Cornelius, Hof Place Ninth at FIBA U19 Worlds
VIDNOE, Russia – University of Miami women’s basketball signees Laura Cornelius and Emese Hof helped the Netherlands earn a ninth place finish at the FIBA U19 World Championship.
Cornelius and Hof both started all seven games in Russia and the Netherlands tallied a 5-2 record, including posting an 83-72 victory over Brazil Sunday at Vidnoe Sports Centre in the ninth place game.
A 5-foot-8 guard, Cornelius was Netherlands’ team captain for the tournament and put forth an impressive showing. She led all players from the 16 teams in assists at 6.7 per game, two full assists above second place, and finished fifth in average efficiency rating at 18.1. Cornelius also ranked seventh in two-point field goal percentage (53.6 percent, 30-for-56), 10th in minutes (30.8) and was top 20 in both scoring (12.3) and rebounding (6.9).
Hof was dominant in Russia, finishing in the top five in six different categories. The 6-foot-3 forward ranked second in free throw percentage (83.3 percent, 30-for-36) and average efficiency rating (24.4), third in field goal percentage (51.8 percent, 44-for-85), tied for fourth in scoring (16.9) and rebounding (10.0), and fifth in blocks (2.1). Hof recorded a pair of double-doubles, making her one of just 13 players do so multiple times.
This is the second international competition in July where Cornelius and Hof have excelled. They also helped lead the Netherlands to a bronze medal at the U20 European Championship in Spain. It was their home nation’s first ever European Championship medal, regardless of age or gender.
ProspectsNation.com ranks Cornelius as a five-star recruit and the third-best international prospect in the class of 2015, including the top point guard. Hof checks in as the No. 14 international recruit in the class.
Cornelius and Hof are part of a four-player recruiting class for the Hurricanes, joining forward/center Zada Williams from Lake Wales (Fla.) High School and guard Shaneese Bailey, a transfer from Florida Atlantic.
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Photo via Ivo van der Bruggen of Hart van Nederland.
