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Trio of Wildcats Win Bronze, Wynyard Flourishes at 2017 FIBA World Cup

Trio of Wildcats Win Bronze, Wynyard Flourishes at 2017 FIBA World Cup

We will have continuing coverage of the 2017 FIBA U17 World Cup on this page each and every day. Tune back each day for a recap of the Wildcats along with a continually updated photo gallery above. Scroll down for recaps of each day. Combined stats are at the very bottom of the page.
CAIRO – The Kentucky men’s basketball team will be well represented at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup in Cairo.
Freshman guard Hamidou Diallo, freshman forward PJ Washington, redshirt sophomore forward Tai Wynyard and UK head coach John Calipari will all be a part of the biennial FIBA World Cup, which begins Saturday and concludes with the championship game on July 9. Diallo and Washington will suit up for the Calipari-coached USA Basketball squad while Wynyard will play for the Junior Tall Blacks, New Zealand’s U19 team.
Kentucky is believed to be the most well-represented school at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup – and the Wildcats nearly had even more at the games. 
UK freshman forward Kevin Knox made the initial 16-man pool for USA Basketball but removed his name from consideration after suffering a minor hamstring injury. Freshman guard Shai Gilegous-Alexander was invited to try out for the Canadian national team but opted to stay in Lexington to train with his college team.
The games will begin Saturday at 7 a.m. ET with Wynyard’s Junior Tall Blacks taking on Korea. Team USA, featuring Diallo, Washington and Calipari, will open at 11:30 a.m. ET. All games will be live streamed via FIBA’s live stream channel, which can be accessed at fiba.com/world/u19/2017/videos. FIBA’s YouTube channel will also live stream the games.
The 16 teams will be split into four groups and play three games each in preliminary round play through Tuesday. Following the preliminary round, all 16 teams will be seeded according to group-play results and will advance to the July 5 round of 16. Winners will advance to the July 7 medal quarterfinals, while the remaining teams will continue playing out for classification. The medal semifinals will be held July 8, and the gold- and bronze-medal games are slated for July 9.
Wynyard will not have a chance to face his teammates on Team USA in group play as New Zealand drew Group A and the United States is in Group D. 
Team USA, ranked No. 1 overall in the world, will be looking for its third straight title at the FIBA World Cup after capturing gold at the 2013 and 2015 tournaments. New Zealand is ranked No. 33.
All three Wildcat players and Calipari have international and/or USA Basketball experience, with Diallo and Washington helping the U19 team qualify for this year’s World Cup. 
After testing the waters for a potential entry into the NBA Draft in April, Diallo announced in May his return to Kentucky. Although he didn’t play for the Wildcats after enrolling midyear, he is expected to be a leading returner on an extremely young team after becoming a vital practice player down the stretch of the 2016-17 season. 
A top-10 prospect in the 2017 class before reclassifying, Diallo led Putnam Science Academy to a 38-3 record with an appearance in the state semifinals. The two-time all-state honoree averaged 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in his final full season of high school. He averaged 7.6 points and 4.6 rebounds for the 2016 USA Men’s U18 National Team that won a gold medal at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Chile.
Washington, measured at 6-foot-8, 229 pounds, is rated as high as the No. 11 overall prospect in the class of 2017 rankings by ESPN. Scout and Rivals tab him at No. 14 overall and 247Sports ranks him No. 18. He was named to the All-USA Boys Basketball Second Team in March and played in the 2017 McDonald’s All American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic. He also won most valuable player honors at the inaugural Allen Iverson Roundball Clasic. 
Washington started all five games and averaged 10.0 points and 4.0 rebounds for the gold-medal winning 2016 USA Men’s U18 National Team in Chile. He was also a member of the 2015 USA 3×3 U18 World Championship Team, which finished in eighth place in Debrecen, Hungary.
Diallo and Washington played well in Team USA’s two exhibition games. Diallo averaged 16.0 points and Washington averaged 15.5 points in two victories over Lithuania and France.
No stranger to international competition with New Zealand, Wynyard has played in the 2013 FIBA U16 Oceania Championship, the 2014 FIBA U18 Oceania Championship and the 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship. He was also named the most valuable player of the FIBA 3×3 World Cup in 2015 after he led his team to the gold medal. He played again in the 3×3 World Cup in 2016.
Wynyard just finished his second season at Kentucky. After enrolling midyear for the 2015-16 season and ultimately redshirting, Wynyard appeared in 15 games in 2016-17. He averaged 3.6 minutes a game and scored 11 points with 13 rebounds and three blocks.
Calipari previously served with USA Basketball as the head coach of the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival East Team, but he has recent international experience as the head coach of the Dominican Republic National Team in 2011 and 2012. His impact on that country’s national team was immediate and unprecedented. 
In his first year with the team, Calipari led the Dominican Republic to a bronze-medal finish at the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship in Mar del Plata, Argentina, defeating archrival Puerto Rico and world power Brazil along the way. The Dominicans came within one win in the semifinal round of qualifying for the country’s first-ever appearance in the Olympics. The third-place finish secured a spot at the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament as one of 12 teams vying for three open spots to the 2012 Olympic Games in London. There, again, the Dominicans came within one win of making history and qualifying for the Olympics.
Calipari also led the Dominican Republic to a gold medal at the 2012 Centrobasket tournament, which is contested by the national teams from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. It was the first Centrobasket title in eight years for the Dominican Republic and just the third in the country’s history.
For more information on the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup, please visit fiba.com/world/u19/2017.  

