Rodriguez stars at World Cup

There are going to be some glorious moments from her role as the head coach for the U.S. team at the FIBA U19 World Cup team that Suzie McConnell-Serio will reflect on with a certain amount of glee.

However, coaching against prized recruit Angelique Rodriguez in Wednesday’s Round of 16 will not be among them.

Rodriguez, a former Capital Prep star and member of the Register’s 2017 All-State team, had 13 points, tying for the team lead for Puerto Rico in the 104-46 loss to the sixtime defending champion United States team in the Round of 16.

“It’s tough coaching against one of your players because she is playing against us and it is about us winning but at the same time, I am rooting for her to do well,” McConnell-Serio said. “I look forward to having her in a Pitt uniform and having the opportunity to coach her there.”

Rodriguez, a starter on two state championship teams at Capital Prep, scored in double figures in each of Puerto Rico’s four games in the tournament. The University of Pittsburgh incoming freshman ranked third in scoring after the Round of 16 games with an average of 16 points per game. Rodriguez did much of her damage from 3-point range, hitting multiple 3s in each of the four games including five in a loss to Egypt in pool play. Her 13 3-pointers made rank second. She also averaged 3.5 rebounds per game and had four steals.

“The experience is helping me a lot because they are a little more physical here,” Rodriguez said. “In practice, they yell at us and (coach) the girls a little harder. They are yelling at us, ‘this is not going to be easy, you are going against different countries, you are going against taller girls, physical girls.’ I know in college they are very physical and it is helping us. For me in high school, we didn’t have a shot clock so using the 24-second shot clock is also helping me with that because it has to be a fast pace. You can’t slow the game down otherwise the clock runs out and you lose a possession. I feel like the FIBA experience is helping me.”

Rodriguez had 19 points against Spain and Egypt and tallied 13 points against both Russia and the U.S. Now she prepares to suit up for McConnellSerio at Pittsburgh.

Alayna Gribble and Kauai Bradley return after combining for 81 3-pointers a season ago but Rodriguez will give McConnell-Serio another perimeter threat.