Olympic champions joins US women's world team (AFP) Updated: 2006-08-02 10:17 Two-time Olympic champion
Yolanda Griffith, Alana Beard and Seimone Augustus were named to the US Women's
Basketball World Championship squad.
One vacancy remains on the 12-player team that will try to continue a US win
streak when the tournament begins September 12 at Sao Paulo, Brazil. Americans
have won the past two women's world crowns and past three Olympic titles.
USA Basketball announced eight players in May, including three-time Olympic
gold medalists Lisa Leslie of the Women's National Basketball Association's Los
Angeles Sparks and Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets.
"I'm very happy," US and Seattle Storm coach Anne Donovan said. "Yolanda
brings so much experience and presence to this team, so much gold medal
experience with Lisa (Leslie) in the post.
"Her addition gives me more comfort with how strong our post game will
continue to be."
Sacramento's Griffith was the third-highest scorer with 11.5 points on the US
Olympic gold medal team in 2000 and also pulled down 8.8 rebounds a game. She
averaged 8.8 points and 6.6 rebounds in the US gold medal run of 2004.
Augustus, who plays for the Minnesota Lynx, is the number two scorer in the
WNBA this season with 22.5 points a game. Beard was a WNBA All-Star this year
and last.
The Americans will compete in Group C at Brazil against China, Nigeria and
Russia.
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