COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Nothing like a total team effort.
All 12 USA players scored, including six in double digits, as the USA (1-0) opened the 2018 FIBA Americas U18 Championship with a dominating 105-73 win over Dominican Republic (0-1).
Cole Anthony (Archbishop Molloy H.S./Briarwood, N.Y.) led the USA offensive effort with 18 points, Tyrese Maxey (South Garland H.S./Dallas, Texas) and Coby White (Greenfield H.S./Goldsboro, N.C.) each added 14 points, Matthew Hurt (John Marshall H.S./Rochester, Minn.) scored 12, Armando Bacot (Trinity Episcopal School/Richmond, Va.) tallied 11 points and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Bishop Miege H.S./Shawnee Mission, Kan.) was credited with 10 points.
Additionally, both Bacot and Hurt came one rebound shy of recording a double-double.
In the hunt for a fifth-straight U18 gold medal, the USA Men’s U18 National Team continues play tonight (8:15 p.m. EDT) with a clash against Panama (0-1) and a Tuesday (6 p.m. EDT) game versus Puerto Rico (1-0).
Puerto Rico defeated Panama 84-51 in the final game of the night.
“We executed poorly the first half,” said USA U18 and University of Kansas head coach Bill Self. “But, in the second half we looked a little better. Our athleticism and depth really wore them down and they got tired. All-in-all, considering the number of missed layups and the number of missed free throws, it’s pretty amazing that we scored over 100 points.
The USA, which never trailed, held a nine-point halftime edge and expanded that to 17 points at the end of the third quarter. Dominican Republic got two quick put-backs to cut the gap to 13 points early in the fourth period. However, getting points from four different athletes, the USA strung together a 19-0 run over the span of three minutes, and never looked back.
“It was the best stretch of ball,” said Self. “We had a 20-point lead and I subbed the last three minutes of the third and they cut it to 13. And then we put the starters back in and the next thing you know, we go on a 19-0 run. That’s the way it is a lot of times with aggressive, athletic teams. You can putter around and putter around and then a three- or four-minute segment could be the segment that puts enough separation between you, where the other team can’t come back, and that’s what happened.”
