UNC Basketball: Kelly and Team USA dominate to end pool play

UNC basketball standout Deja Kelly and Team USA finished pool play on a high note, dominating Cuba on Wednesday afternoon in Mexico.

After suffering a frustrating loss to Brazil, Team USA came back in strong fashion to defeat Cuba to finish up pool play in the 2003 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup.

Team USA dominated throughout as they captured a 62-point victory. One of the recent storylines surrounding the United States squad is the recent change of starting lineups, with UNC basketball star Deja Kelly being impacted by the switches.

Kelly, who started the first two games of pool play, was removed from the starting lineup for the team’s battle against Brazil. She didn’t have her best game offensively (which coincides with the team’s struggles), but the decision to bench her was a questionable one, given how she had played early on in the event.

The rising UNC basketball senior came out with a vengeance on Wednesday afternoon, as she scored 10 points and recorded seven assists to go along with four rebounds. Even while coming off the bench, Kelly led Team USA with a plus-minus of +45.

Given her strong performance, it will be interesting to see if Kelly is re-inserted into the starting lineup as Team USA competes in the quarterfinals on Friday afternoon. Regardless of what role she is asked to play, it’s evident that the United States needs Kelly at her best if they hope to defend their title.

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