BARRANQUILLA, Colombia (AP) — USA Basketball is on the point of qualifying for subsequent yr’s World Cup.
John Jenkins scored 26 factors and the U.S. defeated Colombia 95-77 on Monday night time in a second-round qualifying recreation. The win put the Individuals in place to clinch a spot within the World Cup — to be held a yr from now within the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia — when the subsequent window of video games takes place in mid-November.
Langston Galloway and DaQuan Jeffries every scored 14 factors for the U.S., which gave up the sport’s opening basket, then scored the subsequent 12 factors and by no means trailed once more.
“To return out with this win is big-time for us,” Jenkins stated. “We’re very excited.”
Jenkins was stellar on this two-game window for the U.S., together with the Individuals’ 105-71 win over Uruguay on Thursday in Las Vegas. His numbers in these video games: 48 factors on 17-for-25 capturing — a staggering 14 for 21 from 3-point vary.
He was 8 of 14 from past the arc on Monday, the final three of these 3s coming within the last minutes of the fourth because the U.S. pulled away.
“His management has been the most important a part of this,” U.S. coach Jim Boylen stated. “He loves taking part in on the street. He loves taking part in in hostile locations. And he’s in nice form. He got here in in nice situation. He believes in USA Basketball. He believes in what we’re doing. He’s elite at following a recreation plan and he’s a veteran participant who relishes sporting that USA uniform.”
It will take nothing in need of an all-out collapse for the U.S. to not qualify for the World Cup. The Individuals are in a six-team group on this spherical of qualifying, and the highest three groups within the group are assured locations in subsequent yr’s 32-nation subject.
The U.S. is 7-1, two video games forward of Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay (all 5-3) in Group F. Puerto Rico is 4-4 and Colombia is 3-5. There are solely 4 qualifying video games left for every crew.
A pair of end-of-quarter spurts proved essential for the U.S.
The Individuals outscored Colombia 8-2 within the last minute of the second quarter, turning what was a seven-point edge right into a 45-32 lead on the break. And within the third, a 14-6 run to finish the interval gave the U.S. a 70-50 lead going into the ultimate 10 minutes of play.
“We simply saved going, saved preventing, saved taking part in and pictures began to fall,” Jenkins stated.
TIP-INS
USA: The U.S. trailed for two:22 out of a doable 80 minutes within the two video games throughout this qualifying window, the opposite matchup being Thursday’s 105-71 victory over Uruguay in Las Vegas. … The Individuals have received their final six qualifying video games, doing so by a median of 20.3 factors. … Eric Mika completed with seven factors and a team-high 9 rebounds.
Colombia: Braian Angola had a team-high 18 factors. … The hosts had been outscored 51-12 from 3-point vary.
OTHER GAMES
In different Group F qualifying video games Monday, Mexico topped Brazil 82-72 and Uruguay defeated Puerto Rico 78-70.
In Group E — the opposite six-team group in FIBA Americas area qualifying — Canada stays in management. The Canadians rolled previous Panama 106-50 on Monday night time. Venezuela beat the Dominican Republic 76-72, and Argentina held off the Bahamas 95-77.
Canada is 8-0, Venezuela is 7-1 and Argentina is 6-2, that means these nations have the within observe for the top-three spots in that group and a World Cup berth. The Dominican Republic is now 5-3, and Panama and the Bahamas are each 2-6.
FIELD UPDATE
Along with Philippines and Japan, which certified as host nations, some spots within the 32-team World Cup subject have been clinched in current days. FIBA, basketball’s governing physique, stated Finland, Lebanon, Ivory Coast and New Zealand are additionally now formally in subsequent yr’s event.
UP NEXT
USA: Host Brazil on Nov. 11, website TBA.
Colombia: Face Puerto Rico on Nov. 11.
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