Boys’ basketball: It’s USA all the way at Adidas Nations
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In a development that could bode well for the United States’ gold-medal basketball hopes in the 2016 Olympics and beyond, the four USA teams competing in the Adidas Nations tournament at Cal State Dominguez Hills all advanced to the championship and third-place games.
Ultimately, USA 2012 Blue prevailed, defeateing USA 2013 Red, 114-107, to win the title. Forward Sam Dekker of Sheboygan, Wis., scored 24 points for USA 2012 Blue, which played the entire tournament without consensus No. 1 player Shabazz Muhammad (sprained ankle). Mater Dei’s Shaqquan Aaron had four points and four rebounds for USA 2013 Red.
Mater Dei’s Xavier Johnson had a monster game for USA 2012 Red in the third-place game, scoring 28 points on nine-for-15 shooting during a 130-108 victory over USA 2013 Blue. Orange Lutheran guard Gabe York had 23 points, making 10 of 17 shots, for USA 2012 Red. Crenshaw’s Isaac Hamilton scored a team-high 27 points for USA 2013 Blue, making 11 of 14 shots overall and five of six from beyond the three-point arc.
York finished with a tournament-high average of 24.3 points.
--Ben Bolch