Youngins Win Basketball Gold For USA

Written by Ian | 12 July 2009

This one may have slipped under your radar, not having the pomp and grandeur of the USA Men's team winning the Gold in China.  That's okay because anyone who's not a fan of Washington State (x2!), Duke, Kentucky, Pitt, Butler (x2!), UTEP, Northwestern, Kansas, Georgia, or Ole Miss probably didn't pay a lot of attention to the US Under 19 basketball team.  You should have though, because this team dominated international competition in the World Under 19's.

Young men under 19 years old went to battle with their country's logo on their chest in the past two weeks and brought home another gold medal.  Amongst them were SEC players Darius Miller (UK), Howard Thompkins (UGA), and Terrico White (Ole Miss).  The SEC contingent added 23 points, 2 assists (12 total by Miller), and 10.7 rebounds per game for the US team.  That's not bad representation.

The US team outplayed their opponents to the tune of an average 88-66 score.  They showed dominance against the lesser teams in the tournament and outlasted Greece in the finals by 8, their second win over the Greek team.  Let's all congratulate our boys and realize that this is an important win on the international level.  While it's not up to the level of the Beijing gold we have to feel like the future of USA basketball is in capable hands with the non professionals for now.

On a personal note: congrats to the Wildcat Darius Miller on the championship.  Get used to high expectations young man!

Photo courtesy www.usabasketball.com