Ontario Christian basketball standout Tatianna Griffin helps U.S. win fifth consecutive gold medal at FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup by defeating Canada

Tatianna Griffin followed a memorable freshman season at Ontario Christian, which included a CIF-Southern Section Open Division basketball title, by contributing to the championship legacy of the United States national team at the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup.

Griffin, 15, had 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 19 minutes Sunday to help the U.S. capture a fifth consecutive gold medal and eighth overall in event history with an 85-59 victory against Canada in Irapuato, Mexico.

The Americans won the first three championships in 2009, 2011 and 2013, before earning bronze in 2015.

The U.S. captured gold medals by also defeating Canada in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023, before winning again Sunday – the country’s third straight title in Mexico – and improving the team’s all-time record at the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup to 48-1, including 30 consecutive victories.

The United States won its fifth straight gold medal and seventh overall in the history of the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup, extending the team’s winning streak at the event to 30 in a row following an 85-59 victory against Canada in Irapuato, Mexico | Photo courtesy of USA Basketball

McKenna Woliczko from Archbishop Mitty and Jerzy Robinson of Sierra Canyon – a transfer from Desert Vista High in Arizona – both contributed to the U.S. winning the gold medal in 2023 with a 79-59 victory against Canada in Merida, Mexico.

Griffin finished the six tournament games with 80 points on 31-of-65 shooting (47.7 percent), the second-highest point total of any athlete at the event, trailing only American teammate Ivanna Wilson-Manyacka from Bullis School in Maryland with 108 points.

The 5-foot-11 guard made 11 of 29 attempts from behind the 3-point arc (37.9 percent), in addition to knocking down 7 of 8 free throws in the tournament.

Griffin, the first Ontario Christian player to be selected to compete at the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup, also contributed 22 rebounds, 16 assists, 14 steals and three blocks at the event for the U.S., in addition to committing only three turnovers in 112 total minutes.

Tatianna Griffin had 80 points, 22 rebounds, 16 assists, 14 steals and three blocks in six games for the U.S. at the FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup in Irapuato, Mexico | Photo courtesy of USA Basketball

Her highest scoring output of the tournament came when Griffin produced 18 points in a 138-38 pool-play victory June 17 against Puerto Rico, which achieved a new record for the most points by a team in a single game in FIBA U16 Women’s AmeriCup history.

Griffin scored in double figures in five of the six tournament contests, also contributing to the largest margin of victory in event history when the U.S. achieved a 131-12 win June 20 in the quarterfinals against Panama.

She added 15 points, two rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block Saturday in a 112-50 semifinal victory against host Mexico.

Griffin, recognized as Cal-Hi Sports State Freshman of the Year, averaged 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.8 steals for Ontario Christian, which reached the Southern California Regional final in the Open Division state playoffs, before losing to three-time Open Division state champion Etiwanda.