For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and on the web at UKathletics.com.

July 1 Games (Group Play)

 

USA 108, Iran 48 | Box Score

Game recap: After a slow start in their 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup opener, the John Calipari-led Americans rolled past Iran with a 108-48 victory on Saturday. Wildcats Hamidou Diallo (game-high 17 points) and PJ Washington (13 points) were two of five Americans in double figures. Team USA shot 55.4 percent from the field, recorded 60 points in the paint and scored 36 fast-break points. After the sluggish opening six minutes, the outcome was never in doubt. 
What’s next for Team USA: Team USA will take on Angola on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. ET for the second game for both teams in Group D. Angolia lost to Italy Sunday afternoon. 
Diallo’s stats: Diallo led all scorers with 17 points in 16 minutes. He added four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal. He was 7 of 9 from the floor, including 2 of 3 from behind the 3-point line. Team USA was plus-33 with him on the floor. He scored 13 of his points after halftime, including eight in the first four minutes of the third quarter to put the game out of reach. 
Washington’s stats: Like Diallo, Washington did most of his damage after halftime, scoring 11 of his 13 points after intermission. In playing 15 minutes, Washington grabbed four rebounds, dished out two assists and recorded a steal. He shot 6 of 9 and overpowered Iran inside all day long.
Quote-worthy: “Honestly for me, it’s just been great getting out there. Believe it or not, that’s my first game since December, I haven’t played an official game since December. So just me getting out there and being able to play, I just feel great. I’m happy that I played alright. I think I can play much better, but I’m happy with the way I played having not played in an organize game since December. I was just happy to be out there and we got the W as well.” — Diallo 

New Zealand 88, South Korea 81 | Box Score

Game recap: Trailing by eight heading into the final quarter, the Junior Tall Blacks surged from behind thanks to a dominating fourth-quarter performance from Tai Wynyard. The redshirt sophomore at Kentucky scored 14 of his game-high 22 points in the final period to help New Zealand to an 88-81 win. Trailing 77-73 with just over two minutes to play, New Zealand outscored South Korea 15-4 to close out the game. Wynyard had six points during that stretch.
What’s next for New Zealand: New Zealand plays medalist favorite France on Sunday at 9:15 a.m. ET in the second game of group play for both teams in Group A. France won its opening game, 63-52, vs. Argentina. 
Wynyard’s stats: Wynyard scored a game-high 22 points in just 19 minutes. How’d he do it? After getting into foul trouble early in the game, Wynyard exploded in the fourth quarter for 14 points to lead the Junior Tall Blacks from behind. He was ultra-efficient all game around the basket, making 10 of 11 shots – the majority of which were on dunks and layups. He also grabbed six rebounds, blocked two shots, and recorded an assist and a steal. Leading by one with 1:21 left in the game, Wynyard grabbed a key offensive rebound, put a spin move on the defense and finished with an impressive up-and-under. 
Quote-worthy: “Tai got in early foul trouble and with two quick ones we couldn’t risk him picking up a third in the first half.  For the most part we were controlling the temp while he was on the bench, but Korea made a little run and we managed the rotation to get Tai out of that potential third foul situation and allowed him to play aggressive and strong in the second half. He dominated inside and made his presence felt with some key buckets.” — New Zealand head coach Daryl Cartwright

