MANHEIM, Pa. — FBC United led the West Virginia Thunder 21-14 at the end of the first quarter in Monday afternoon’s Girls Under Armour Association U17 championship, and top-seeded FBC United had outrun, outrebounded and outshot the Thunder.

But with the game tied up late in the fourth overtime period, Dee Alexander drained a bucket to give the Thunder the lead, and they held on in the final seconds for an 80-77 victory over FBC United at the Spooky Nook Sports Complex.

“It was a tough game from the beginning,” Alexander said. “We had four overtimes and we had to step up to win the game like we were supposed to. FBC was very tired. They couldn’t take it no more.

“We knew what we were supposed to do. This is what our goal was, and we came to win.”

From the moment the Atlanta-area powerhouse first took the floor donning warm-up jerseys with “PROVE THEM WRONG” emblazoned across the front, to the moment Stanford commit Courtney Ogden hit a 3-pointer to take the first lead of the game, it was clear that FBC United knew exactly what needed to be done.

“This is how we play,” FBC United’s Jaloni Cambridge said. “I’m not gonna lie, I was really tired. But I had to figure out a way because playing fast is our key to the game.”

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Cambridge hadn’t been with the team since May because she was helping guide the USA U17 National Team to a gold medal in Hungary, while her FBC United teammate Ogden had done the same a month earlier with the U18 National Team in Argentina.

Every member of FBC United’s starting lineup — Cambridge, Ogden, UNC commit Reniya Kelly, Alabama commit Essence Cody and 2024 power forward Joyce Edwards — is elite. The squad found total synergy early on, and it showed.

It took the Thunder a bit longer to kick things into gear. Whenever Alexander or 2023 standout Kymora Johnson tried to heat things up, there was often a disconnect somewhere else. The team that moved as one earlier in the weekend couldn’t seem to find its footing.

The height advantage for FBC United didn’t hurt either — the top-seeded team has an average height more than two inches taller than that of the Thunder.

FBC United took a 37-27 lead into halftime, and the second quarter didn’t feel much different than the first. In fact, the two teams met earlier in the GUAA circuit during Session I in April when FBC United won handily, 70-43.

However, what happened in the second half was not only a testament to Thunder coach Scott Johnson, but also to the grit of his players.

Slowly but surely, West Virginia locked in, led by a double-figure scoring effort from 2025 standout ZaKiyah Johnson, the small forward who was given the task of matching up against Edwards.

Having the patience and understanding of exactly when and where to strike beneath the basket is one thing, but for ZaKiyah Johnson and Edwards — who both play an unselfish, up-tempo style — it became a spectacle.

“That’s definitely the game I love,” ZaKiyah Johnson said. “I love competing. I love the pressure. It was so fun, and I can’t wait until next year.”

The Thunder muscled their first lead of the game with under two minutes remaining in the third quarter when Kymora Johnson drained a bucket to give her side a 46-45 advantage.

That moment was key, as everything for the Thunder seemed to fall into place.

Forcing turnovers, making big blocks, drawing fouls — FBC United was still very much plugged in, but the control they previously had in the first half was gone. At the end of the third quarter, the Thunder remained on top, 52-50.

Packed like sardines, unbelievably hot and expecting a fight in the fourth quarter, the crowd gathered around the court continued to grow over the course of the game.

In the fourth quarter, ZaKiyah Johnson and Alexander were the difference, using stifling defense and battling for every loose ball to push the Thunder’s lead to as many as six points in the final period.

FBC United kept their foot on the gas. Clutch plays from Cambridge, Cody and Edwards allowed FBC United to stay in it.

In fact, Cody set her team up for the win with a hard-fought bucket with just under two minutes remaining. She was fouled on the shot but couldn’t connect on the free throw, and Alexander grabbed the rebound and took it to the basket to tie things up at 65-all.

Trailing 69-67 with 5.3 seconds left in the first overtime period, Thunder 2023 point guard Timberlynn Yeast went to the line with an opportunity to tie the game.

“I was nervous, but I’m proud of this team,” Yeast said. “I just knew I had to hit those free throws for us to win.”

