Aug. 19, 2012
USA Basketball U18 National Team Website
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GURABO, Puerto Rico - Penn State freshman Candice Agee (Victorville, Calif./Silverado) and Team USA defeated Brazil, 71-47, in the FIBA Americas U18 Championship gold medal game on Sunday evening. Agee scored a total of 27 points (6.5) to go along with 15 rebounds (3.0) in Team USA's five games.
The Victorville, Calif. native, who averaged 14 minutes per game to go along with six blocks and 61 percent shooting in the tournament, had an 11-point and four rebound performance on Wednesday in a dominant 99-26 victory over Puerto Rico. Agee was Team USA's third leading scorer against Puerto Rico. She followed up that effort with four points and four rebounds in Thursday's win over Argentina. Team USA clinched a spot in the semifinals yesterday, as Agee tallied four points and three rebounds in an 87-36 victory over Columbia. She also scored four points in yesterday's semifinal win over Canada.
The 6-6 Agee, who is the first Lady Lion player to don the red, white and blue since Tanisha Wright played on the US Young Women's Team in 2003, was ranked 34th by ESPN/HoopGurlz, 38th by Collegiate Girls Report, 17th by Blue Star Basketball and 40th by All-Star Girls Report and Peach State as a high school senior. Agee is the fourth McDonald's All-American in school history and is one of three McDonald's honorees on the 2012-13 Lady Lion roster, joining Maggie Lucas (Narberth, Pa.) and Dara Taylor (Wilmington, Del.). Agee tallied seven points and seven rebounds in the McDonald's High School All-America game in April. She is also a 2012 WBCA High School All-America honorable mention. She is a three-time Desert Sky League first team selection and was the league's Most Valuable Player as a junior. Additionally, she was the Daily Press Girls' Athlete of the Year. Agee was named to the All-Region first team as a junior. The center played her AAU ball with West Coast Premier. Agee also played volleyball at Silverado High School.
The 12-member squad, in addition to Agee, included 2011 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year Breanna Stewart (Cicero-North H.S./North Syracuse, N.Y.); Bashaara Graves (Clarksville H.S./Clarksville, Tenn.); Morgan Tuck (Bolingbrook H.S./ Bolingbrook, Ill.); Jannah Tucker (New Town H.S./Randallstown, Md.); Moriah Jefferson (Texas Home Educators Sports Association/Glenn Heights, Texas); Alexis Prince (Edgewater/Orlando, Fla.); Kendall Cooper (St. Anthony H.S./Carson, Calif.); Allisha Gray (Washington County H.S/Sandersville, Ga.); Lexie Brown (North Gwinnett H.S./Suwanee, Ga.); Michaela Mabrey (Manasquan H.S./Belmar, N.J.) and Brittney Sykes (University H.S./Newark, N.J.).
University of Miami head coach Katie Meier served as head coach of the U18 squad, while collegiate head coaches Nikki Caldwell of Louisiana State University and Kelly Graves of Gonzaga University acted as assistant coaches.
FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women Originally known as the FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament, the event was held every four years beginning in 1988. FIBA changed its calendar and the tournament is now conducted every other year, followed in the next summer by the FIBA U19 World Championship. USA women's teams boast of a remarkable 43-2 overall record in U18/Junior Qualifiers and have won gold in 1988, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012 while capturing silver medals in 1992 and 1996. In fact, the USA has not lost a game at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship since 1996 and is riding a 29-0 winning streak.
Some of the athletes who have represented the U.S. in this event in the past include: Jayne Appel (2006); Alana Beard (2000); Kelsey Bone (2008); Tamika Catchings (1996); Marissa Coleman (2004); Skylar Diggins (2008); Sonja Henning (1988); Niesa Johnson (1992); Rebecca Lobo (1992); Maya Moore (2006); Chiney Ogwumike (2010); Nneka Ogwumike (2008); Candace Parker (2004); Courtney Paris (2004); Cappie Pondexter (2000); Nicole Powell (2000); Lynn Pride (1996); Diana Taurasi (2000); and Candice Wiggins (2004).
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