USA Begin FIBA U16 Men's AmeriCup With Dominating 123-50 Victory Over Mexico

USA Basketball put their flawless 43-0 record on the line as they opened their 2025 FIBA U16 Men’s AmeriCup campaign against host team Mexico. Straight from the opening tipoff, the Americans showed why they’ve historically been so unbeatable in the competition. CJ Rosser (188-G) opened the game on a roll, hitting three straight 3-pointers and dropping a fast break assist to Jordan Pageas the red, white, and blue got off to a quick 11-0 start. The lead eventually rose to 17-0 before Mexico answered with a 9-0 run to bring the game within eight. Nasir Anderson (190-G-2009) responded with a posterizing left-hand dunk to halt the Mexican run. The Americans held a 23-13 advantage at the end of the first quarter, using their size to score at will on the inside as they ended the frame shooting 7-for-9 from inside the arc. The USA finished the matchup shooting an incredibly efficient 42-for-55 from 2-point range. The Americans’ length was evident on the defensive end, holding Mexico to 2-for-14 shooting from inside the arc and forcing seven turnovers in the opening period. Mexico wound up over the foul limit less than two minutes into the second quarter as the Americans relentlessly attacked their defense. The USA opened the frame with a 13-0 run capped off by an alley-oop dunk from Beckham Black (188-G-2009). Mexico was forced to call a timeout with 5:41 remaining in the first half, having not scored yet in the frame. Mexico’s first points of the second quarter eventually came with 2:47 remaining to balloon the American lead 46-15. The USA took a 54-21 lead heading into the break, paced by Rosser’s 11 points. The Americans’ full-court press led to repeated opponent blunders, as they forced 15 first-half turnovers and posted 18 fast-break points. Page started the second half off on a tear, posting 11 points in the period’s first five minutes. He showed off his athleticism on a turnaround dunk with 5:33 remaining in the third quarter, improving the U.S lead to 72-30. Page finished the contest with a game-high 25 points. “It was a team effort,” Page said. “It all started with defense. Our chemistry was good, we played great on the defensive side and that translated over to the offense.” The Americans notched 35 points in the third quarter, taking an 89-40 lead into the final frame. Kameron Mercer (196-F-2009) came off the bench to contribute 5 points in the period, while Marcus Spears (201-F-2009) Jr. also chipped in with 5 points in the quarter, using his 6’7 stature to body smaller defenders inside. Spears Jr. finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds to record the game’s lone double-double on the night. The fourth quarter was more of the same for the U.S as they controlled the period en route to a statement 123-50 victory. Six players scored in double figures in an all-around effort for the Americans. “We kept our composure,” USA head coach Scott Fitch said. “We got on an early run that settled us down. I’m really proud of all of them. I thought we played with great energy. We can get a lot better, but the effort and energy were there.”
Courtesy of: usab.com