By R.L. Bynum
UNC transfer big man James Okonkwo produced his fourth double-double in five games, but it wasn’t enough to advance his Great Britain team at the FIBA U20 European Championships Division B.
Okonkwo collected 16 points, 10 rebounds, two 3-pointers, two blocks (all team-highs) and a steal in the British team’s 66–49 loss to host North Macedonia (4–1) in the quarterfinals at the SRC Kale arena in Skopje, North Macedonia.
After the 6–8, 240-pound former West Virginia player played his first four games in nearly empty arenas, it was a loud, packed arena filled with partisan North Macedonia fans for Friday’s game.
Great Britain (2–3) plays in a consolation-bracket game at 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday against the Netherlands (3–2), which lost its quarterfinal game Friday to Ukraine 67–49.
The British team will play another consolation-bracket game Sunday at 5 a.m. vs. the loser of Saturday’s Portugal (4–1)-Switzerland (3–2) game (with a Saturday loss) or 7:30 a.m. vs. the Portugal-Switzerland winner (with a Saturday victory.)
Okonkwo scored on an array of inside shots, including taking a pass for a dunk and scoring on a nice, short hook shot in the lane. He was 6 of 13 from the floor and 2 of 4 on 3-point attempts and free throws, with a tournament-low one turnover.
Those were Okonkwo’s first 3-pointers of the tournament after missing all four attempts in the first four games. One came from the right corner, and the other from the left elbow.
North Macedonia never trailed in the game, leading 17–11 after one quarter and 32–21 at halftime.
Okonkwo scored eight points during a four-minute, 17–5 third-quarter Great Britain run, including two 3-pointers and a pair of free throws, that cut its deficit to 40–36 with 3:27 left in the third quarter. North Macedonia pulled away from there, taking a 45–36 lead into the final quarter.
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Photos courtesy of FIBA