July 2 Games (Group Play)

USA 109, Angola 68 | Box Score

Game recap: For the second day in a row against an overmatched opponent, the United State did not mess around and put this one out of reach early. The Americans doubled up Angola by the end of the first quarter, pulled ahead 60-26 by halftime and was able to use its full bench in the second half with another group-play game to go. Once again led by the Kentucky tandem of Hamidou Diallo and PJ Washington, who combined for 26 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and five steals, Team USA dominated the glass against Angola, 63-38, outscored Angola 60-20 on fast-break points, and won the battle in the paint, 58-26.
What’s next for Team USA: After a day off Monday, John Calipari’s squad will take on Italy on Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET in the final game of group play. If Italy wins Sunday, both teams will be 2-0 in Group D heading into the matchup
Diallo’s stats: Playing a team-high 22 minutes, Diallo put on a show once again. The freshman scored 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting to go along with a team-high three steals, three rebounds and two assists. Team USA was plus-41 with him on the floor. Diallo’s athleticism was on display with a number of highlight-reel dunks. His best one came just before halftime. After blocking a 3-pointer from behind at the top of the key, Diallo sprinted out ahead for a left-handed windmill slam. He’s averaging 16.0 points in two games so far on 13-of-22 shooting (.591 field-goal percentage). 
Washington’s stats: Washington has shown an ability to make an impact all over the stat sheet in two games so far. On Sunday, he posted 13 points, seven rebounds, a team-high-tying four assists and two steals. The freshman was 4 of 10 for the floor. Team USA was plus-36 with him in the lineup. In two games, Washington is averaging 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds. 
Quote-worthy: “I’m trying to get everybody minutes so that we can figure out if we ever have to pare down, who we pare down to.  If we’re playing nine, who would those nine be? The only way you can figure that out is to really give everybody some minutes, which is what we’re trying to do.” — Calipari

France 80, New Zealand 69 | Box Score

Game recap: The Junior Tall Blacks put up a valiant effort against medalist favor France, even taking a halftime lead, but the French pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat New Zealand 80-69. Wynyard was a big reason for New Zealand’s one-point halftime lead, scoring eight points by intermission. But France limited New Zealand to 44.2 percent from the floor while forcing a whopping 26 turnovers. New Zealand got within four points with 2:24 to play but would get no closer.
What’s next for New Zealand: New Zealand will meet Argentina on Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. in an important game in Group A. Both teams are 1-1 heading into the final game of pool play, meaning Tuesday’s game will be an important factor for seeding. Second place in the group will be on the line. 
Wynyard’s stats: Wynyard came out of the gate roaring with the first four points of the matchup. He had eight by halftime to lead the Junior Tall Blacks to a one-point lead. However, a day after scoring the majority of his game-high 22 points in the second half, Wynyard was held in check in the second stanza Sunday. He was limited to four points after halftime and finished with 12 for the game. He was 5 for 8 from the field and is now 15 of 19 for the tournament (.789 field-goal percentage). He also added five rebounds, three assists and two blocks. He’s averaging 17.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks so far.