Yeast remained calm and collected, and she did just that, sending both teams into the second overtime tied at 69-all.

🏆 West Virginia Thunder 🏆 #17uchamps #UANext pic.twitter.com/VRQshHQRbl

— Girls UAA (@UANextGHoops) July 26, 2022

With GUAA rules limiting the remaining overtime periods to just one minute in length, Ogden opened the second extra period with a 3-pointer, and the crowd erupted when Thunder 2023 power forward Ella Weaver answered on the other end with her own shot from beyond the arc, tying the game at 72-72 with 14.5 seconds left on the clock.

Alexander forced a key turnover, and FBC United coach Alfred Motton called a timeout. It was obvious that West Virginia felt the tide turning in its favor, as Kymora Johnson began hyping up the crowd.

FBC United forced a turnover of their own, but Alexander blocked a shot at the other end, sending both teams into a third overtime.

In the fourth overtime, a three-point play by Alexander pushed the Thunder ahead 75-72, but Cambridge did the same thing on the other end to tie things back up, 75-75.

Then, ZaKiyah Johnson won another battle beneath the basket against Edwards, and after Alexander’s bucket gave the Thunder the lead for good, Yeast went to the free-throw line with 6.1 seconds remaining. She missed her first shot but hit the second, and FBC United was unable to answer.

“I feel like West Virginia’s price? Yesterday’s price ain’t today’s price,” Thunder coach Scott Johnson laughed after the comeback win. “The price is going up for the program. I’m ecstatic for the girls. I’m at a loss for words right now.”

Click here to see a recap of Sunday’s action.

GUAA championship scores

U17: West Virginia Thunder 80, FBC United 77

U16: Northwest Blazers 57, Bay State Jaguars 54

U15: Northwest Blazers 49, Western PA Bruins 34

Caroline Makauskas is a contributing writer for Just Women’s Sports. She also writes about college basketball for Blue Ribbon Sports and covers a variety of sports on her TikTok @cmakauskas. Follow her on Twitter @cmakauskas.

For the first time in the NWSL's 12-year history, fans can now buy their own goalkeeper jerseys. And while replica goalkeeper jerseys representing all 14 NWSL teams hit the market on Wednesday, some didn't stick around for long. 

Fans across women's soccer have long vocalized their discontent over the position's lack of availability on social media, often comparing the shortcoming to the widespread availability of men’s goalkeeper jerseys. And as the NWSL has grown, so has demand — and not just from those in the stands. 

"To have goalkeeper kits available for fans in the women’s game as they have been for so long in the men’s game is not only a long-awaited move in the right direction, it’s just good business," said Washington Spirit goalie Aubrey Kingsbury in an team press release. "I can’t wait to see fans representing me, Barnie [Barnhart], and Lyza in the stands at Audi!"

just went looking at #nwsl goalkeeper kit stock out of curiosity — Alyssa Naeher's $145 kit already sold out S-XL (league announced GK jerseys on sale 3 hours ago)https://t.co/8bYA7tlwcx

— Meg Linehan (@itsmeglinehan) April 17, 2024

Business does, in fact, appear to be booming. Alyssa Naeher’s Chicago Red Stars kit sold out less than three hours after the league's announcement. Jerseys for other keepers like DiDi Haračić, Abby Smith, Michelle Betos, Katelyn Rowland, and Bella Bixby aren’t currently available via the Official NWSL Shop, though blank goalkeeper jerseys can be customized through some individual team sites. Jerseys start at $110 each.

"This should be the benchmark," said Spirit Chief Operations Officer Theresa McDonnell. "The expectation is that all players’ jerseys are available to fans. Keepers are inspiring leaders and mentors with their own unique fan base who want to represent them... I can’t wait to see them all over the city."

Decorated gymnast Simone Biles took to the popular Call Her Daddy podcast this week to open up about her experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, revealing she thought she was going to be "banned from America" for her performance.

After Biles botched her vault routine due to a bout of the "twisties," she withdrew from the team final as well as the all-around final in order to focus on her mental health. She later reentered the competition to win bronze in the individual balance beam final.

In her interview with podcast host Alex Cooper, Biles admitted to feeling like she let the entire country down by failing her vault attempt.

