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USC Women's Basketball: Incoming Freshmen Win Gold At FIBA U18 AmeriCup
A pair of impending USC Trojans stars have just earned some offseason hardware.
Per USC Assistant Athletic Director Dary Couch, forthcoming freshman guards Kennedy Smith and Kayleigh Heckel chipped in a combined 31 point to help Team USA earn its 11th consecutive gold medal during this year's FIBA U18 AmeriCup. The club bested Team Canada 80-69 in the deciding contest. The team went undefeated in its run to gold.
Heckel, a five-star recruit considered one of the best prospects in their class, logged averages of 12.8 points, 3.7 dimes and 3.6 boards a night. 6-foot-1 guard Smith, another five-star recruit and a Chino native, paced Team USA with 18 points. She averaged 7.8 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 dimes a night.
These young Trojans are looking like they'll fit in nicely at the next level.
Trojans head coach Lindsey Gottlieb will be adding Smith and Heckel to a USC club fresh off an Elite Eight appearance driven by returning stars JuJu Watkins and Rayah Marshall, plus now-departed seniors McKenzie Forbes and Kaitlyn Davis (currently a rookie for Mexican pro club Rojas de Veracruz).
Read More: USC Women's Basketball: Trojans Star JuJu Watkins Lands WBCA All-American Nod
The team finished 29-6 in 2023-24, and is looking to take the next step this fall. Watkins emerged as one of the NCAA's most prolific scorers.
Watkins, a 6-foot-2 All-American wing out of Sierra Canyon School, posted averages of 27.1 points on a slash line of .401/.319/.852, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 dimes, 2.3 steals and 1.6 blocks a night.
More USC: Would Bronny James Have Even Played At All on Elite NCAA Team?
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM
Tell Alex, were you in the joint the night Wilt scored 100 points? Or when the Celtics won titles back-to-back and didn't give nobody no kind of slack?