Team China edged past Cameroon with an 81-77 victory to secure 13th place at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup in Lausanne on Sunday, closing out the tournament with a 2-5 record.
The game was tightly contested, with China leading 41-40 at halftime. Cameroon came out strong after the break, gaining a five-point lead. However, China’s Chen Jiazheng and Zhang Boyuan answered back with clutch three-pointers to keep their team in the game. Heading into the final quarter, China trailed 60-58.
In the decisive fourth quarter, China initiated a 5-0 run to regain the lead. A critical moment came when a screening foul allowed Cameroon’s Gedeon Basson to score five points from a field goal and ensuing free throws. With the clock winding down, Zhang was called for a foul but quickly made amends by drawing a foul himself and sinking both free throws, sealing the win for China.
China’s journey in the tournament began in Group B, where they faced tough competition and finished with losses to Canada, Germany, and Slovenia. In the round of 16, they fell to New Zealand, missing a spot in the quarterfinals and moving into the 9th-16th classification round.
After a defeat to France, China entered the 13th-16th classification bracket. They secured their first win of the tournament against Jordan, triumphing 97-78, before clinching 13th place with the victory over Cameroon.
Meanwhile, the USA dominated the tournament, defeating Germany 109-76 in the final to claim their ninth title at the event. USA’s AJ Dybantsa earned MVP honors, averaging 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. The American squad set a new tournament record by averaging 114.6 points per game across their undefeated seven-game run.
Their closest contest was in the quarterfinals against Canada, where they overcame a deficit to win by six points. They then overwhelmed New Zealand with a staggering 56-point victory to advance to the final.
In the championship game, the USA overcame an early 16-9 deficit against Germany. They regrouped to lead by nine points at halftime and unleashed a decisive 22-2 run in the third quarter, paving the way to a commanding victory and the championship title.
