ST. CATHARINES, Ont.—When Team USA U18 junior national coach Bill Self began preparing for the FIBA U18 Americas tournament, he didn’t know how much 6-9, 215-pound forward Tracye Jackson-Davis would contribute.

He is finding out quickly.

Jackson-Davis, the son of former NBA Indiana Pacers’ forward Dale Davis from Center Grove High in Greenfield, Ind, who is being recruited by Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan State, Butler, UCLA and Iowa, has been the most improved player on this team, according to Self. He came off the bench Thursday night to score 20 points and grab 11 rebounds as the unbeaten, unchallenged Americans blew by Ecuador, 132-55, Thursday night to advance to a semi-final matchup against Argentina Friday night at the Meridian Centre.

Jackson-Davis, a smooth left hander who is a difficult matchup in the paint, shot a perfect 10-for-10, making the most of his 23 minutes.

Both of his fathers would be proud. Dale Davis is Jackson-Davis birth father. But he considers Ray Jackson, a former NFL player from Washington State who is the chief of police for the Center Grove school district and has been a daily presence in his life, his father and added a hyphen to his name in ninth grade. “When I got to high school, I didn’t think it was fair,’’ Jackson-Davis said. “Ray raised me my whole life, so I did-Jackson-Davis. They both want the best out of me, but I would say they do it at different angles.

“Ray takes me to the gym and does all that stuff. Dale is mostly about the mindset, but when he’s in town he’ll try to get me in the gym. They’re both doing their part to make me the best player I can possibly be.’’

Jackson-Davis has turned into a perfect fit for this unselfish team that can score at will but also suffocate opponents defensively. So far, the competition has been way too easy for Team USA. The Americans, who put six players in double figures against Ecuador, are averaging 117.5 points after four games and they have had their defensive moments too, outscoring Panama, 43-0, in the first quarter and had 19 steals against Ecuador, scoring 51 points off 30 turnovers.

Face it, in the end, this tournament should come down to two countries—the United States and Canada. They are the only two teams from the hemisphere with a chance to medal at next year’s U19 World Championships, which reportedly will be held in either Perm, Russia or Chinese Taipei.

The idea to hold a quarterfinal round in this lopsided tournament, which was always limited to five games in the past, has proved a costly mistake. The teams that finish fourth in group play are badly overmatched and the extra day of games will cost the Canadian Federation close to $40,000 for the extra day of competition.

Canada also advanced, defeating Panama. If they get Puerto Rico in their semi-final Friday, we will get the match up everyone wants to see in the finals. Canada is a rising international youth power. The Canadians made a huge statement globally last summer when won the 2017 U19 World Championships in Cairo, upsetting an average U.S. team in the semi-finals in Cairo behind 38 points and 13 points from 6-8 incoming Duke freshman RJ Barrett, a then 17-year old prodigy who reclassified up a grade at Montverde, Fla. Academy and was listed as the top-ranked prospect in the class of 2018. Barrett was selected the MVP of the tournament after Canada defeated Italy, 79-60, in the gold medal game.

Barrett came back to haunt the U.S. again this spring with 20 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals as the World Select team defeated the American team, 89-76, in the Nike Hoop Summit.

 The Canadian senior national team has not played in an Olympics since 2000, but the Canadian basketball federation is quickly putting together a strong group of youth talent that will eventually be the nucleus for international competition at the senior level.

“Their U18s are really athletic, they play fast and they’ve got multiple high major guys and a couple guys who can play anywhere in the country, maybe three or four,’’ Team USA coach Bill Self from Kansas said. “If we get a chance to play them, we’ll have to play our best game.’’

Barrett chose not to play on this age group team. He is spending the summer in Los Angeles improving his game with high profile trainer Drew Hanlen, who works with NBA players.

Without Barrett, it will be up to 6-4 guard Andrew Nembhard, who also played for Monteverde, who has signed with Florida, to step up and leave his own legacy. Nembhard missed the 2017 Worlds with an injury, but played a huge role was in Monteverde’s record breaking fourth annual championship in the GEICO Nationals.

Nembhard has already had a 28-point game against Argentina in group play. The talent for Team Canada also includes high profile prospects like 6-7 forward Emanuel Miller of La Lumiere, Ind. School (offers from Oklahoma, SMU and Pitt), 6-7 forward Tyrese Samuel of Wasatch Utah Academy (UConn, K-State, South Carolina, TCU, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Wichita State), 6-6 forward A.J. Lawson of Burlington, Ont. GTA Prep (South Carolina, Creighton, Oregon and SMU) and 6-6 wing Addison Paterson of Orangeville, Ont.  District (Arizona State, Florida, Oregon, Syracuse and USC), 6-11 center Jaden Bediako of St. Catharines, Ont. Ridley College (Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, USC), 6-1 guard Joel Brown of Brewster. N.H. Academy (Rutgers, New Mexico) and 6-5 guard Jevonnie Scott of Toronto Athlete Institute (Arizona State, USC).

Miller, Lawson, Samuel Nembhard and Bediako all have their roots in Nike UPlay.

Having said that, even without injured guard Kentucky commit Tyrese Maxey, who missed the Ecaudor game after suffering a turned ankle injury against Puerto Rico in group play Tuesday, the U.S. is still the best team on paper.

“In this tournament, I think there’s no question it’s the big rivalry. I think what happened last year when they beat the U.S. U19 team in the semi-finals of the World Championship in Cairo that was a big deal for the Federation up here, which it should be, and it was an eye- opening experience for the USA, which it should be.

“We’ve approached this in a way where, look, we may not win, but it certainly isn’t going to be because we haven’t prepared to go against very good competition.”