Paopao, Team USA Take Gold at FIBA U19 World Cup

EUGENE, Ore. – Te-Hina Paopao and the USA Women's U19 National Team finished off a dominant run to gold at the FIBA U19 World Cup with a 70-52 win over Australia in the title game Sunday in Hungary.
 
Paopao got the start in all seven games for Team USA, which won every game but the title game by at least 30 points winning the seven games by an average of 47 points. She finished the tournament averaging 9.1 points per game while adding 4.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds per contest. Paopao also added 1.6 steals per game and turned in a 3.6 assist-to-turnover ratio while shooting 40.7 percent from three-point range.
 
In the opening game of the tournament, Paopao filled up the stat sheet with eight points, seven rebounds, seven assists and three steals in a win over Italy. She followed that with 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists in a win over Chinese Taipei in the round of 16 before adding 11 points and seven assists in a quarterfinal victory against Spain.
 
The Oregon sophomore put in another strong all-around effort in the title match, finishing with 10 points, four rebounds and five assists with no turnovers while coming away with a pair of steals.
 
Paopao's gold with the U19 National Team caps off a busy summer of play with Team USA for a number of Oregon players. The Ducks began the summer by sending Paopao, Sydney Parrish, Maddie Scherr and Kylee Watson to compete in the USA Basketball 3x3 National Tournament in June, before Sedona Prince won gold with the USA Basketball AmeriCup team later that month. Watson also represented Team USA at the 3x3 Nations League in France in earlier this month.