Duke WBB: Stevens, Salvadores to face one another in FIBA U19 semifinals

Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network

CHEKHOV, RUSSIA – Future Duke Blue Devils teammates Azurá Stevens and Angela Salvadores will play for a spot in the 2015 FIBA World Championship final on Saturday.

With wins on Friday, the squads from the USA and Spain will play for the chance to advance to the gold medal game.

Salvadores helped lead Spain to a 70-66 victory over previously unbeaten Belgium, posting 21 points, six steals, six assists, and one rebound.

Salvadores hit 50 percent from the field (8-16) in 40 minutes of play.

With a dominating 93-45 win over Canada, Stevens and the USA squad remained undefeated through five games.

The six-foot-five-inch wing scored nine points, eight rebounds and one steal in 15 minutes.

Saturday’s semifinal game will be the USA’s third contest against Spain since July 14 when the U.S. earned a 75-51 victory in a pre-U19 World Championship exhibition game in Mercia, Spain.

The USA also defeated Spain 72-57 to open play at the U19s on July 18.

As five-time defending gold medalists at the FIBA U19 World Championship, the USA’s overall record is now 71-12 in the competition dating to the first U19 tournament in 1985.

In the past seven U19 tournaments, the USA has captured six gold medals and one bronze medal with a 59-4 record during that span that includes this year’s 5-0 mark.