Portland, OR – 6-9 Jarred Vanderbilt, headed to Kentucky, scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in 19 minutes of action to lead the USA Junior National Select Team to a 98-87 win over the World Select Team before 8.374 fans at the Moda Center, 6-10 Michael Porter Jr. (Missouri) also scored 19 points for the USA while Michigan State recruit 6-11 Jaren Jackson Jr. added 13 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. 6-5 Kostja Mushidi (Germany) led the World team with 14 points, hitting 4-of-7 three-pointers.
The game wasn’t the most well-played Hoop Summit as each team committed 19 turnovers. The USA dominated the glass with a 45-27 rebounding edge including a 20-6 domination of the offensive glass. 6-11 Mo Bamba blocked four of the USA’s 10 blocked shots. Collin Sexton (Alabama) was impressive in the backcourt for the USA dishing out eight assists and coming up with four steals to go along with his seven points. He led the USA with a +13 point differential in his time on the court.
Collin Sexton
The World Team had six players in double-figures. In addition to Mushidi, Nick Richards (Kentucky) scored 12, Lindell Wigginton (Iowa State) and Shal Gilgeous-Alexander (Kentucky) added 11 and Isaiah Hartenstein and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Virginia Tech) contributed 10 points. Wigginton added seven assists.
Troy Brown
The USA had a five-point lead after one quarter, ten points at halftime and won by 11 in a game that wasn’t closely contested. While the World Team didn’t seriously challenge the USA, the game was closer than most of us thought it would be after viewing the practices this week. “First thing, the World Team gave us a heck of a game, and congrats to them,” said USA head coach Miles Simon (California Supreme). “They competed, and they gave us everything that we could handle.”
The World Team featured five players seven feet or taller, yet were dominated on the glass by the Americans. The 7-1 Hartenstein was the most effective big for the World team adding four rebounds and two blocks but was only 2-of-7 from the foul line. RJ Barrett (Canada), a sophomore, two years younger than his World teammates was impressive with nine points and two steals and two assists in his 20 minutes of action.
This article was written by Carl Berman, Managing Partner of NetScouts Basketball. Thanks to Sam Forencich of USA Basketball for the photos. You can follow us on Facebook, or on twitter.
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