Arizona vs. Stanford

UA coach Adia Barnes, right, will assist Team USA head coach Dawn Staley in June’s AmeriCup tournament in Puerto Rico. Barnes said it will be an honor to represent her country on the international stage.

 Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star

What’s next after you’ve coached your team to an improbable run to the national championship game and finished one basket away from winning it all?

Adia Barnes will represent her country.

Team USA coach Dawn Staley announced Friday that Barnes will be one of her two assistants for this summer’s AmeriCup tournament in Puerto Rico. Barnes will be joined by former George Washington coach Jennifer Rizzotti.

Barnes’ addition to the Team USA staff has been in the works for months, and is a reflection of her coaching career — not just the Wildcats’ run to their first-ever Final Four.

“This has been a dream of mine and I can’t wait to represent my country,” Barnes said in a statement.

Arizona coach Adia Barnes reflects on Wildcats' memorable tournament run, calls Aari McDonald best player in school history

“The opportunity to work alongside Coach Staley and coach Rizzotti and the most talented basketball players in the world is an honor. I cannot wait to get in the gym with these athletes and represent USA Basketball with pride.”

Staley called Barnes “one of the top coaches in our country.”

The two coaches will be forever connected. Both Barnes and Staley made last week’s Final Four, marking the first time two teams coached by Black women made the national semifinal in the same year.

The AmeriCup tournament will take place June 11-19 in Puerto Rico, with 10 nations from the Americas and the Caribbean competing. The top four teams will advance to the FIBA World Cup Qualifying Tournaments to earn a sport in the 2022 World Cup.

Team USA will be made up of college players, who will compete for roster spots April 18-21 at the University of South Carolina, where Staley coaches. The United States won the last two AmeriCups, posting a perfect 11-0 record.

Barnes completed one of the fastest turnarounds in the nation, going from six wins in her second season to the national title game three years later. In her last three seasons at the UA, Barnes is 69-26.

Barnes said she is “incredibly honored to represent the United States and USA Basketball.”

Three Wildcats transferring

Sophomore guards Mara Mote and Tara Manumaleuga and freshman forward Marta Garcia are all transferring.

Garcia, who is from Spain, played in five games this season before injuring her ankle. She scored her only points of the season — two — against ASU on Dec. 10.

Mote played in 31 games over two seasons, averaging 5.4 minutes per game. The Latvian-born guard scored 37 points and had 15 assists, the majority coming in her freshman season. She shot 45% from 3-pont range.

Manumaluega, from Australia, enrolled at the UA in January 2019 and grayshirted her first year. Manumaleuga, a 3-point specialist, went off in wins over Chicago State as a freshman and Idaho as a sophomore, scoring nine points each time. She finished her UA career shooting 46% from the 3-point line.

“I’m extremely grateful for my time here at the U of A, and my relationship with the awesome fans of Tucson,” Manumaleuga told the Star.

“I will cherish the memories made with my teammates here at Arizona and I look forward to what the future holds. Thank you, Wildcat Nation.”

Rim shots

  • The UA football team was a big supporter of the Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament run, with coach Jedd Fisch flying to San Antonio multiple times to cheer on the team. Sam Thomas and Madison Conner returned the favor Thursday, attending spring football practice.
  • Trinity Baptiste has filed the paperwork for the WNBA draft, which is Thursday. Arizona star Aari McDonald is expected to be a top pick.
  • Sunday’s Arizona-Stanford game was the most-watched title game since 2014, boasting 4.08 million viewers. The 2014 final with UConn and Notre Dame had 4.27 million viewers.

Become a #ThisIsTucson member! Your contribution helps our team bring you stories that keep you connected to the community. Become a member today.