Boeheim's USA Squad Beats South Korea, 128-73
8/4/2001 3:18:42 PM | Men's Basketball
by Craig Miller, USA Basketball
SAITAMA, Japan (August 4, 2001) – Numerous USA team and individual single game records tumbled Saturday night in Saitama, Japan at the World Championship For Young Men as the United States (2-0) easily earned its second win in as many nights, posting a lopsided 128-73 victory over South Korea (0-2).
For the second consecutive game the USA received a balanced scoring attack as all 12 players scored, including 11 who scored between six and 20 points. Iowa forward Reggie Evans (Pensacola, Fla.) led the offensive onslaught with 20 points, while Carlos Boozer (Duke/Juneau, Alaska) and Brian Cook (Illinois/Lincoln, Ill.) each tossed in 17 points.
The American squad continues preliminary round play Sunday facing also undefeated Argentina (2-0) in an 6:10 p.m. (Tokyo local time) game.
"We were bigger and stronger and it's a tough thing when you have such a size advantage," said USA and Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. "We did a pretty good job defensively of not letting them get set for the three and we maintained the intensity the whole time.
"When you play three games in a row like this, you have to keep playing hard to get in a good rhythm so you'll be ready the next night. Everybody got an opportunity to play tonight and I thought obviously we played very well, but we know with Argentina coming up tomorrow how difficult it will be. They're playing very well and it will be a tremendous challenge for us."
It was a record setting showing in many ways. The USA's 128 points were the most scored by a USA team in the event, breaking the previous mark of 107 scored against China in the 1997 competition. The USA's 55-point margin of victory is the second best in the 18 U.S. games played in this event, trailing only the 68 point victory margin established against China (107-39) in 1997. The U.S. squad also established team single game USA marks for most field goals made with 50 (breaking the previous record of 42 versus Angola); Most field goals attempted with 80 (breaking the previous high of 77 versus France in 1993); most assists with 36 (breaking the previous record of 30 versus China in 1997), and the USA tied a record with most rebounds with 53 (tying the 1993 record set against Angola).
Several individual USA single game records were also set. Evans now owns the U.S. mark for most free throws made in a game with 10 (breaking Corey Brewer's record of 7 set in 1997 against China) and for most free throws attempted with 12 (breaking the previous record of nine set by Corey Brewer in 1997 versus China and Corliss Williamson versus Spain in 1993); while St. Joseph's sophomore guard Jameer Nelson (Chester, Pa.) set a USA record for most assists in a game with 10 (breaking the record of 9 set by Andre Miller versus China in 1997).
The USA dominated nearly every statistical category in the game. The U.S. outrebounded South Korea 53 to 24, the USA shot 62.5 percent (50-80 FGs) from the field while Korea shot just 37.1 percent (26-70 FGs), and the Americans forced Korea into 17 turnovers. Evans also finished as the USA's leading rebounder with seven, while Nelson chalked up 10 assists, to go with seven points, four rebounds and two steals. South Korea took 35 3-pointers in the game, but was able to sink just eight (22.9 percent).
In Saturday's other preliminary round play, in Group B games, Israel (2-0) upended host Japan (0-2) 102-80, and Argentina (2-0) posted a 92-77 win over Croatia (0-2). In Group A action, Slovenia (2-0) handled Egypt (0-2) 76-62, Spain (2-0) edged Australia (1-1) 75-71, and Dominican Republic (1-1) thumped Qatar (0-2) 101-79.
The FIBA World Championship For Young Men is being held August 3-12 in Saitama, Japan and features 12 teams that are divided into two preliminary round pools consisting of six teams each. The USA continues preliminary play against Argentina on Aug. 5, return to action Aug. 7 versus Japan, then concludes preliminary play against Israel on Aug. 8. Quarterfinals play gets underway Aug. 10, with semifinals being conducted Aug. 11 and the medal games being held Aug. 12.
"This (the game versus Argentina) will obviously be a very difficult game, we have tremendous respect for Argentina. From watching the other tournament games, there are some very, very high quality teams here and I think there is going to a lot of great basketball ahead. I don't think I've ever seen 36 assists in a game before and I'm sure it must be some kind of record and in my opinion when you get guys helping each other, playing like that, that's a good sign," stated Boeheim.
