Basketball: US win U19 world champs

The United States got what they travelled so far for by beating Greece in the final of the men's under-19 world basketball championship in Auckland tonight.

The Americans ended an 18-year drought at the age group tournament by tipping over the European champions 88-80.

It maintained their unbeaten record after nine matches in the 16-nation tournament, meaning there can be no questions about their dominance.

They did not have things all their own way in the first quarter as the teams went to the break tied at 19-19 but the US upped their intensity to dominate the next stanza and were cruising at 46-30 by halftime.

The Greeks, who entered the final having already lost two matches, one of them 69-85 to the US, fought their way back into the contest after the break by forcing a series of turnovers.

Greece slashed the difference to 48-53 with less than 3min remaining in the third quarter as the Americans ran into foul trouble.

The Europeans outscored the US 21-14 in the third period on the back of a series of free throws, and at one stage the Americans failed to score from the field for almost 4min.

But the US still began the final period ahead 60-51 and they had more than enough in reserve to keep the Greeks at bay.

Tyshawn Taylor was in top form for the Americans, contributing 18 points to their cause while Ashton Gibbs lent a valuable hand also with 13 points.

Greece were well served by Kostas Sloukas with 17 points, with assistance from Nikolaos Pappas 16 and Leonidas Kaselakis 15.

Earlier, Croatia won the playoff for third by downing Australia 87-81.

The scores were tied in the final minute before Croatia's Ivan Batur sunk a three-pointer for an 84-81 lead and Australia's attempts to level rimmed out in the dying seconds.

- NZPA