USA, Canada to square off in gold medal game of FIBA Americas U18 Championship

The USA and Canada will square off in the gold medal game of the FIBA Americas Men’s U18 Championship at 8:15 ET on Saturday after both teams won their semifinal games on Friday.

The game will be shown on facebook.com/usabasketball.

Kansas-bound guard Quentin Grimes went for 26 points and North Carolina signee Coby White added 25 as the USA (5-0) advanced to the gold medal game for the fifth straight time by holding off Argentina, 104-92, Friday night in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Canada then topped Puerto Rico, 95-89, behind Emanuel Miller’s 31 points, Andrew Nembhard’s 14 points and 17 assists, Addison Patterson’s 16 points and A.J. Lawson’s 14 points.

“They’re really athletic and really fast and they have multiple, multiple high-major guys,” Kansas and Team USA coach Bill Self said of Canada earlier this week. “They have three or four players who could player anywhere in the country. They’re really athletic and they get the ball down hill. If we get an opportunity to play them, we’ll probably have to play our best game.”

Kentucky-bound guard Tyrese Maxey (ankle) is expected to play in his first game since rolling his ankle in Tuesday’s win over Puerto Rico, Self told ZAGSBLOG. 

Kentucky-bound G @TyreseMaxey (ankle) is expected to play tonight in the gold medal game vs. Canada, Coach Bill Self tells me. pic.twitter.com/4azRVECKpg

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 16, 2018

Canada has never won the U18 FIBA Americas tournament, finishing runner up to the United States the previous two events. But R.J. Barrett and the Canadians finally upset the U.S. in the semifinals of last summer’s U19 World Cup en route to an historic gold medal, the first for Canada in a global basketball championship.

Argentina will play Puerto Rico in the third-place game Saturday.

North Carolina head Roy Williams, Minnesota head man Richard Pitino and assistants from Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Indiana, Arizona and Michigan were on hand.

Roy Williams and Richard Pitino are among the coaches at the U18 semifinals in St. Catharines, Ontario for 2019 @HurtMatthew.

Also assistants from Louisville, Kentucky, Indiana, Arizona, Michigan for guys like Hurt, @The_ColeAnthony, @TrayceJackson and others. pic.twitter.com/kuwUyJ38JV

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 15, 2018

Argentina did what no other team had been able to do so far against the USA, keep it close.  The U.S. led 24-18 in the first quarter and by halftime had expanded its advantage to 54-39.  Argentina outscored the U.S. 20-17 in the third to reduce the lead to 71-59 heading into the final 10 minutes, but the USA had an answer for every Argentina rally and for the fifth consecutive game broke the century mark in recording a win.

Matthew Hurt assisted the U.S. to the win with 16 points, Illinois-bound guard Ayo Dosunmu added 13, while Cole Anthony and Jeremiah Robinson-Earleach tossed in 10 points.

The USA dominated the boards, outrebounding Argentina 47-28 as Grimes and Hurt each grabbed eight, and Josiah James and Robinson each secured seven rebounds.

The U.S. made 51.8 percent of its shots and Argentina hit 50.0 percent of it tries. Argentina held the advantage from the foul line making 24-of-30 tries, while the USA was 11-of-16 from the charity line.

Photo/Release: USA Basketball