Women's U19 team takes exhibition game against France

BANGKOK, Thailand  --  In a warm-up for the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship, every member of the USA U19 World Championship Team scored, including five in double digits, as the U.S. defeated France 86-46 in a friendly exhibition contest on Monday evening in Bangkok, Thailand. Prior to the contest, Skylar Diggins (Washington H.S. / South Bend, Ind.) and Nnemkadi Ogwumike (Stanford / Cypress, Texas), both of whom were on the 2008 USA U18 National Team, were voted by their teammates to serve as co-captains of the '09 USA U19 Worlds squad.

Shenise Johnson (Miami, Fla. / Henrietta, N.Y.) and C'eira Ricketts (Arkansas / Louisville, Ky.) led the balanced scoring charge against France with 12 points each; while Kelsey Bone (Dulles H.S. /Stafford, Texas), Diggins and Chay Shegog (North Carolina / Stafford, Va.) posted 11 points each. Johnson and Shegog just missed out on double-doubles with nine boards apiece, while Ogwumike also hauled in nine rebounds to go with her six points.

As the two-time defending U19 World Championship gold medalists, the USA will attempt to make it three straight golds at the '09 U19 Worlds, which begin on July 23 and run through Aug. 2 in Bangkok, Thailand. The U.S. will scrimmage Australia on July 21, followed by practice on July 22 and begin U19 World Championship play against Spain on July 23.

"It's good to finally get a game under our belt," said USA and Northern Illinois University head coach Carol Owens. "I think we needed that. We've been practicing twice a day in the States. To get here and try to get adjusted as soon as we can, I think this was good for us. You always want to know where you are at this point. It was not bad for our first friendly game, but we still have a ways to go. Our emphasis has to be on the defensive end and we need to continue to be focused on our defense throughout the tournament."

"The game was actually kind of physical," said Johnson. "Not in a strong way, but just like slapping and a lot of hands, a lot of grabs, a lot of guard play out in the front that normally we get called for in college. It was fun though, overall. I kind of liked the fact that the refs let us play a little bit. We definitely have to get our chemistry going. I thought we did okay. I felt like we could still do better."

The USA jumped out to an early 10-point lead, 14-4, with 3:18 to play in the first quarter and never looked back. By the end of the first stanza, the gap was 14 points, 20-6, as seven U.S. team members scored in the opening period. Just three minutes into the second quarter, the American women were up 31-8 and cruised to a 44-19 halftime lead. During the first half, the USA's defense held France to 6-of-33 (.182)  shooting from the field.

"I think we came out well with intensity," said Ogwumike. "We could come out with a little bit more. We executed pretty good for the first game. I guess with the experience as we play more teams and we get more acquainted with the crowds, this country, the gyms, and the atmosphere, I think all of our communication will get better. The basics and fundamentals of basketball will really come together. We know how each other plays. Everyone can score and we really need to play more as a team. Not that we're not, we just need to come together more."

The USA's lead continued to grow as the Americans outscored the French 18-11 in the third quarter and 24-16 in the fourth for the eventual 40-point victory.