Dubai: Record two-time champions USA won’t be taking any team for granted as they approach the business end of the third Fiba Under-17 World Championship this weekend, according to their coach Donald Showalter.
The Stars and Stripes convincingly overcame Japan 122-38 in the Round of 16 at Al Shabab on Tuesday after topping Group A with victories over Greece 83-73, Angola 99-56 and Philippines 124-64.
The tournament favourites will now face the winner of the match between Italy and China at the Hamdan Sports Complex in Thursday’s quarter-final.
Despite four quarter scores of 41-6, 34-11, 27-14 and 20-7 over Japan — who finished bottom of Group B with defeats to Australia 97-84, Canada 96-52 and France 96-51 — Showalter wasn’t getting ahead of himself.
“You have to show up to play,” he said. “Our kids are very aware of that. I think every team in the competition brings something a little different and in international competition you never know what can happen. We’re certainly going to stay focused and we’re not going to take anyone for granted.
“Our kids are really focused and we’re here to win a gold medal and we focus in on that daily at practice. Part of our job as coaching staff is to keep these kids focused. The Fiba Americas Under-16 Championship last year was good experience for us and we proved we can really focus in when we need to.
“The nice thing about it is we’re the favourites and the bad thing about it is we’re the favourites, but it’s a good label to have. We want to give it everybody’s best shot, our kids are really focused in on the last three games and we’ll play as hard as we can, I know that.”
Showalter said proof of his side’s humble outlook was evident in the match against Japan where The Rising Sun’s centre Rui Hachimura finished topscorer on 25 points, while six USA players finished on double figures, including centre Diamond Stone, who made 11 rebounds.
“Japan was outmatched but credit to our players we came out with a great mindset. We don’t prepare for every opponent but the kids came out with the proper attitude, that we are going to start the game and be the more aggressive team and we did that.
“We want to improve every game and I think we improved tonight and over the last three games. With the past two Under-17 teams we’ve gotten better every game and that’s all we’re looking to do.”
