FIRST FIBA WOMEN'S U19/JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP -- 1985

Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA - August 13-21, 1985

Colorado Springs and the U.S. Olympic Training Center played host to the inaugural Women's Junior World Championship and the Soviet Union captured the first title, as the U.S. finished fifth with a 4-2 record.

1985 Junior World Championship Team 1985 USA RESULTS (4-2) South Korea 76 USA 70 USA 79 Australia 62 USSR 96 USA 71 USA 88 Cuba 73 USA 84 Canada 47 USA 72 Australia 62 1985 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMP. FINAL STANDINGS 1. Soviet Union (5-1) 6. Australia (2-4) 2. South Korea (4-2) 7. Spain (3-3) 3. Yugoslavia (5-1) 8. Canada (1-5) 4. China (3-3) 9. Cuba (2-3) 5. USA (4-2) 10. Senegal (0-5)

Placed in a difficult pool that included the eventual gold medal winning Soviet Union team as well as the silver medalist South Korea squad, the USA dropped two of its first three games, then rebounded to claim wins in its final three games.

Coached by Old Dominion mentor Marianne Stanley, the U.S., despite leading 44-34 at half, lost a 76-70 decision to South Korea. Louisiana State's 6'2' Alisha Jones led the Americans with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Bouncing back to defeat Australia 79-62, the U.S. cause was again aided by Alisha Jones who was credited with 22 points, eight rebounds and five steals.

Next-up for the U.S. was the co-favorite Soviet Union team. Leading 12-6 early, things went downhill quickly and by half the U.S. found itself trailing by 16 points, 48-32. However, the American squad never quit and on two occasions in the second half managed to narrow the Soviet lead to four points. But cold 37-percent shooting from the field doomed the U.S. to a 92-76 setback. Floretta Jackson headed the U.S. attack with 13 points.

Behind a stellar performance by Alisha Jones, 21 points and 17 rebounds, and 20 additional points from Dawn Royster, the U.S. defeated Cuba, 88-73.

Eliminated from the medal round, the U.S. played for fifth place. Facing Canada, the USA relied on a balanced offensive attack that saw Alisha Jones lead all U.S. scorers with 10 points, as the USA recorded an 84-47 victory over Canada.

In its final outing of the competition, the USA turned in a 72-62 win over Australia to earn a fifth place finish with a 4-2 record. Mae Ola Bolton of Auburn and Royster each tallied 17 points in the victory.

Alisha Jones spearheaded the Americans' offense averaging 15.8 ppg. and 10.8 rpg. Royster was second in scoring, averaging 12.0 ppg. and 9.2 rpg., while Texas Lady Longhorn Yulonda Wimbish concluded the competition averaging 10.3 ppg.

In the bronze medal game, Yugoslavia bounced back from a semifinal loss to the Soviet Union to defeat China, 86-63. Before a crowd of nearly 2,000, the gold medal game saw the Soviet Union erase a 45-41 Korean halftime advantage and earn the gold 80-75.