Dream's McCoughtry wins World Championship gold, Lyttle named to All-Star Five
Dream guard/forward Angel McCoughtry helped the USA World Championship Team to another gold medal with a 77-64 victory over Dream forward Sancho Lyttle's Spain squad on Sunday to highlight action among five Atlanta Dream players who competed at the 2014 FIBA World Championship, which was held Sept. 27-Oct. 5 in Turkey.
McCoughtry averaged 6.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists to help the U.S. defend its World Championship title and earn an automatic berth in the 2016 Rio de Janiero Olympic Games. She averaged 12 minutes per game for the U.S. squad, which dominated its six games, winning by an average margin of 28.8 points per game.
It was the fifth gold medal in international competition for McCoughtry, who also won gold with the U.S. squads at the 2012 London Olympics, the 2010 World Championship, the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational and the 2007 Pan American Games.
Lyttle was named to the All-Star Five following the gold-medal game for her stellar performance in the tournament. She led all players in scoring (18.2) and steals (3.3), ranked second in rebounding (11.5) and 16th in assists (2.8). She had five double-doubles in six games to lead all players at the event, including 16 points and 11 boards in the gold-medal game vs. the U.S.
In addition, guard Celine Dumerc helped France reach the quarterfinals before her team lost to the United States. Dumerc was seventh in the tournament in assists, averaging 4.4 per game, and added 7.0 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest for the French squad, which finished in seventh place.
The Dream was also represented on the Brazilian team, which went 1-3 during the event, by centers Erika de Souza and Nadia Colhado. De Souza led Brazil in scoring and rebounding, averaging 10.8 points (tied for 17th at the tournament) and 8.5 boards (seventh) per contest, while Colhado chipped in 2.0 points and 2.2 rebounds per game.
