Following a record-breaking Tuesday performance at the FIBA Women’s U19 World Cup from USC commit and No. 3 prospect Jasmine Davidson, Team USA stunned again Wednesday in a 122-57 blowout win over China — and another top Big Ten recruit was the star of the victory.
A double-double from No. 2 prospect Sienna Betts, a five-star power forward bound for UCLA, helped push USA to the Round of 16 victory and qualify for quarterfinal play.
Betts recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in the contest, tallying an efficiency score of 28, tied with Davidson for team-highest in the game. At 6-foot-4, Betts leads her team in efficiency (26.5), points (18.3) and rebounds (10.3) per game. Her rebounding and scoring averages are second- and third-best in the tournament, respectively.
The power forward, whose older sister Lauren is a center for the Bruins, is joining a UCLA squad expected to perform well this season. ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Women’s Basketball Top 25 rankings slated the Bruins at No. 3 in April. It was a slip from their previous No. 1 ranking, largely due to transfer portal losses the Bruins suffered.
“Losing this season's entire freshman class, plus Janiah Barker (Tennessee) and Londynn Jones (USC) to the transfer portal, significantly hurts the depth that gave the Bruins an edge over the other top teams in the country,” ESPN’s Charlie Creme wrote.
But the outlook for UCLA isn’t too bleak: the additions of Betts and guard Lena Bilić (playing for Croatia in the U18 Cup) this season will fill some of those holes. Plus, the Bruins return both Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice, and will have a fresh Charlisse Leger-Walker back from injury.
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