By R.L. Bynum
It was a challenging Fourth of July at the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup for a United States team that faced another team full of older professional players, this time Brazil.
The No. 13-ranked Brazilians were in control for most of the game and beat the No. 1-ranked Americans 67–54 Tuesday at Domo de la Feria in León, Mexico, to snap the USA’s 19-game win streak in the competition.
For the first time in three games, Carolina senior guard Deja Kelly didn’t start as Coach Kamie Ethridge instead inserted UCLA’s Lauren Betts to go with a taller lineup and counter Brazil’s size.
Betts, 6–7, led the United States (2–1) with 11 points and 15 rebounds, but Brazil (4–0) had too much firepower, led by 31-year-old Taina Paixao, who scored 14 of her 23 points in the second half. Erika De Souza, Brazil’s 41-year-old post player, added seven points and seven rebounds.
Every player on the USA roster is 22 years old or younger.
The Americans try to close out pool play positively at 2:10 p.m. Wednesday when they face Cuba. The quarterfinals are Friday, the semifinals Saturday and the championship Sunday.
It was a difficult game for Kelly, who missed all four shots and scored two points with one rebound, three fouls, four turnovers and no assists. Even her mid-range jumper, usually a dangerous weapon for Kelly, wouldn’t fall.
Kelly’s only points came in the first half when, as has happened several times at Carolina, she was fouled while attempting a 3-pointer. She made two of three free-throw attempts.
“All of us are very elite players coming from different colleges,” said South Carolina’s Raven Johnson, the only guard in the starting lineup Tuesday, who had eight points and three rebounds. “We hate losing, so I hope this puts fuel to the fire for us [Wednesday] and we come out with the fire and intensity and the grit and tenacity and beat Cuba.”
Brazil, 5–3 against the U.S. at the AmeriCup, frustrated the Americans with its aggressive defense, forcing 21 turnovers and owning a 24–5 edge in points off turnovers.
“That just tells us that we need to share the ball a bit more,” Johnson said of the turnovers. “We need to find the open person. Coach always says that the ball will find whoever’s open. We have to work on a bit of defense because these teams have been together for a longer time and we [have] just been together for just two, three weeks. So we definitely want to buy in, look at film and try to focus on what we need to improve on.”
The USA, which seeks its third consecutive AmeriCup gold medal, shot 30.8% from the floor, with only four of 16 field goals assisted.
“I just think it’s a bad-rhythm offense right now,” Ethridge said. “We don’t know where the shots are coming. That’s my job as the coach to make sure our kids are in better position and handle what the other teams are doing. We just have struggled offensively. And you know, quite frankly, I think defensively, 67 points to Brazil is probably good enough. We just had to find ways to put points on the board.”
The Americans led by three when Brazil scored the final six points of the first quarter to take a 15–12 lead, marking the USA’s first deficit after a quarter in the tournament.
The USA committed seven turnovers in the second quarter when Brazil built a 30–16 lead, the Americans’ biggest deficit of the tournament. A 9–5 U.S. run to end the half cut Brazil’s halftime lead to 34–25.
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Projected roster if all players with eligibility other than Elina Aarnisalo, Lanie Grant,, Taliyah Henderson and Liza Ashtakhova and Liza Ashtakhova return, with years listed for next season (UNC is one below the 15-player limit)
| Year | No./ Stars | Players | Pos. | Height | |
| Freshman | 5 star | Kate Harpring | PG | 5–10 | |
| Freshman | 52/4 star | Noelle Bofia | F | 6–4 | |
| Sophomore | 3 | Gabby White — W | G | 5–10 | |
| Sophomore | 7 | Nyla Brooks | W | 6–1 | |
| Sophomore | 26 | Taissa Queiroz | G | 6–1 | |
| Junior | 34 | Blanca Thomas | C | 6–5 | |
| Junior | 1 | Jordan Zubich | G | 5–11 | |
| RS junior | 21 | Ciera Toomey | F | 6–4 | |
| RS junior | 4 | Laila Hull | W | 6–1 | |
| Senior | Sophie Burrows — X | G | 6–2 | ||
| Senior | 11 | Achol Akot — Y | F | 6–1 | |
| Senior | 10 | Reniya Kelly | G | 5–7 | |
| Senior | 15 | Sydney Barker | G | 5–6 | |
| Graduate | 13 | Chloe Clardy — Z | G | 5–9 |
W — Virginia transfer; X — Syracuse transfer; Y — Oklahoma State transfer; Z — Stanford transfer
Former players who entered transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elina Aarnisalo | Junior | G | 5–10 | UCLA |
| Lanie Grant | Junior | G | 5–9 | TCU |
| Taliyah Henderson | Sophomore | W | 6–1 | Clemson |
| Liza Astakhova | Sophomore | G | 6–2 | BYU |
Photos courtesy of FIBA
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