Additional Quotes - USA 97, China 74

July 24, 2010 • Toulouse, France

Barbara Nelson
(USA and Wingate University head coach)
On tonight's game:
China is a very good team. They are an extremely good-shooting team. We looked at the percentages of who was leading of 3-point shooting and also free throw percentage and points scored, and China was very high in all of those categories. At the beginning, Meng Li, I believe she was 6-for-8 in the first half behind the 3-point line, and she was shooting from 25-feet. So, we had to really adjust our defense in the second half and worry more about guarding the 3-pointer than we've had to all tournament. I'm proud of our kids. I thought they played very hard, and they adjusted to a perimeter game very well.

We're very excited, extremely excited to be in the gold medal game. We feel very fortunate.

Does your game-plan change much if you face Belgium or France?
France and Belgium are very different teams. Belgium plays four-out with one big man insides, which means our post players will have to match a perimeter play defensively. France plays a little more like we do, with two traditional posts. So, depending on who wins, we we definitely adjust our game plan. Either team, it's going to be exciting to be in the gold medal game, whether you are playing the host team or you're playing Belgium, which is not far away, so I think they'll be great crowds, and I think it will be very exciting.

Kaleena Lewis
(Mater Dei H.S./Anaheim, CA)
On tonight's game:
I think everybody played really hard. The post players really battled the bigs China had, and the guards really had to push the tempo and get into our offense before China was able to set up their defense. We listened to coach when she talked about how China was going to go at it for 40 minutes straight, and we got it into our heads that they weren't going to stop. We were up by 12 at one point and they came back and brought it to within three points. They had been hitting threes all game, so we had to lock up on defense, and that's what we did.

Do you feel like this team responded to your first real test?
I think we survived our first test, but when coach asked us when the game was over if it was time to celebrate, we all said no. We have one more game for the gold medal, and that's what we came here for. We are not done yet.

What was the game plan against China?
The plan was to make them drive to the basket because we knew they could hit threes, and obviously in the beginning we did not execute the game plan as well as we would have liked. But once we figured out that we needed to get over those screens, that we needed to switch and help, we got it done.

Ariel Massengale
(Bolingbrook H.S./Bolingbrook, IL)
On tonight's game:
China is a very, very good team. This game was a lot of fun to play in. It was very physical, and we had to play hard for 40 minutes, and they did as well. They are a great team. Their outside shooting was going, and it was something that we hadn't seen in this tournament, but I think our teammates and I adjusted well to it and we competed through adversity.

Did this win feel like the others?
It did. I think the point margin doesn't matter. It really just depends on how we play as a team, and everyday we just try to go out there and focus on USA Basketball. And I believe that if we play USA Basketball every game for 40 minutes that we will be OK.

Is fatigue a factor now?
No. It's one last game, and we have to go out there and play hard for 40 minutes.

Breanna Stewart
(Cicero-North Syracuse H.S./North Syracuse, NY)
On tonight's game:
We knew they were big, but they played even bigger than we expected. We started off a little slow, and then by the end we had gotten into our rhythm and we got the win.

On the USA's fourth quarter:
China only had about an eight-person rotation, and we can use our whole team and have the same affect of offense and defense, and I think that helped us a lot tonight, especially late in the game.

Do you feel like this team responded to your first real test?
Yeah. In Spain we had the scare against Australia where we lost, but that was exhibition. This was the hardest game we've had during the tournament.

What does it feel like to reach the gold medal game?
I can't wait for tomorrow's game. I think are where we want to be. We've grown a lot as a team. It doesn't matter which team we play, we are going to work as hard as we can for that gold medal.

Elizabeth Williams
(Princess Anne H.S./Virginia Beach, VA)
On tonight's game:
I think it was a solid win for us just because it took a total team effort. We knew it was going to be a tough game, and I think mentally we were just really tough, especially during those stretches were they had runs. I think overall, it was a good game for us.

Do you feel like this team responded to your first real test?
I think everyone found their role and played it well. I think today showed our metal strength and perseverance as a team.

On the USA's depth:
Our depth helps us because people can get enough rest, especially because a lot of times you are pushing yourself as hard as you can trying to get a lot of defensive stops. So, when you have depth everyone gets a chance to play and a chance to rest and you can always be pushing 100 percent.

What does it feel like to reach the gold medal game?
It feels good, and I think it will feel better if we win that gold medal. I'm just really excited to be here.

How is your eye after getting scratched during the game?
I'm OK. I have a little headache, but I'm alright.