July 4 Games (Group Play)

USA 98, Italy 65 | Box Score

Game recap: However brief it actually was, this was the first game Team USA was tested. After racing out to a 10-0 lead thanks to a strong start from PJ Washington, Italy bounced right back and took an 18-15 lead late in the first quarter. The Italians would hang around for much of the second quarter, but ultimately Team USA just had one too many horses, most notably Washington. The freshman Wildcat finished with a game-high 20 points, his best of the tournament so far, to lead USA Basketball to a 98-65 win. The Americans will have to be sharper in the knockout stage, but there was little to criticize with an average margin of victory of 44.7 points in group play.
What’s next for Team USA: Winner of Group D, Team USA will advance to the round of 16 Wednesday and play the fourth-place team from Group C, Mali, which went 0-3 in group play. That game will take place at 9:30 a.m. The winner will advance to the medal quarterfinals while the loser will play out the remaining games for classification.
Diallo’s stats: Diallo had his quietest game of the tournament so far with five points Tuesday but still managed to make an impact with four rebounds and three assists. Although he shot just 2 of 9 from the field vs. Italy, he’s shooting 51.7 percent from the field thus far. He averaged 12.3 points and 3.7 rebounds in group play.
Washington’s stats: Entering Tuesday, Washington had been steadily one of the best players on Team USA, but he showed his full potential in the win over Italy. The star of Tuesday’s game, Washington finished with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting. The 20 points are the most by an American so far. Washington opened the game with a 3-pointer and ignited the American’s to a 10-0 start with five early points. He scored 11 in the opening quarter. Versatility was what came to mind when watching Washington on Tuesday. He overpowered Italy inside with punishing slams, showed he can hit the outside shot, and put the ball on the deck and drove past defenders. He also added four rebounds and two steals. He averaged a team-best 14.7 points on 64.3-percent shooting during group play.
Quote-worthy: “He’s a beast, and I don’t know how you guard him. If he gets an angle by you, he’s tough to stop. And he made his free throws today. He’s playing the way we need him to play.” — Calipari


Argentina 74, New Zealand 70 | Box Score

Game recap: Trailing by 15 at halftime, the Junior Tall Blacks made a strong second-half push and took Argentina to the wire, but New Zealand fell just short, 74-70. Led by redshirt sophomore Tai Wynyard’s physical defense inside, the Junior Tall Blacks held Argentina to just 27 second-half points and 35.3-percent shooting overall. The Junior Tall Blacks got as close as two points in the fourth quarter but could never get over the hump. 
What’s next for New Zealand: New Zealand, which finished group play with a 1-2 record, will face Germany, which went 2-1 in group play and earned the second seed in Group B. That game will take place at 2 p.m. ET. The winner will advance to the medal quarterfinals while the loser will play out the remaining games for classification.
 
Wynyard’s stats: It was tough sledding for Wynyard offensively Tuesday against Argentina’s defense. Wynyard was limited to just three points on 1-of-8 shooting. With that said, Wynyard still played nearly 28 minutes because of his value on the glass and his presence on the defensive end. Wynyard grabbed nine rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. His team-high three blocked shots limited Argentina to 35.3 percent from the floor. Wynyard averaged 12.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in group play.

July 5 Games (Round of 16)

United States 117, Mali 69 | Box Score

Game recap: For the fourth game in a row, the U.S. was simply too much for its competition. Led by another strong performance from PJ Washington (game-high 20 points and eight rebounds), the U.S. easily dismantled Mali, 117-69, in the first knockout round of the tournament. Going against a winless Mali squad and with three games in three days this weekend, it looked like John Calipari was trying to rest his starters after the first quarter. However, when Mali closed the deficit to 12 points in the third quarter, Calipari was forced to get his horses back on the floor. At that point, the Americans – in particular the UK tandem of Washington and Hamidou Diallo – put its foot on the gas and sped away from Mali, just as it has from everyone else in the tournament so far. Diallo and Washington combined for the Americans’ final nine points of the third quarter, and the U.S. never looked back.

