Mikel Brown Jr. is making waves at the FIBA U19 World Cup. Louisville’s incoming freshman put on a show in Team USA’s second game of the tournament, stuffing the stat sheet against France on Sunday at Lausanne Arena in Switzerland.
Brown led all scorers in Team USA’s 108-77 victory, dropping 24 points in the win against France. He shot 8-for-11 from the field, including 6-for-9 from beyond the arc. Brown, who went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe, also had four dimes, one rebound, one steal and one block in the rout.
Three other players scored in double figures for Team USA. Koa Peat dropped 17 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Peat, who recorded three rebounds and one assist, also displayed his defensive prowess against France. He racked up two steals and two blocks in 25 minutes.
AJ Dybantsa and Caleb Holt also contributed, combining for 26 points. Dybantsa racked up 16 points on 5-for-6 shooting. He also grabbed four rebounds and issued one assist in the victory. Holt, on the other hand, scored 10 points and recorded three steals.
Team USA vs. France box score ft. Mikel Brown Jr.
Team USA vs France Game Summary
The Americans headed into Sunday’s showdown against France with momentum on their side after beating Australia 88-73 in their group opener on Saturday. They got off to a slow start, however, against the Frenchmen, who built a 7-2 advantage early in the first quarter.
Team USA quickly responded, tying the game at 7-7 following baskets from Mikel Brown Jr. and AJ Dybantsa. Brown took over for Team USA in the opening period, scoring 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting from the 3-point area. He helped the Americans build a 33-18 lead entering the second quarter.
France battled back, slicing the deficit to eight points late in the second quarter. JJ Mandaquit restored Team USA’s advantage to double digits before the halftime buzzer sounded, draining a corner 3-pointer to give the Americans a 50-38 lead.
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Brown remained red-hot in the third quarter, dropping 11 points during that period to help Team USA build a 78-60 advantage heading into the final frame. The Americans pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring France 30-17 to secure the 108-77 victory.