MÉRIDA, Yucatan — TJC head women's basketball coach Trenia Tillis-Hoard has returned to Tyler as a gold medalist.
"It's surreal," Tillis-Hoard said. "When we went to the podium and they're actually putting your medal over your head, you're like, 'This is real, like we're getting a gold medal.' We get to go down in USA basketball history as the junior national team wins gold in 2023."
USA Basketball's U16 Women's National Team defeated Canada 79-59 Monday night in the gold medal game of the FIBA U16 Americas Championships in Merida, Mexico.
Team USA did more than just win, they dominated their opponents with a 6-0 record and a +401-point differential across those six games.
"The other kids there were so in awe of the US kids that we would think oh god, they're mad at us," Tillis-Hoard said. "But they're asking if they can have autographs or if they can take pictures with us or how do I get to the United States to play basketball."
According to Tillis-Hoard, the pressure was on. Entering this event, USA had won three consecutive gold medals and six of the past seven.
“That one seat over was probably one of the best experiences I've had in a long time, coach said. "Because being a head coach, all the pressure is on you.”
But pressure builds diamonds. In May of 2023, coach Tillis-Hoard was being inducted into the Texas basketball Hall of Fame. A month later. add gold medalist to the list.
"I think it's just the result of faith in action," Tillis-Hoard said. "Hallelujah is like all I can say. It’s like wow."
It was the sixth meeting in the final between USA and Canada in the history of the FIBA competition.
