Under normal circumstances, members of the USA World Championship Team rely on Van Chancellor and the USA coaching staff to give them background on upcoming opponents. But as the team made final preparations for Thursday’s 91-53 victory over South Korea, it was Tari Phillips of the New York Liberty who provided the best scouting report of all.

Tari Phillips is no stranger to competing against teammates as this battle with fellow USA member Lisa Leslie demonstrates. Nathaniel S. Butler WNBAE/Getty Images

Last winter Phillips spent her WNBA offseason playing professionally in Korea for Samsung, where she teamed with four members of the current South Korean National Team. Having been named to the U.S. squad Aug. 29, Phillips hadn’t had a lot of time to consider the possibility that Changshu, China would serve as the backdrop for a reunion with her former teammates.

"It was so funny because I hadn’t thought about the fact that Korea was going to be in our second-round pool," said Phillips. "When we got to the hotel, we were all screaming when we got off the bus and saw each other, and I said, ‘Oh my goodness, there are my teammates from Samsung.'"

With video camera in hand, Phillips had an opportunity to capture her reunion with her Korean teammates on film. Although she is still undecided on whether she will suit up for Samsung again this season, her months there were more than enough time to form lasting friendships.

"I’ve learned some Korean, which was great," she said, "and some of them speak okay English. They struggle a little, but you know, basketball is the universal language. It’s like music being the universal language. Once you get to the X’s and O’s, and get to build some sort of camaraderie with them, it’s great because it lasts. We were really excited to see each other."

With the Liberty advancing to the WNBA Finals against the eventual champion Los Angeles Sparks, Phillips had little chance to train with the her USA teammates before the World Championship. And though it’s been somewhat of a baptism by fire for the 6-1 center, she has risen to the occasion in China.

Five games -- and five victories -- into the tournament, Phillips is averaging 4.8 points and 4.4 rebounds for the USA. Against South Korea, she logged 16 minutes off the bench for the USA, but despite the easy triumph, she was not surprised by the resiliency of her opponents: "They made us work big time tonight for this win," she said after the game.