USA U17 Squad Posts Exhibition Wins Over Latvia And Australia
USA competed June 22-25 in the 2012 Spain U17 International Invitational in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands. Featuring U17 teams from Australia, Latvia and host Spain, the U.S. gained international game experience and cap- tured the tournament title going 2-0. The USA passed its first
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international test by defeating Latvia 108-72, then captured tournament gold after disposing of Australia 89-64. Jahlil Okafor (Whitney Young
H.S./Chicago, Ill.), who averaged a double-double of 22.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game in the tournament’s two games, was named the Most Valuable Player.
USA 108, Latvia 72 Behind 26 points and 15 rebounds
from Okafor, the USA passed its first international test by defeating Latvia 108-72. All 10 players who suited up scored,
including six who put up double-digit points. In addition to Okafor, who was a sizzling 12-of-16 from the field; Dakari Johnson (Montverde Academy, Fla./Brooklyn, N.Y.) had 17 points and seven boards; Stephen Domingo (Saint Ignatius Prep/ San Francisco, Calif.) scored 15 to go with six rebounds; Stanley Johnson (Mater Dei H.S./Fullerton, Calif.) scored 12 points; Justise Winslow (St. John’s School/ Houston, Texas) also notched a double- double with 11 points and 13 rebounds; while Johnathan Williams (Southwind H.S./Memphis, Tenn.) contributed 10 points and eight boards. Further, Tyus Jones (Apple Valley H.S./ Apple Valley, Minn.) dished out 10 of the USA’s 23 assists and notched five of the team’s 13 steals.
“Latvia played really well tonight,”
said Don Showalter, USA and Iowa City High School head coach. “I thought they came out hard and we were a little lax. But at the same time, I thought our team really rebounded well, played some great defense and got some easy baskets that way. Overall, I was very pleased with the way we played.
USA Basketball News
Stanley Johnson averaged 13.5 points a game and posted a pair of double figure scoring efforts in the USA’s two exhibition victories.
“For us, I think it was a typical first
game, which is why we want to play this tournament in the Canary Islands before we go to the U17 World Championship. It told us a few things we need to work on. They’re all things that can be correct- ed, but our kids were just anxious to play a game after a long trip. I think now they understand the level we have to get to, which is good.” Latvia started off the game on a 7-2
run, and at 6:53 the USA trailed 12-8. With Latvia holding a 17-16 edge, Stanley Johnson hit one of two from the line to knot the score at 17-all at the 1:41 mark. He then put the Americans ahead for good after taking a feed from Jones at 1:19. After Winslow hit the back end of a pair of attempts at the stripe, he found Stanley Johnson open with three seconds to play in the quarter and after Stanley Johnson hit his mark the U.S. opened a 22-17 lead as the quarter ended.
The U.S. continued to roll, and after
an Okafor bucket with 6:44 to play the U.S. was up 32-19. The U.S. continued to expand its lead and by halftime owned
rior to arriving in Lithuania for the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship, the
a 52-33 advantage. Latvia, which was outmatched by
the size of the USA’s big men, never seriously threatened in the second half, and at the end of the third quarter the score stood at 83-47. The fourth quarter was an even affair with both teams scoring 25 points as the red, white and blue cruised in for the win. “It’s a completely different
atmosphere,” said Domingo, who played in his first game for USA Basketball. “The game moves really fast. The inter- national players are really good, we just have to be physical with them. It started off a little slow, but in the second quar- ter we really got on them. We really got physical in the second quarter.” Not only did the USA dominate the
scoring, the squad outrebounded Latvia by a whopping 66-22 margin, shot a blistering 53.5 percent (46-86 FGs) from the field and held Latvia to just 37.3 percent (25-67 FGs) shooting overall. The USA’s defense, however,
allowed Latvia to hit 42.9 percent (12-28 3pt FGs) from beyond the 3-point line and the U.S. made just 50.0 percent (12-24 FTs) from the foul line.
Joel Berry (Lake Highland Prep School/Apopka, Fla.) and Jabari Parker (Simeon Career Academy/Chicago, Ill.) did not play due to injuries sustained during training camp in Colorado Springs.
USA 89, Australia 64 The Americans fell behind early, but
recovered quickly and earned an 89-64 victory over Australia to win the Gran Canaria U17 International Invitational. Okafor led the way with 19 points and was named the tournament’s MVP. “I was surprised,” said Okafor after
receiving the MVP trophy. “I didn’t know they were going to do an MVP. I thought if it wasn’t me, it would be Tyus (Jones), because he controls the team. He controls the tempo. I think he’s the person who deserves it.” In addition to Okafor, Stanley
Johnson contributed 15 points, while Domingo and Kendrick Nunn (Simeon
Continued on page 72 71
Caroline Williams USA Basketball
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