"As soon as I landed I was like 'Oh, America hates me. The world is going to hate me. I can only see what they’re saying on Twitter right now,'" she recalled thinking. "I was like, ‘Holy s---, what are they gonna say about me?'"

"I thought I was going to be banned from America," she continued. "That’s what they tell you: Don’t come back if not gold. Gold or bust. Don’t come back."

Widely regarded as the greatest gymnast of all time, Biles has hinted at a desire to join her third Olympic team in Paris, though her participation won't be confirmed until after the gymnastics trials in late June. She holds over 30 medals from the Olympic Games and World Artistic Gymnastics Championships combined, and if qualified, would be a sure favorite heading into this summer’s games.

Caitlin Clark is reportedly close to cementing a hefty endorsement deal with Nike.

The Athletic was the first to break the news Wednesday evening, commenting that the deal would be worth "eight figures" and include her own signature shoe. On Thursday afternoon, the publication tweeted that the deal would top $20 million, according to lead NBA Insider Shams Charania. Both Under Armour and Adidas are said to have also made sizable offers to the college phenom and expected future WNBA star.

The new agreement comes after Clark's previous Nike partnership ended with the conclusion of the college basketball season. She was one of five NCAA athletes to sign an NIL deal with the brand back in October, 2022. 

Considering Clark's overwhelming popularity and Nike's deep pockets, the signing's purported value doesn't exactly come as a shock. New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu’s deal with the brand is reportedly worth $24 million, while NBA rookie and No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama’s deal is rumored to weigh in at $100 million. And in 2003, LeBron James famously earned $90 million off his own Nike deal. 

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Clark’s star power continues to skyrocket, with the NCAA championship averaging 18.9 million viewers and the 2024 WNBA Draft more than doubling its previous viewership record. Following the draft, Fanatics stated that Clark's Indiana Fever jersey — which sold out within an hour — was the top seller for any draft night pick in the company’s history, with droves of unlucky fans now being forced to wait until August to get their hands on some official No. 22 gear.

In Wednesday's Indiana Fever introductory press conference, the unfailingly cool, calm, and collected Clark said that turning pro hasn’t made a huge impact on how she’s conducting her deals.

"If I’m being completely honest, I feel like it doesn’t change a ton from how I lived my life over the course of the last year," she said. "Sponsorships stay the same. The people around me, agents and whatnot, have been able to help me and guide me through the course of the last year. I don’t know if I would be in this moment if it wasn’t for a lot of them."

Former Oklahoma slugger Jocelyn Alo has signed on with Athletes Unlimited and will compete in the AU Pro Softball AUX this June.

The NCAA record holder in career home runs (122), total bases (761), and slugging percentage (.987), Alo was originally drafted by the league in 2022 but opted instead to join the newly debuted Women’s Professional Fastpitch. 

Alo currently plays for independent pro softball team Oklahoma City Spark, with team owner Tina Floyd reportedly on board with her recent AUX signing. AUX games are scheduled for June 10-25, while the Spark's season will kick off June 19th. Alo will play for both. 

Among those joining Alo on the AUX roster are former James Madison ace pitcher Odicci Alexander and former Wichita State standout middle infielder Sydney McKinney.

According to Alo, the decision to play in the Athletes Unlimited league was fueled by her desire to propel women's sports forward as well as provide more exposure to a sport that's given her "so many opportunities."

"Not only to challenge myself more, but just for the growth of the game," Alo said, explaining her reasoning to The Oklahoman. "I genuinely believe that professional softball can be a career for girls."

Joining AUX is also one more step in her plan toward representing Team USA at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"I’m constantly thinking about how can I do these little things right in these four years to prepare me for the biggest stage of softball," she told The Oklahoman. "I definitely want to play in the Olympics, for sure."

Alo further expressed enthusiasm in the hope that the rise of other women’s sports, like women’s basketball and the NWSL, will push softball’s professional viability even higher.

"We’re seeing the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) get their stuff going, I see the WNBA starting to get hot," she continued. "I feel like the softball community is like, 'All right, it’s our turn and it’s our turn to just demand more.'"