USA Basketball Update - October 3, 2011
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The 2011 USA Basketball Women’s National Team opened its five-game exhibition schedule with a 77-48 win against Italian league champion, Famila Schio in Monte di Procida Italy on Friday. Young had eight points, seven rebounds and a team-best four steals in the win while Robinson added seven points and three steals.
“I put on my jersey today for the first time right before the game and I was beyond words,” Young said of her first USA Basketball experience after being sworn in as a U.S. citizen in early September. “I was speechless and I was like, ‘I pretty much can’t believe that I’m here.’ I just was thanking God for the opportunity, regardless of what comes out of it, the opportunity is amazing. To be here, representing the USA is an honor. I feel blessed. I feel privileged that they would even give me an opportunity to come three weeks after getting my citizenship. It says a lot about USA Basketball and I’m honored that I’m here.”
Team USA finished the Italian leg of its schedule with a 78-68 victory against Ros Casares Valencia in Monte di Procida, Italy on Saturday. Young matched eight points with eight rebounds in the win while Robinson had four points, a pair of rebounds and a steal off the bench.
“It’s definitely exciting to be playing with the elite of the elite of our country and of our league, it is such an honor,” Robinson said of her experience with Team USA after Saturday’s game. “It is a blessing to be here. To go out there and get better, obviously having the experience of playing for Coach Auriemma and Doug (Bruno) and Jen (Gillom) is something you don’t get all the time. I’m just soaking it all up.”
Robinson, Young and other members of Team USA hit the Italian mud spa on its last morning off in Italy before heading to Spain to continue its exhibition schedule.
