USA Basketball Impresses this Summer

It has been a successful summer for USA basketball U18 (under eighteen) and U17 (under seventeen). Both teams won gold in the Federation Fédération Internationale de Basketball world championship, the U18 captured gold in Colorado Springs, Colorado in June. This years team is stacked with talent.

The U17 team won gold overseas in Dubai and are now the three time defending champions.

The U18 team defeated Canada in the championship game but it was still a dominating victory, the USA won 113-79 and they went a perfect 5-0.

The MVP of the tournament was Arizona bound phenom, Stanley Johnson, who was part of the U17. Johnson was able to win gold last year. He averaged 14 points and 5.4 rebounds per game during the 5 game tournament. However, the team was filled with tremendous players like Myles Turner, Stephan Zimmerman and ultra talented guards such as Isaiah Briscoe and Jalen Brunson who will be entering their final year of high school.

The team stayed at the Olympic Training Center getting room, board and world class training from some of the best coaches in the country. University of Florida head coach, Billy Donovan, was the head coach and Sean Miller was the assistant coach. Miller is the head coach for the Arizona Wildcats.

The U17 team didn’t have such a dominating run like the U18 but they still managed to go undefeated, even with some of the tough challenges they faced. They were able to hold off Australia in the championship game, winning only by 7 points but the tournament MVP Malik Newman poured in 21 points along with 11 rebounds. The team had the privilege to travel and play in the exotic city of Dubai, which was an unforgettable experience for all of the players.

Urbana High School Senior, Chance Mcqueen, said, “ We are so dominate because it is one of our main sports and we are very competitive.”

Urbana High School Assistant principal, Michael Gourley, said, “ This is great for the players because college coaches get a chance to see them.”

The National team plans to mimic the success of their younger counterparts, but they won’t have a tough time doing it with players such as Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and Derrick Rose on the team and Mike Krzyzewski at the helm coaching. For more information about the national team you can check out Stanley Godia’s article.