OK, Ponitka was pretty good, too
Team USA won 92-80, though this score belies the fact that the outcome was never truly in doubt. After jumping out to an early lead, the Stars and Stripes held a double-digit lead for most of the game; a 7-0 World Team run reduced the deficit to eight points at just about midway through the third quarter, but this was a last gasp.
Rivers scored 20 and two of the four future Kentucky Wildcats – Anthony Davis and Michael Gilchrist – each added 16.
Sickest of the sick vis-à-vis this Team USA was the chemistry displayed by the squad in general but particularly by the Kentucky-bound foursome. Don’t believe BiE? Here’s a tiny sample, i.e. a sick Marquis Teague-to-Davis alley oop.
In short: Look out, NCAA.
Color commentators for the game enthusiastically described the match throughout as a “block party,” and indeed it was for Congo’s Biyombo, a late addition to the squad who merely contributed a triple-double of 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 blocked shots for the World Select Team. This represents the first such triple-double in Nike Hoop Summit history, as the 10 blocks sets the Summit record.
Surely Biyombo’s view counts on YouTube are blowing up as you read this, so BiE’ll stoking the surely blazing fire a bit with the following.
The best performance for Team World was probably Nicolas Batum’s. The former Summiteer and current Portland Trail Blazer was on hand to watch the game and contribute some minutes to FIBA TV in an interview; from yesterday, here he is publicizing the present and remembering past Hoop Summits.
Seriously, though, for the European basketball devotees: Mateusz Ponitka, the all-tournament team selection at the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship, played well enough to lead World Select Team scoring with 17 points against some seriously tough Team USA defense.
Team USA is now 11-3 in Nike Hoop Summit history.
