience being around these girls and coaches."