What’s next for Team USA: First a much-needed day off after four games in five days. Then it will be Germany on Friday in the quarterfinals at 3:15 p.m. ET. Germany knocked off Tai Wynyard’s New Zealand team Wednesday.
Diallo’s stats: After a somewhat quiet day Tuesday, Diallo was back to his normal, crazy athletic self. When he wasn’t living at the rim with windmill dunks (see the video below), he was grabbing rebounds (six of them) and facilitating the offense (three assists). He was key in the run at the end of the third quarter that put the game away. He ended up with 14 points in just 19 minutes on 6-of-10 shooting. He’s shooting 53.8 percent for the tournament.


Washington’s stats: If you were expecting a letdown after Tuesday’s big game from Washington, think again. The freshman forward appears to be getting stronger as the tournament wears on. He matched his tournament high from Tuesday with another 20 points Wednesday. He was once again efficient in doing so, making nine of his 12 shots. He’s made a ridiculous 67.5 percent of his attempts in four games. Washington was also a beast on the glass against Mali, grabbing eight rebounds. He added three assists and a block. To this point, no team has been able to match his combination of power and athleticism.

Germany 72, New Zealand 65 | Box Score


Game recap: The much-anticipated matchup between Tai Wynyard and fellow Wildcats John Calipari, Hamidou Diallo and PJ Washington won’t be happening after New Zealand dropped its round of 16 matchup vs. Germany on Wednesday, 72-65. It was a similar story for the Junior Tall Blacks: fall behind early and come back late to make things interesting. The Junior Tall Blacks trailed 24-11 after the first quarter, but for the second day in a row, they nearly stormed all the way back. Led by Tai Wynyard’s team-high-tying 14 points and nine rebounds, New Zealand got within three points with less than a minute to go. But like Tuesday’s tough loss to Argentina, the Junior Tall Blacks could never pull in front. 
What’s next for New Zealand: Instead of the desired matchup with the Americans in the quarterfinals, New Zealand will get the team the U.S. beat Wednesday: Mali. The Junior Tall Blacks were bounced from the medalist games and will play in classification games from this point on. Friday’s game is at 10:15 a.m. ET.
 
Wynyard stats: Wynyard bounced back from low scoring day Tuesday with a 14-point outing vs. Germany. The 14 points – seven of which came in the second quarter – tied a team high and put Wynyard back in the team lead with a 12.8 scoring average. Wynyard was 5 of 10 from the floor. He grabbed nine rebounds, including five on the offensive end. He also added two steals and a block. 

July 7 Games (Quarterfinals/Classification Games)

United States 81, Germany 59 | Box Score


Game recap: John Calipari wondered days earlier how his team would respond when it played one of the better teams in the field and got in a close game. As a matter of fact, he used the word “worried.” Worry no longer, Coach. Tested in the first half of Friday’s quarterfinal game vs. Germany, Calipari’s team responded about as well as any coach could hope. The Americans turned what was only a two-point halftime lead into an 81-59 lead. Team USA cranked up the intensity in the third quarter, outscoring Germany 23-10 after halftime. The Americans held Germany to just 28 second-half points while Auburn sophomore Austin Wiley dominated inside with 19 points and 10 rebounds. 
What’s next for Team USA: On to the semifinals for a date with Canada. With one more win, the United States will be assured of a medal. Saturday’s game time is to be determined. 
Diallo’s stats: The final stats won’t illustrate it, but Diallo played a key part in helping the Americans pull away. Trailing 37-35 in the third quarter, Diallo tied it with a two-hand dunk, grabbed a key offensive rebound and then made a jump shot later in the quarter to go up 52-41. The U.S. would lead by double digits the rest of the way. After a foul-plagued first half, Diallo totaled eight points on 3-of-7 shooting to go along with three boards, two assists and a steal.
Washington’s stats: It was a rare quiet night for Washington, who, until Friday, was playing like Team USA’s best player. After getting into foul trouble in the first half, Washington could never really establish a rhythm vs. Germany. He managed just three points and two rebounds in a little over 16 minutes after back-to-back 20-point outings. There will be nights like this one as a freshman as he continues to face better and better competition. Calipari will definitely use this as an early teaching tool for him.
Quote-worthy: “Here’s what happens – you have teams that are going to play with such high intensity and focus, it’s just can they do it for 40 minutes? The way we are doing this, when we are playing 10 or 11 kids and they are playing 22 or 18 minutes, you just keep coming at people in waves. We don’t have any weak links on this team. We just don’t. What I’m seeing right now is us pressuring them, and at some point, they will back off. Now, they went zone, and it was bang, bang, bang with 3s. So, we didn’t execute offensively. The beginning of the game, I thought there wasn’t enough intensity, so we put in that second group, and wow, they did it again. It was great to see.” — Calipari

