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| Team USA finished its unbeaten stroll of the 2012 FIBA U17 Tournament as World Champions. |
The United States blasted past Australia, 95-62, to defend their title at the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship with another undefeated run to the crown.
Conner Frankamp paced four players in double figures with 22 points as tournament MVP Jahlil Okafor added 17 points and 8 rebounds.
Justise Winslow collected 13 points and 11 rebounds with Jabari Parker scoring 12 for Team USA, who won all eight games at the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship.
Dante Exum was the only Australian who could find some success against the Americans with 21 points while Nick Duncan scored 10 points.
Australia had no answer for Okafor in the first quarter as he scored 11 points in helping the Americans build a 22-14 lead.
Team USA’s stifling defense did not allow the Australians to get the ball into the low post as they scored just two points in the paint in the second quarter and went into the half having missing 20 of 24 three-pointers.
The Americans used a 12-0 run for a 26-14 lead. Parker played through a sore ankle and scored eight points in the second quarter in helping push the gap to 14 at halftime 38-24.
The Australians tried to fight back in the second half with Exum scoring six straight points for the Aussies to cut the deficit to 40-30.
The USA, however, answered with a 6-0 run of their own and the Oceania powers would only get to within 12 the rest of the third quarter.
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| Dante Exum was by far the best Australian player in the whole competition. |
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| Jabari Parker throws one down as the Americans downed Australia in the Finals. |
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| Jahlil Okafor of Team USA was adjudged the MVP of the tournament. |
Croatia bounced back from their first loss of the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championships to ease past Spain, 93-61, for the bronze medal.
One day after losing to Australia in the semifinals for their first defeat in Kaunas, Mario Hezonja collected 23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals for the U16 European champions.
Karlo Zganec and Paolo Marinelli both added 13 points.
Spain, losers to the United States in the Semi-Finals, were paced by Ilimane Diop with 13 points and 11 from Agusti Sans.
The game was close in the first quarter with Croatia leading, 15-11, after 10 minutes.
They then used on a 12-0 run for a 30-13 lead and the advantage increased to 22 points with coach Ante Nazor’s team ahead, 43-23, at the break.
Spain was never able to find a rhythm after the break and Croatia pushed the margin to 27 points at, 60-33. Spain would not get closer than 18 points the rest of the way.
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| Mario Hezonja led the Croatians in salvaging the bronze over the Spaniards. |
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