Malik Newman delivered 21 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in the FIBA U17 World Championship gold medal game against Australia.
Photo courtesy of FIBA
The United States became accustomed to rolling over opponents at the FIBA U17 World Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, winning the first six games of the competition by an average margin of 43.3 points per outing.
But Saturday against Australia in the gold medal contest, the Americans got a wire-to-wire fight before hanging on for a 99-92 victory.
The win improved the USA's record in FIBA U17 World Championship play to 23-0 dating back to 2010 and gave it a third-straight gold medal in the event.
MVP of the FIBA Americas U16 Championship last summer, American guard
Malik Newman of
Callaway (Jackson, Miss.) provided another big performance against Australia. The 6-foot-3 rising senior finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.
Jayson Tatum of
Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.), a spectacular 6-8 rising junior guard (he's regarded as the top prospect in his class by 247Sports.com), contributed 15 points and five rebounds. Fellow 2016 star
Joshua Jackson added 13 points and seven boards.
The United States struggled to contain 6-2 shooting guard Dejan Vasiljevic of Australia, who poured in 29 points and drained six 3-pointers. Backcourt partner Tom Wilson added 23.
But the USA did put a lid on one of the standouts in Dubai, 6-11 Australian center Isaac Humphries. Averaging over 20 points and 12 rebounds per game entering the final, Humphries was held to just eight points and six rebounds.
