By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The 11-point, 98-87, win for the USA Junior National Select Team over the World Select Team in the 20th annual Nike Hoop Summit on Friday night at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, was closer than the final score indicated. In fact, with 2:43 remaining in the game the USA led by just four points.
Germany’s Kostja Mushidi (BC Mega Leks, Serbia), who set a World Team Nike Hoop Summit record for 3-point makes and tied the mark for 3-point attempts (4-7 3pt), sank his third 3 to end the USA’s streak. Both teams scored twice more to bring the halftime score to 52-44 in the USA’s favor.
The USA rebounding advantage was consistent throughout the game and was 24-14 in the first half, which included 13 offensive boards that led to 16 second-chance points. At the midway point, the USA also had nine steals and 13 turnovers out of the World Team.
“We didn’t have that juice to turn the game on our side, and normally, as always in my experience of 17 years of sitting on the bench for the World Team, we’ve had problems against the press,” said World Team assistant coach Marin Sedlacek (Serbia).