Bradley Beal is averaging a team-best 17.0 points per game in Germany.
Photo by Steven Maikoski/USA Basketball
The United States Under-17 National Team improved to 5-0 Wednesday at the
FIBA World Championship in Hamburg, Germany, blowing away Serbia 112-75.
Quarterfinal play begins Friday. The USA earned the No. 1 seed from Group A with its perfect record and will face Australia or Spain – who play today – as the No. 4 seed from Group B. Poland also emerged from preliminary play with a 5-0 mark.
Shooting guard Bradley Beal of Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) pumped in a team-high 20 points Wednesday against the Serbians, leading a pack of six Americans scoring in double figures. The University of Florida commitment is averaging a team-best 17.0 points per game at the event.
The United States outscored Serbia 31-9 in the second quarter, setting off another blowout victory. The talented American teens are averaging 108.2 points per game and have won each of the last four contests by 36 points or more.
"Our kids never take any opponents easy," USA head coach Don Showalter said. "I know Serbia had a very tough game last night that ended about midnight, so it was tough for them."
James McAdoo of Norfolk Christian (Norfolk, Va.) turned in a performance that stood out on a busy American stat sheet, tallying 15 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks and 4 steals.
Other key contributors included Michael Gilchrist (14 points, seven rebounds), Tony Wroten Jr. (11 points, four steals, four assists and three rebounds), Tony Parker (11 points, two rebounds) and Andre Drummond (10 points, six rebounds).
The United States enters the round of eight as a heavy favorite, not just based on this week's domination in Hamburg, but also history. The USA has placed first or second in all 16 international youth competitions it has participated in since 1979, including 11 gold medals.
