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.

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