Pitt's Gibbs leads US team

July 4, 11:04 AMPittsburgh Sports ExaminerMatt Pawlikowski

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While most of Pittsburgh was still sleeping, the USA Men's Under-19 team (3-0) which is coached by Pitt mentor Jamie Dixon, celebrated the Fourth of July with an explosive 112-55 rout of Egypt (1-2) Saturday afternoon in Auckland, New Zealand some 6,500 miles from home.

 Paced by Pitt's  Ashton Gibbs' who had18 points, seven U.S. players scored in double-digits as the USA improved its record to 3-0.

The win earned the USA squad Group B's No. 1 seed as it advances into the July 6-8 Second Round.  Advancing to form Group E for the Second Round are the United States, France and Egypt from Group B, Greece, Puerto Rico and Lithuania from Group A. 

Gibbs played 18 minutes off the bench and registered team-highs of 18 points and six assists. He also converted 8-11 field goals and hit 2-4 3-pointers. In the USA’s three contests, Gibbs leads the USA team in scoring (12.7 points per game) and assists (12) and has converted 53.3 percent (16-30) of his field goal attempts and 40 percent (6-15 of his 3-point attempts. He scored 10 points in each of the team’s first two contests and led the Americans with his 18-point outburst vs. Egypt.

On Thursday, Gibbs had Gibbs scored 10 points as the USA Men's basketball under-19 team defeated Iran, 106-55,  in the opening game of the FIBA World Championship in New Zealand.

Teams finishing in first through fourth places in the two second round groups will qualify for the quarterfinals, with the opportunity to advance to the semifinals and finals. Teams finishing in fifth and sixth places in Groups E and F will play for ninth through 12th places. The quarterfinals will be held on July 10, semifinals are slated for July 11 and the gold medal game will be contested on July 12.

For more on Pitt Athletics, check out my man Steve Flinn the Pitt Panther Examiner