New Zealand 87, Mali 63 | Box Score

Game recap: If there was disappointment in not making the medalist rounds at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup, New Zealand didn’t show it Friday. Making the country’s first-ever appearance at the tournament, the Junior Tall Blacks showed they still have plenty to play for in an 87-63 victory over Mali. New Zealand, whose only major flaw this tournament has been slow starts, raced to a 25-19 lead in this one and eventually a 47-29 halftime advantage. With Wildcat Tai Wynyard (17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds) anchoring the frontline, New Zealand was simply too strong and too powerful inside, outscoring Mali 60-36 in the paint while shooting 64.6 percent from the floor.
What’s next for New Zealand: New Zealand will be playing for ninth place over the next couple of days in the classification games. On Saturday, the Junior Tall Blacks will play Puerto Rico at a time to be determined. 
 
Wynyard stats: Don’t tell Wynyard he’s not playing for a medal at this point because he played Friday like it was the gold-medal game. The redshirt sophomore may have played his best game of the tournament, which is saying something considering he leads New Zealand in scoring and rebounding. Wynyard posted a double-double against Mali with 17 points and 13 boards, in addition to three assists and a block. What’s been most impressive about Wynyard is that his game just isn’t around the hoop anymore. He’s also shown a nice array of moves and ability to face up and beat slower defenders off the dribble.

July 8 Games (Semifinals/Classification Games)


Canada 99, United States 87 | Box Score 

Game recap: Let’s not kid ourselves, this one – a 99-87 victory for Canada – was a shocker. Team USA was the favorites heading into this year’s FIBA U19 World Cup. With that said, John Calipari had hinted that his team could get beat if it didn’t play its “A” game. A couple of days ago he said he was “worried’ how his team would respond in a tight game against a good team. He also said Friday that his team wasn’t “unbeatable.” Unfortunately he was proven right Saturday. Canada – which is unquestionably one of the most talented teams in the field – just couldn’t be stopped on the offensive end. After a strong first quarter, Canada grabbed the lead in the second quarter and never relinquished it. The Americans kept it close in the fourth quarter but could never seem to get a stop every time they got within a couple buckets. Canada continually answered with back-breaking buckets. 
What’s next for Team USA: There will be little consolation for Team USA in playing in Sunday’s bronze medal game vs. Spain, but that’s what the Americans have drawn after a loss. Spain, one of the medalist favorites, probably feels the same way after a stunning comeback loss in its game vs. Italy on Saturday. Whoever can pick itself up off the mat Sunday will have the upper hand in the noon ET game.
Diallo’s stats: The effort was there Saturday but unfortunately the shots just weren’t falling. Diallo was 2 of 11 from the floor en route to eight points. He added three rebounds, two assists and two steals. One thing Diallo and Calipari will take from Saturday’s game is Diallo never gave in. He continued to attack the hoop late in the game in a comeback attempt and had a key dunk to make things interesting. 
Washington’s stats: Washington was one of the bright spots vs. Canada. Although he made just 4 of 14 shots, he found a way to get to the free-throw line and score a team-high 17 points. He also grabbed 11 rebounds for his first double-double in Egypt. Washington continues to lead Team USA in scoring with a 14.0 average through six games. 
Quote-worthy: “We got 30 offensive rebounds. We scored enough points to win. But then it came down to some breakdowns defensively. … I told the team after the game, I needed to try some different things – go zone, trap pick and roll, trap him. I kind of rode it because I thought we would figure out something, and that is my mistake. That’s not these kids’ mistake. They beat us to some balls at the end, some free throw misses that we needed to get our hands on. We could have come down and made a 3, and now it’s a three-point game with 28 seconds to go. Anything can happen. But, the reality was, one kid really went crazy, and then the rest of their kids did what they did, so hats off to them. Congratulate Canada, they deserved to win the game.” — Calipari 

