The U.S. U18 team lost to Argentina, 77-64, in the gold medal game of the FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Formosa, Argentina.
It was the first loss of the tournament for the Americans, who already qualified for the 2009 FIBA U18 World Championship in New Zealand.
UConn-bound guard Kemba Walker was named MVP of the tournament after scoring 21 points and dishing 3 assists in the final. UCLA-bound guard Malcolm Lee scored 13 and Kansas frosh TRavis Releford 12. Dominic Cheek scored just 5 points. Alabama commit JaMychal Green posted a double-double of 10 points and 14 boards.
“I’m very proud about how we fought the entire game,” said USA and Davidson College head coach Bob McKillop. “Even the energy, the fight that we had up until the last buzzer made me very proud. Every one of our guys has gotten better from this experience. It’s a totally different environment than they’ve ever been in before. We’ve been together 18 days, had a travel experience that will be unforgettable, memories of playing in a championship game for a gold medal in a very hostile environment will be something they can build their college futures upon and hopefully their futures with USA Basketball. To come here and play as hard as we did for these five games leaves me very impressed with these young men.”
Incoming Rutgers freshman center Greg Echenique, playing for Venezuela, had 21 points and 12 boards in a 74-63 victory over Uruguay. Read more about Echenique here.
(photo courtesy USA Basketball)
Get additional stories about the USA U18 team here:
**USA Downs Canada to Reach Gold Medal Game
**USA Routs Bahamas; Echenique Posts 25 & 15
**Wear, Walker Lead USA Over Venezuela; Echenique Misses Double-Double
**Dom Cheek and Kemba Walker make team, Lance Stephenson cut.
**Enigmatic Lance Making Headlines
**Cheek: ‘Villanova Showing the Most Love‘
**USA Cuts to 14 Players; Lance & Dom’s List
