THIRD JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT -- 1998

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
July 5-11, 1998

The 1998 USA Men's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team dominated its competition to capture the gold medal in impressive style with a 6-0 record in the Dominican Republic. Directed by Syracuse University mentor Jim Boeheim, the U.S. juniors earned all six victories by no less than 22 points each, cruising past opponents by an average of 37.2 ppg., averaging 103.7 ppg., while holding its opponents to just 66.5 ppg.

1998 USA Junior World Championship Qualifying Team 1998 USA RESULTS (6-0) USA 108 Canada 70 USA 131 Cuba 60 USA 94 Argentina 52 Final Round USA 95 Brazil 73 USA 103 Venezuela 79 USA 91 Argentina 66 1998 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS 1. USA (6-0) 5. Dominican Rep. (2-2) 2. Argentina (4-2) 6. Canada (1-3) 3. Brazil (3-3) 7. Cuba (1-3) 4. Venezuela (3-3) 8. Mexico (0-4)

The balanced U.S. scoring attack was led by University of Arizona freshman-to-be Michael Wright who averaged 15.0 ppg., and was aided by DePaul University freshmen-to-be Quentin Richardson with 13.7 ppg. and a team-high 6.3 rpg. and Bobby Simmons with who averaged 12.2 ppg., while Northwestern University freshman-to-be Steve Lepore averaged 12.8 ppg.

The 1998 USA squad opened the competition with a 108-70 victory over Canada, behind a combined 40 points and 16 rebounds from Richardson and Simmons.

The U.S. juniors downed Cuba 131-60 in its second contest with the help of five players who scored in double-digits, including University of Virginia rising freshman Adam Hall who scored a team-high 23 points.

Meeting also unbeaten Argentina, the U.S. earned its third straight win, 94-51. Aiding the U.S. were Simmons, who came off the bench for 16 points, Richardson scored 12, 6-6 forward Matt Carroll recorded 11 and Wright added 10 points.

Advancing to the semifinals round, the USA earned a 95-73 victory over Brazil behind a 27 point effort by Wright. Owning a 44-30 halftime lead, the USA increased it lead to 56-36 with 16:28 to go, but Brazil rallied to close within five points, 62-57, at 10:29. However, the U.S. put together a 22-10 run to jump ahead 84-67 at 4:07 and sailed in for the win.

The U.S. defeated Venezuela 103-79 to advance to the gold medal game with the help of 17 points from Richardson. The United States held a 43-29 lead at the half and never looked back for its fifth straight decision.

In the gold medal contest, the USA overpowered Argentina 91-66, with the help of 17 points from Simmons. Neither team managed to hold more than a five-point lead early in the game, and with 8:18 left in the first half the score was knotted at 22-22. However, the U.S. finished the first half strong, outscoring Argentina 27-8, to close out the half with a comfortable 49-30 advantage.

Argentina pulled to within six points, 61-54, at 9:51, and continued to stay close and with 5:48 to go, the U.S. led 72-65. However, Simmons hit a three-pointer at 5:24 and, after Argentina missed its next attempt, he sent in another trey from the same spot at 4:21 to spark the U.S. offense. The U.S. defense allowed Argentina just one point for the remainder of the contest as the USA earned the 91-66 win and the gold medal.

Brazil edged Venezuela 74-72 for the bronze.

1998 USA Junior World Championship Qualifying Team Roster

1998 USA Junior World Championship Qualifying Team Cumulative Statistics