In what was a true team effort in every sense, led by Texas Tech's Marsha Sharp the 2002 USA Basketball World Championship For Young Women Qualifying Team claimed the gold medal with an unblemished 4-0 record at the inaugural Confederation of Pan American Basketball Associations (COPABA) World Championship For Young Women Qualifying Tournament held July 17-21 in RibeiraoPreto, Brazil. Not only did the dominating red, white and blue claim gold, but the squad of elite 20-and-unders qualified USA Basketball for the 2003 FIBA World Championship For Young Women.

2002 USA YOUNG WOMEN'S TEAM 2002 USA RESULTS (4-0) USA 100 Venezuela 40 USA 107 Argentina 70 USA 123 Puerto Rico 50 USA 81 Brazil 50 2002 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR YOUNG WOMEN QUALIFIER FINAL STANDINGS 1. *USA (4-0) 5. Canada (2-2) 2. *Brazil (4-1) 6. Venezuela (0-3) 3. *Argentina (2-2) 7. Costa Rica (0-3) 4. Puerto Rico (2-3) * The top three finishing teams qualified for the 2003 FIBA World Championship For Young Women.

Averaging a tournament leading 102.8 points an outing, the United States had five players finish with scoring averages in double digits, three of whom finished among the top 10 in the tournament in scoring. Leading the charge was Ebony Hoffman, who averaged a tournament fourth best 13.3 points; USA co-captain Laurie Koehn ranked sixth with 13.0 points a game; and Kara Braxton was the tournament's ninth best scorer after averaging 11.9 points a game. USA co-captain Cappie Pondexter passed off for a tournament best 26 assists (6.5 apg.) and Lindsay Whalen's 17 assists (4.3 apg.) ranked fourth among all competitors. Leading the U.S. squad on the glass was Hoffman, who averaged a tournament fourth best 8.8 rebounds, Nicole Ohlde ranked seventh after pulling down 8.3 per game and Brown-Braxton tied at eighth, averaging 7.0 rebounds.

Opening pool play on July 17, the USA behind 17 points from Hoffman, 14 from Koehn and 13 from Whalen, downed Venezuela 100-40 in a game which saw every member contribute in the scoring column by the end of the first half. The United States had seven players score in double digits, including team highs of 14 points from Koehn and Jia Perkins, as every player again scored and the U.S. defeated Argentina 107-70 on July 19 to close out pool play at the top of Group A. Prior to the start of the tournament, the Dominican Republic withdrew, leaving Group A with only three teams while Group B contained Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico.

Advancing to the semifinals against Puerto Rico, the USA collected a 123-50 win on July 20. For the third straight game each member of the U.S. team scored as the one-two Kansas State punch of Koehn and Ohlde led the way with 18 and 17 points, respectively.

Hoffman (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Ohlde (11 points, 13 rebounds) each posted double-doubles as the United States earned the gold medal on July 21 with an 81-50 decision against host Brazil.

In addition to the United States, the Americas Zone will be represented at the 2003 FIBA World Championship For Young Women by silver medalist Brazil and Argentina, which defeated Puerto Rico 80-55 for the bronze, in the inaugural FIBA World Championship For Young Women.

2002 USA World Championship For Young Women Qualifying Team Cumulative Statistics