Taylor Scores Eight in USA Men's U19 Win over Greece

July 6, 2009

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Kansas sophomore guard Tyshawn Taylor scored eight points to help the USA Men’s U19 World Championship Team defeat Greece, 85-69 in the second round of the FIBA U19 World Championship here Monday night.

Second round play continues Wednseday (11:30 a.m., Central) with the USA squaring off against Puerto Rico (4-1) in a Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. (Auckland local time) game.

After missing USA’s previous game against Egypt (a 112-55 victory) due to the flu, Taylor returned to shoot 2-for-7 from the field for eight points and added three rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes of action. The U.S. offensive showing, which saw 11 of 12 players score, was also aided by Gordon Hayward’s (Butler / Brownsburg, Ind.) nine points, while Seth Curry (Duke / Charlotte, N.C.), Shelvin Mack (Butler / Lexington, Ky.), John Shurna (Northwestern / Glen Ellyn, Ill.), and Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh / Scotch Plains, N.J.) each added eight points.

Neither team was able to establish much of a lead over the first 20 minutes. Fueled by six points from Thompkins, the U.S. led 13-9 with 5:05 in the first quarter. Greece outscored the Americans 8-1 to take a 17-14 lead with 1:50 left in the quarter, but the U.S. got an offensive rebound put back from Shurna and a pair of free throws from Curry to grab an 18-17 lead after one quarter of action.

Greece opened the second quarter with an 8-2 assault that left the scoreboard reading 25-20 in their favor. The USA countered with an 8-0 run that was again power by Thompkins’ four points inside and with 6:35 remaining before half the U.S. and edged ahead 28-25. Tied 33-33 with 2:40 showing on the clock, the U.S. closed out the first half with 3-pointers from Gibbs and Shurna, and added a steal and a layup by Klay Thompson (Washington State / Ladera Ranch, Calif.) to outscore the Greek 8-2 and grab a 41-36 lead at halftime.

Going back inside to open the third quarter, Thompkins scored four of the USA’s first six points and the Americans made 7-of-9 free throws during a 17-6 scoring run that saw its lead pushed to 16 points, 58-42, with 5:08 left in the quarter.

Greece wouldn’t quit, however, and after assembling an 11-3 offensive effort, Greece had cut the U.S. advantage to eight, 61-53. A pair of free throws from Hayward upped the USA lead to 63-53 going into the final stanza.

Leading 71-63 with 4:20 to play, the USA victory was sealed by a 12-2 run that was capped by a Gibbs 3-pointer that propelled the USA lead to 83-64 with 1:47 left.

Taylor is averaging 9.3 points and is 11-for-19 (58 percent) from the field through three games of action. He has also added ten assists.