Taking The World By Storm - Aug. 10

Playing against a hostile crowd, the USA Basketball Senior Women’s National Team faced its stiffest test in three pre-Olympics exhibitions Monday, battling host Spain in the finals of the Spanish Invitational Tournament in Salamanca, Spain. For the second straight night in Spain, the U.S. struggled early before taking advantage of a huge second quarter.

Leslie led the U.S. with a double-double. Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty

On this evening, the U.S. women actually trailed 18-17 after one quarter. The second period, however, was all U.S., as they outscored Spain 24-11. Despite threatening to on several occasions, the U.S. squad could never put away the Spanish, who essentially played them even up in the second half. Still, the second-quarter cushion was enough for a 77-61 victory that concluded USA Basketball’s 2004 exhibition schedule with an unblemished 16-0 record.

Spain actually outshot the U.S. 44.0% to 42.2%, but that difference was overcome by the U.S. women’s dominance on the boards, which they’ve maintained throughout the exhibition tour. They outrebounded Spain 40-23. The U.S. also controlled turnovers, which had been a problem, turning the ball over only 14 times.

Individually, it was again a balanced effort that carried the U.S. Lisa Leslie had the game’s only double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, adding four steals and three blocks, but the team’s leading scorer was Swin Cash off the bench. The Detroit Shock forward had 14 points, and fellow reserves Yolanda Griffith and Sheryl Swoopes added 11 points apiece. Tina Thompson also scored 11.

Spain got outstanding performances from Marta Fernandez, who hit all nine of her shots and scored 18 points, and Elisabeth Cebrian, who had 17 points and eight rebounds. The Spanish bench, however, was outscored 50-6 as the U.S. women demonstrated their incredible depth.

Storm guard Sue Bird played 15 minutes and scored five points, hitting on her only three-point attempt.

Their exhibition schedule complete, the U.S. women will practice in Salamanca Tuesday before traveling to Athens, where they will practice twice before opening Olympic play Saturday against New Zealand.