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Deja Kelly and the United States team fought off a tough Canada squad Saturday night to earn a spot in FIBA Women’s AmeriCup gold-medal game. Kelly scored eight points and made some big plays down the stretch as the Americans held on for a 67–63 victory at Domo de la Feria in León, Mexico, and will face Brazil (6–0) in the Sunday’s gold-medal game at 6:30 p.m. ET.
It was a tough day for James Okonkwo’s Great Britain team in a nearly empty gym in Skopje, North Macedonia, far from the atmosphere he’ll see in the ACC next season. The British team lost to Portugal 63–56 on the second day of pool play at the FIBA U20 European Championships Division B. Portugal led by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter.
Brady Manek showed NBA scouts what Carolina fans know well — that he is a dangerous perimeter shooter. In his first game playing for the Atlanta Hawks’ Summer League team, Manek scored 17 points and five 3-pointers, both team-highs, in the Hawks’ 80–76 loss Friday to the Sacramento Kings in Atlanta’s NBA Summer League opener.
Deja Kelly’s United States team advanced to the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup semifinals on Friday, coasting to a victory over Colombia. The Americans’ first eight baskets came from eight players as they took control early and coasted to a 68–49 win in a quarterfinal game at Domo de la Feria in León, Mexico.
James Okonkwo will come to Carolina with a reputation as a shot-blocker and showed why Friday in Great Britain’s opener of the FIBA U20 European Championships Division B. Okonkwo put up a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds while blocking three shots as Great Britain earned a 72–63 victory over Austria as pool play began in Skopje, North Macedonia.
Former West Virginia big man James Okonkwo, who committed Thursday to transfer to Carolina, begins play Friday at the FIBA U20 European Championships.
West Virginia junior 6–8 forward James Okonkwo has committed to North Carolina, giving the Tar Heels needed front-court depth. Okonkwo, who led the Mountaineers with 22 blocks last season while shooting 57.4% from the floor, announced his decision Thursday on social media.
UNC senior guard Deja Kelly was on her game, and so was the USA as the Americans rebounded from a loss the day before with a resounding victory. Kelly collected 10 points and a team-high seven assists and was a team-high +45 as the United States rolled to a 106–44 victory over Cuba at Domo de la Feria in León, Mexico, in its final pool play game at the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup.
With one of the country’s most talented and deep rosters but only so much playing time to go around, UNC coach Courtney Banghart is focused on making her program the best it can be, rather than worrying about who might hit the transfer portal.
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 at Domo de la Feria in León, Mexico, to snap the USA’s 19-game win streak in the competition.
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