Ionescu Wins Gold with USA U23 Team
08/17/17 | Women's Basketball
Sabrina Ionescu claimed a gold medal at the Four Nations Tournament with the USA U23 national team.
EUGENE, Ore. - Sabrina Ionescu claimed a gold medal with the USA U23 national team at the Four Nations Tournament in Tokyo, Japan.
Ionescu helped the USA to wins over Australia, Canada and Japan to win the event, which ran from Aug. 12-15 at Katayanagi Arena.
The only sophomore among the 12 elite college players selected to the team, Ionescu opened the tournament against Australia with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting with three three-pointers, two rebounds and an assist. Against Canada, the guard went 4-for-5 with a three-point, 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals in just 14 minutes on the floor. In the final game, against host Japan, Ionescu went 3-for-6 from the field with two three-pointers, eight points, three rebounds and a pair of assists.
Ionescu averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in the three games while shooting 60 percent from the the field.
"It's been so fun, especially being younger and being able to learn from the older veterans," Ionescu said about the experience.
Ionescu joins Ruthy Hebard (Silver, U19 Worlds), Maite Cazorla (Gold, U20 Euros Div. A) and Satou Sabally (Gold, U20 Euros Div. B) as medal winners this summer in international competition.
The Ducks will be back on campus in September for the start of workouts for the 2017-18 season, which begins Nov. 5 with an exhibition game against Westmont at Matthew Knight Arena.
Ionescu helped the USA to wins over Australia, Canada and Japan to win the event, which ran from Aug. 12-15 at Katayanagi Arena.
The only sophomore among the 12 elite college players selected to the team, Ionescu opened the tournament against Australia with 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting with three three-pointers, two rebounds and an assist. Against Canada, the guard went 4-for-5 with a three-point, 10 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals in just 14 minutes on the floor. In the final game, against host Japan, Ionescu went 3-for-6 from the field with two three-pointers, eight points, three rebounds and a pair of assists.
Ionescu averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in the three games while shooting 60 percent from the the field.
"It's been so fun, especially being younger and being able to learn from the older veterans," Ionescu said about the experience.
Ionescu joins Ruthy Hebard (Silver, U19 Worlds), Maite Cazorla (Gold, U20 Euros Div. A) and Satou Sabally (Gold, U20 Euros Div. B) as medal winners this summer in international competition.
The Ducks will be back on campus in September for the start of workouts for the 2017-18 season, which begins Nov. 5 with an exhibition game against Westmont at Matthew Knight Arena.