Puerto Rico 74, New Zealand 70 | Box Score


Game recap: When New Zealand looks back at its week in Egypt, the Junior Tall Blacks are likely going to think what could have been. New Zealand has been on the wrong side of close games a number of times this week, including a tough-luck 74-70 loss to Puerto Rico on Saturday. New Zealand had a seven-point lead after the first quarter but scored just 11 points before halftime to head to the locker room with a 31-31 tie. Puerto Rico took a six-point lead heading into the final quarter but New Zealand tied it at 55-55. Unfortunately for Tai Wynyard’s team, the Junior Tall Blacks have been unable to overcome tight games late, which was the case again Saturday. Turnovers were largely the difference in this one. New Zealand turned it over 23 times to just nine miscues for Puerto Rico. 
What’s next for New Zealand: Finishing out its first-ever FIBA U19 World Cup appearance, New Zealand will be playing for 11th place on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. ET. The Junior Tall Blacks will have their hands full vs. the host country, Egypt. 
 
Wynyard stats: There’s no doubt Wynyard would have loved for his team to have squeaked out a couple more wins in some of these tight games, but he’s got to feel good about how he’s played this tournament. Wynyard posted his second double-double in as many days with a 15-point, 13-rebound effort vs. Puerto Rico, including 13 points and eight boards in the second half. Wynyard was 6 for 10 from the floor and blocked three shots. Averaging 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds, Wynyard has been one of the best post presences in the tournament. With a big day on the boards in the final game Sunday, Wynyard could finish with a double-double average.

July 9 Games (Bronze Medal/11th-Place Games)


United States 96, Spain 72 | Box Score


Game recap: It’s only consolation, but John Calipari’s USA Basketball team responded nicely to Saturday’s loss with a 96-72 drubbing of Spain. Team USA won the bronze medal in the FIBA U19 World Cup with the win. If there any concern over a possible hangover with Saturday’s adversity, Team USA quickly dispelled any thought of it. Calipari’s team jumped to a 25-8 lead and never looked back. The Americans got contributions from up and down the lineup while shooting 53.6 percent from the floor, including 12 of 19 from 3-point range. There will ultimately be disappointment from failing to advance to the gold medal game, but leaving Egypt with a resounding victory like Sunday’s should soften the blow a bit. 
Diallo’s stats: Diallo bounced back from a rough shooting day in the semifinals Saturday with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting. He also collected four rebounds and dished out two assists. Diallo’s minutes were limited to just under 16 minutes because of foul trouble for the second game in a row, but Diallo made the most of them when he was in. He finished the tournament averaging 10.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 46.0 percent from the floor. For a player so many UK fans were curious about after the midyear enrollee sat in the spring, it was a good start to what should be a promising college career. 
Washington’s stats: It was a quiet finale for Washington because of foul trouble. He was limited to just over 14 minutes and scored six points. He was 2 for 3 from the floor. Overall, it was a really strong tournament for Washington. At times he looked like Team USA’s best player, especially in back-to-back 20-point games. He finished the week averaging 12.9 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 54.8 percent from the floor. His scoring average led the Americans.
Quote-worty: “Yesterday was tough for our team. Representing our country
these past few weeks has been an honor, and to fall short of our goal hurt.
What hurt the most is these are a bunch of good kids who came together in a
short period of time and worked hard for three weeks. They just had one off
night against a good team that made us pay. It’s on me that we couldn’t do
anything to adjust and slow Canada down. I’m disappointed we didn’t reach our
goal but I’m so proud of these kids and how they responded. I enjoyed coaching
each of one of them. They’ve all got promising futures.” — Calipari


