Flau’jae Johnson and Team USA are enjoying their time out at the FIBA AmeriCup 2025 as the team registered another win on the back of a great performance from Gianna Kneepkens.
Following her standout campaign at UCLA, Kneepkens scored 14 crucial points off the bench, including 4-of-5 from deep, to help the USA’s offense in the third game of group play against Puerto Rico, helping seal an 80–62 victory.
Johnson, who herself scored five points and four rebounds coming off the bench, posted a four-word reaction for Kneepkens:
“Real shooter right here.”
Kneepkens’ hot shooting included three consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that firmly put the USA ahead in the game. She transferred to UCLA after an impressive stint at Utah. There, she became a member of the elite 50–40–90 club (shooting 51.3% FG, 45.3% 3PT and an elite 90.5% from the line).
Apart from Kneepkens, Olivia Miles flirted with a triple-double (nine points, eight assists, seven rebounds), while Hannah Hidalgo added 10 and Grace Van Slooten grabbed seven rebounds. The team dominated in the third quarter, thanks to a 17–3 blitz that flipped the momentum entirely.
Madison Booker, who scored seven points in the first five minutes, said:
“It was a good game, a good hard fought game. Like coach said, it was a test for us, they’re a great team. I think we need to look back on this as a growing moment but also be happy, we got the dub against a great team.”
Coach Kara Lawson praised offensive spark from Booker early in the game as she said:
“I thought the group that started the third quarter, and Maddie [Booker] was a big part of that, really set the tone for that half. And how we wanted to play it, with our defense and getting out in transition.”
Flau’jae Johnson, Gianna Kneepkens and Team USA cruise to a 3-0 start
With the win over Puerto Rico, the USA improved to 3–0, clinching the top spot in their group. USA head coach Kara Lawson will be happy learning performances are coming across the board, which means the team is not dependent on one or two players.
“I was proud of the response more than anything,” Lawson said after the win. “We were tested. We didn’t play our best in the first 20 minutes and our response in the second half was really good.”
The squad faces Mexico on July 2 in their final group-stage matchup before heading into the knockout rounds.
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