The NetScouts Basketball USA All-Stars topped China 75-72 in a tightly fought contest to win the Chengdu portion of the China tour in front of a SRO crowd of 4,000 highly partisan Chinese fans. The game was close throughout, was tied at 41 at halftime and the USA had a three-point lead at the close of the third quarter.
The USA had a slight lead through most of the final stanza. The game was tied at 72 when Aishah Sutherland hit an elbow jumper to give the USA the lead with 35 seconds remaining. China missed a shot on the ensuing possession, Tahnee Robinson grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 2.8 seconds remaining. Tahnee missed the first shot and made the second giving China one last chance. However, a desperation three-pointer was off the mark and the USA escaped Chengdu with the win.
Robinson led the Americans with 15 points and seven rebounds. Aulani Sinclair added 13 and Chelsea Hopkins and Sutherland both contributed 11. Ting Shao led China with 19 points. The USA destroyed China on the boards by a 40-14 margin. China stayed in the game with an advantage in three-point shooting, going 9-of-24 against only 4-of-20 for the Americans. The USA shot well when getting the ball inside, shooting 60% on two-pointers.
Statistics
Chelsea Hopkins, PG (San Diego State) 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Alexis Gray-Lawson, G (California) 7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal
Aishah Sutherland, F (Kansas) 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
Taleya Mayberry, PG (Tulsa) 2 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists
China Crosby, PG (Virginia) 2 points, 1 assist, 1 steal
Tahnee Robinson, G (Nevada) 15 points, 7 rebounds
Aulani Sinclair, F (Indiana) 13 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist
Nikki Greene, C (Penn State) 6 points, 4 rebounds
Sarah Eichler, F (Green Bay) 1 point, 1 rebound, 1 steal
Chelsea Poppens, F (Iowa State) 2 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal
Jessica Lawson, C (South Florida) 5 points, 4 rebounds
Talia Caldwell, C (California) 0 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
In the first game Hungary ran away from Australia 79-63 for their first win. The Hungarians shot 10-of-20 on three-pointers and were led by Rita Rasheed who scored 18 points and made 4-of-7 three’s. Lauren Mansfield led Australia with 19 points and made 5-of-7 three’s.
The USA (6-0) now has a two-game lead on the competition with China (4-2) and Australia and Hungary both 1-5.
Early tomorrow morning all the teams head out on a flight to Shanghai and then bus to Changshu for the next three games which start tomorrow night.
Big ups to EVERYONE…coaches, players ,staff and the writer.
Nathaniel Greene
Congrats to team USA and Ms Robinson for representing Native American people over in China! Keep working hard and playing as a team that’s the key to success!
Chairman St. Clair Eastern Shoshone Tribe