New Zealand 85, Egypt 69 | Box Score  


Game recap: No tough-luck loss for New Zealand in this one. The Junior Tall Blacks jumped on Egypt, the host country of the tournament, early in the game and then drove the nail in the coffin the fourth quarter when Egypt tried to make a comeback. With an 85-69 victory, New Zealand placed 11th in its first-ever FIBA U19 World Cup appearance. Overall, New Zealand went 3-4 on the week, the majority of the losses of which were heartbreakers. Wildcat Tai Wynyard was once again the star, posting his third straight double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. New Zealand bruised Egypt inside for a plus-18-point advantage in the paint and a plus-18 day on the boards. 
Wynyard stats: Wynyard had a fantastic tournament. He posted his third double-double Sunday in as many days with 17 points and 10 rebounds, both team highs. He also had a game-high two blocks. Wynyard was 8 for 13 from the field. For the week, Wynyard nearly averaged a double-double, posting 14.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He was New Zealand’s best player at the FIBA U19 World Cup, leading the team in scoring, rebounding, blocked shots and efficiency. He shot 60.6 percent from the floor. There’s no telling what Wynyard’s role will be on a very talented Kentucky team this fall, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Wynyard doesn’t push for minutes after the week he just had. If nothing else, this tournament should serve as motivation for the redshirt sophomore. 

Final Stats

United States Results/Schedule


Date

Opponent

Result/Time

July 1

Iran

W, 108-48

July 2

Angola

W, 109-68

July 4

Italy

W, 98-65

July 5

Mali

W, 117-69

July 7

Germany

W, 81-59

July 8

Canada

L, 99-87

July 9

Spain

W, 96-72

New Zealand Results/Schedule


Date

Opponent

Result/Time

July 1

South Korea

W, 88-81

July 2

France

L, 80-69

July 4

Argentina

L, 74-70

July 5

Germany

L, 72-65

July 7

Mali

W, 87-63

July 8

Puerto Rico

L, 74-70

July 9

Egypt

 W, 85-69


Hamdiou Diallo Combined Stats


Opponent

Pts.

FGs

3
FGs

FTs

Rebs.

Assts.

Stls.

Blks.

Iran

17

7-9

2-3

1-2

4

2

1

1

Angola

15

6-11

0-2

3-5

3

2

3

1

Italy

5

2-9

0-1

1-2

4

3

0

0

Mali

14

6-10

0-2

2-2

6

3

1

0

Germany

8

3-7

0-1

2-5

3

2

1

0

Canada

8

2-11

0-1

4-8

3

2

2

0

Spain

9

3-6

0-0

3-4

4

2

0

0

Averages

10.9

29-63 (.460)

2-10 (.200)

16-28 (.571)

3.9

2.3

1.1

0.3

PJ Washington Combined Stats

Opponent

Pts.

FGs

3
FGs

FTs

Rebs.

Assts.

Stls.

Blks.

Iran

13

6-9

0-0

1-2

4

2

1

0

Angola

11

4-10

0-2

3-8

7

4

2

0

Italy

20

8-9

1-2

3-4

4

1

2

0

Mali

20

9-12

0-0

2-7

8

3

0

1

Germany

3

1-5

0-0

1-1

2

1

0

0

Canada

17

4-14

0-1

9-16

11

2

1

2

Spain

6

2-3

0-1

2-5

0

1

1

0

Averages

12.9

34-62 (.548)

1-6 (.167)

21-43 (.488)

5.1

2.2

1.0

0.5

Tai Wynyard Combined Stats


Opponent

Pts.

FGs

3
FGs

FTs

Rebs.

Assts.

Stls.

Blks.

South Korea

22

10-11

0-0

2-2

6

1

1

2

France

12

5-8

0-0

2-6

5

3

0

2

Argentina

3

1-8

0-0

1-2

9

1

1

3

Germany

14

5-10

0-0

4-5

9

0

2

1

Mali

17

8-11

0-0

1-2

13

3

0

1

Puerto Rico

15

6-10

0-0

3-5

13

3

1

3

Egypt

17

8-13

0-0

1-3

10

2

0

2

Averages

14.3

43-71 (.606)

0-0 (.000)

14-25 (.560)

9.3

1.9

0.7

2.0

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