Team USA under-18 basketball utterly embarrasses Panama by 92 points
Loaded with elite high school players and coached by Kansas’ Bill Self, the Team USA under-18 squad is bursting at the seams with talent.
Unfortunately for Panama, their under-18 squad isn’t nearly as stacked.
That being said, few could’ve seen just how insanely lopsided a matchup between the two would be in the FIBA U18 Americas Championship 2018 tournament.
Now, Team USA opened the FIBA tournament with a resounding 105-73 win over the Dominican Republic and had established themselves as a heavy favorite.
But what happened to Panama was borderline cruel.
After just a quarter of action, the USA led 43-0.
END OF 1: 🇺🇸 #USABMU18 43, 🇵🇦 Panama 0#FIBAU18Americas pic.twitter.com/blAUVE1qPJ
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) June 12, 2018
The fact that Team USA scored 43 points in a quarter is almost as impressive as the fact that they held another team without a single point for an entire quarter. It’s almost impossible not to score a point, if only by a free throw here or a lucky bounce there.
Basketball fans were equally as dumbfounded at the first quarter score.
— nate (@_natevillanueva) June 12, 2018
lol is this right ???
— Coach Edwin Nelson (@TreyNels) June 12, 2018
Other fans felt that mercy was in order.
— Savage Lure of 1984 🧡🇬🇧🇪🇺 (@Ley_KJ) June 12, 2018
Of course, no towel was thrown in and the beatdown marched forward.
Team USA led 70-8 at halftime, with Panama possibly enjoying the most Pyrrhic victory imaginable by scoring eight measly points in one half of basketball. Considering that Panama couldn’t even get a simple layup off, they should find some minor contentment in scoring eight points.
Seriously. I feel so bad for Panama. pic.twitter.com/l1hQ2W7qdF
— Chris Stone (@cstonehoops) June 12, 2018
When the game came to a merciful conclusion, Team USA beat Panama 118-26. That’s a 92-point differential.
From all indications, Team USA will likely romp through the rest of the FIBA U18 tournament. The talent gap is just far too much.
.@qdotgrimes! 💥 🚀 🏀
🇺🇸 @usabasketball vs @FePaBa 🇵🇦
💻 https://t.co/ibdqyyNnCs pic.twitter.com/nQKCeWt0At
— FIBA (@FIBA) June 12, 2018
Team USA next faces Puerto Rico on Tuesday. It’s a virtual given that this game won’t be competitive either.
If Team USA lays waste to the competition as expected, it will continue one of the quieter sports dynasties in American sports. Held every two years, the FIBA U18 championship has become a showcase for the United States.
Dating back to 1990 (when the tournament was under-19), Team USA has won a gold medal eight of 10 times. No other country has more than one gold medal in that span. The only two times the USA didn’t win gold, they still came home with a silver and bronze medal. Team USA has also won the last four gold medals, and seems very much poised to win a fifth straight.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
