The FIBA U18 AmeriCup final will be a meeting of the only two teams that have looked untouchable all tournament. USA and Canada, both unbeaten, blew through their semifinals by a combined 112 points to set up a heavyweight title clash, leaving Brazil and Puerto Rico to contest the bronze.
USA were merciless against Brazil, rolling to a 102-56 win and never trailing while outscoring their opponents in every quarter. Quentin Coleman (193-F/G-2008) set the tone early with the game's only dunk and finished with an efficient double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Colben Landrew (199-SF-2008) led all scorers with 18 on 7-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three, and Jasiah Jervis (196-G-2008) added eight points, four assists and four steals. Joao Neves (200-SF-2008) top-scored for Brazil with 14 points and eight rebounds in a game that was effectively over by the second quarter.
If anything, Canada were even more emphatic, dismantling Puerto Rico 115-49 in a 66-point rout that matched their largest lead of the night. The Canadians led essentially wire to wire, anchored by a Stefan Ilic (206-PF-2008) double-double of 13 points and 14 rebounds with a staggering +35 in just over 17 minutes. Lyris Robinson (198-SG-2008) poured in 18 off the bench and Abdul Olajuwon (196-SG-2008) added 17. Derek Pagan (175-G-2008) did what he could for Puerto Rico with 18 points, five rebounds and six assists, but found no support as Canada swarmed the perimeter and owned the paint.
Both beaten semifinalists can console themselves with World Cup tickets already in hand Brazil and Puerto Rico secured 2027 U19 World Cup berths by reaching the final four and will now meet for bronze.
In the Classification 5-8 round, Venezuela edged the Dominican Republic 80-74 in a back-and-forth battle featuring 13 lead changes. The Dominicans erased an 11-point deficit to briefly lead in the fourth, but Venezuela closed on a 12-3 run to seal it. Bryan Gomez (192-SG-2009) was the clutch difference-maker with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Richard Segovia (175-PG-2008) provided 15 off the bench, and Williams Anillo (180-SG-2009) chipped in 11 points and four steals. Antonio Pemberton (183-PG-2008) led all scorers with 21 and accounted for all of the Dominican Republic's points in crunch time.
The other 5-8 game was far more one-sided, as Argentina led from start to finish in an 87-73 win over Mexico. A 12-0 third-quarter run, sparked by Mateo Fessia (190-G-2008), broke the game open. Gonzalo Aman (190-G-2008) led Argentina with 15 points and six rebounds, and Santiago Pettinaroli (200-F-2008) added 14 off the bench. Isaiah Barnes (191-G-2008) was excellent in defeat for Mexico with 23 points, six rebounds and five steals. The results send Venezuela and Argentina to the fifth-place game and the Dominican Republic and Mexico to the seventh-place game.