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James Okonkwo will come to Carolina with a reputation as a shot-blocker and showed why Friday in Great Britain’s opener of the FIBA U20 European Championships Division B. Okonkwo put up a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds while blocking three shots as Great Britain earned a 72–63 victory over Austria as pool play began in Skopje, North Macedonia.
Former West Virginia big man James Okonkwo, who committed Thursday to transfer to Carolina, begins play Friday at the FIBA U20 European Championships.
UNC senior guard Deja Kelly was on her game, and so was the USA as the Americans rebounded from a loss the day before with a resounding victory. Kelly collected 10 points and a team-high seven assists and was a team-high +45 as the United States rolled to a 106–44 victory over Cuba at Domo de la Feria in León, Mexico, in its final pool play game at the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup.
It was a challenging Fourth of July at the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup for a United States team that faced another team full of older professional players, this time Brazil. The No. 13-ranked Brazilians were in control for most of the game and beat the No. 1-ranked Americans 67–54 at Domo de la Feria in León, Mexico, to snap the USA’s 19-game win streak in the competition.
Carolina senior guard Deja Kelly and her USA teammates went from an easy victory in their Women’s AmeriCup opener Saturday to a battle Sunday. One day after trouncing Venezuela by 24 points, the Americans trailed in the third quarter but pulled away late for a 65–56 victory over Argentina at Domo de la Feria in León, Mexico, for their 19th consecutive AmeriCup victory. While it was the USA’s second game in as many days, it was Argentina’s tournament opener.
Carolina senior guard Deja Kelly and the United States made it clear Saturday why the Americans are favored to win the FIBA AmeriCup. Kelly started at point guard and collected nine points, three rebounds and four assists as a balanced USA team rolled to an 80–54 victory Saturday over Venezuela in the opener for both teams at Domo de la Feria in León, Mexico, 250 miles northwest of Mexico City.
Ian Jackson scored nine points and a pair of 3-pointers as the United States team turned back China 92–69 in the round of 16 at the FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary.
Ian Jackson didn’t get into the United States’ game until the second quarter and struggled with his shot but showed his versatility in a 122–70 victory Tuesday over Lebanon at Fönix Arena in Debrecen, Hungary. Jackson led the Americans with five assists, and collected eight points, five rebounds and two steals in 21½ minutes as the team finished FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup Group B pool play 3–0 and dropped Lebanon to 0–3.
With the United States using a tight rotation in a challenging game against Slovenia, five-star Class of 2024 UNC commitment Ian Jackson dealt with foul trouble and got little playing time. In the fourth quarter, the Americans rallied for a 77–72 victory at Fönix Arena in Debrecen, Hungary, in the FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup by outscoring Slovenia 25–11.
Five-star Class of 2024 UNC commit Ian Jackson scored nearly a point a minute and the United States looked impressive in their opener of the FIBA U19 World Cup. The 6–5 guard scored 17 points in just over 16 minutes as the Americans rolled to a 136–69 victory over Madagascar at Fönix Arena in Debrecen, Hungary, putting up a record point total by an American U19 team.
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