Tyus Jones, USA 16 & U Sweep Worlds

The USA Basketball 16 & under boys swept five games and the gold medal at the FIBA Americas 2011 championships. Tyus Jones, Apple Valley HS, was the team's back-up point guard, playing about 17 minutes per game, and led the team with 28 assists (5.6 per game).

USA scored 100 points or more in every game and averaged 108 to their opponents' 66.

Jones scored in double-figures just once, with 10 points against Argentina. He scored 23 overall or 4.6 per game. He shot 11-for-20 FG, but 11-for-16 on 2s as opposed to 0-for-4 on 3s.

Five players averaged in double figures. Aaron Gordon of San Jose Archbishop Mitty HS was the statistical star of the team with 17 ppg on better than 66 percent shooting, plus 11 boards, almost 5 assists and better than 3 blocks per game, though Jabari Parker of Chicago Simeon scored 15 ppg and was named the tournament MVP. Jahlil Okafor of Chicago Whitney Young scored just under 15 points on 71 percent shooting, Theo Pinson of Oakridge Military Academy 11.5 and Justin Jackson of Spring (TX) Home School Christian Youth Association 10.

Overall the 16 & unders shot 54 percent to their opponents 38. The US routed Argentina inthe final 104-64.

Other Men's Teams

Meanwhile, the men's 19 & unders lost a pair of exhibitions to Lithuania, but hammered Egypt 115-60 to start the world championships. Joe Jackson of Memphis, TN, and the U. of Memphis and Doug McDermott of Ames, IA, and Creighton, have scored in double figures in all 3 games. The 19 & unders renew action today vs. Serbia.

Then there's a World University Games team that will open training camp in late July. 22 players have been invited to the camp including the Gophers' Trevor Mbakwe, formerly of Henry Sibley and St. Bernard's HS, and Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor of Bloomington, MN, and formerly Benilde HS.

Finally, in April a U.S. Junior Select team defeated a World Junior Select team 92-80.Bismack Biyombo of the Congo and the World team, who more recently was a lottery pick in the NBA draft, was the star with 12 points, 11 boards and a record 10 blocks for the 1st triple-double in the 14 year history of the game. Austin Rivers of Winter Park, FL, the high school player of the year, led the US with 20 points. 3 of the US' 10 players will attend Kentucky this fall.

Women's Teams

The 19 & under women are the featured team among the US women in 2011, as is the case with the men. 5 of the 12 women on the roster will be attending the U. of Connecticut in the fall, including player of the year Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis from Mater Dei HS in Anaheim, CA.

The 19 & unders beat Brazil 49-37 in an exhibition June 5 as Elizabeth Williams scored 15 points and Breanna Stewart 11. The two also led in rebounds with 6 and 7 and blocks with 5 apiece. Stewart is among the UConn recruits while Williams is heading to Duke.

World championship play begins on July 21.

Like Tyus Jones and the 16 & under men, the 16 & under women also won the championship of the Americas with a perfect 5-0 record. The Gold Medal game was played June 18, with the US hammering Brazil 73-40.

Rebecca Greenwell (Owensboro, KY, 15.6 ppg), Mercedes Russell (Springfield, OR, 11.6) and Stephanie Mavunga (Indianapolis, IN, 10.6) averaged in double figures. Russell led with 11.4 rebounds and 4 blocks per game. Linnae Harper of Chicago Whitney Young was the assist and steal leader with 17 of each.

Meanwhile, 14 women have been named finalists for the US team for the World University Games--3 from Notre Dame, and 2 each from Stanford and Tennessee.