RIGA, Latvia - The U19 USA Basketball team got a warm welcome to international hoops last Wednesday in a 108-75 tune-up drubbing at the hands of Lithuania.
What a difference a week makes.
The Americans took on that same Lithuanian (3-2) squad Tuesday and exacted their revenge with a 107-105 overtime win that keeps them the only undefeated squad at the FIBA World Championships.
North Texas forward Tony Mitchell led the US (5-0) with eight boards in just 14 minutes. He also added five points, a block and two steals.
Jeremy Lamb (UConn) led the American scoring efforts with 35 points on 5-of-7 from 3-point. Lamb's output was enough to minimize Lithuania's Jonas Valanciunas' performance. The 6-11 Toronto Raptor lottery pick piled up 30 points, 15 boards and four blocks in 38 minutes.
Assured of advancing to the next round, the US will take on their final second-round opponent, Croatia (3-2), on Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. (Central). The top eight squads in the 16-team tournament advance to the quarterfinals which begin on July 8.
The quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the U19 FIBA World Championships can be seen via webcast.
Mitchell has shot 45.5 percent (10-22) from inside the 3-point arch for the tournament, and is averaging a team-high 8.8 rebounds per game. He is also hauling in 5.6 points, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 steals per game.
BOX SCORE
