Nik Khamenia, Brandon McCoy, Jr. and Tyran Stokes help U.S. basketball team defeat Germany to win ninth all-time gold medal at FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup

Following a disappointing fourth-place finish at the event in 2023, the U.S. national basketball team returned to the top of the medal stand Sunday at the FIBA Under-19 Men’s World Cup by securing the championship with a 109-76 victory against Germany in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Harvard-Westlake graduate and Duke freshman Nik Khamenia, along with incoming seniors Tyran Stokes of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Brandon McCoy, Jr. from St. John Bosco contributed to the Americans winning all seven games to capture their ninth all-time gold medal at the FIBA U19 World Cup, which began in 1979.

The U.S. captured back-to-back World Cup titles in 2019 and 2021, before losing consecutive games to France and Turkey in 2023 in Hungary to not earn a medal at the event for only the fourth time in tournament history, along with 1995, 2003 and 2011.

The U.S. national team won its ninth all-time gold medal at the FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup with a 109-76 victory against Germany in Lausanne, Switzerland | Photo courtesy of USA Basketball

Stokes had 10 points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal Sunday against Germany, with Khamenia adding nine points, three rebounds and a blocked shot for the Americans, who also received two points, two rebounds and two assists from McCoy.

The final marked only the second time the U.S. squared off with Germany in event history, the other matchup coming in the 2017 quarterfinals in Egypt, with the Americans achieving an 81-59 victory. The U.S. led only 56-47 at halftime Sunday, before a run of 13 unanswered points midway through the third quarter helped the Americans put the game out of reach against Germany, which was making its first appearance in the tournament final.

The U.S. has won its past six appearances in the FIBA U19 World Cup championship game, including 2009, 2013, 2015, 2019 and 2021.

Stokes finished the seven-game schedule with 68 points, 31 rebounds, 18 assists and 12 steals, as the second player from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame to compete for the U.S. national team at the FIBA U19 World Cup, along with Ziaire Williams in 2019 in Greece.

Stokes achieved a triple-double July 2 in the round of 16 against Jordan, accumulating 19 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 140-67 victory, as the Americans set the record for most points in a game in tournament history, surpassing a 136-69 win in their 2023 opener against Madagascar in Hungary.

Khamenia also finished the World Cup with 68 points, in addition to 23 rebounds, 15 assists and nine steals. He also made 11 of 25 attempts from behind the 3-point arc, including hitting 3 of 7 as part of a 14-point performance July 1 in group play against Cameroon, with Khamenia also contributing seven rebounds, five assists and five steals.

Nik Khamenia, a Harvard-Westlake graduate and Duke freshman, helped the U.S. national team earn a 109-76 victory against Germany in the FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup final | Photo courtesy of USA Basketball

McCoy saw action in six contests for the Americans, but only played double-digit minutes in three of them, finishing with 34 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists and six steals.

McCoy had 13 points, seven assists, four steals and two rebounds in the record-setting victory against Jordan.

Brandon McCoy, Jr., an incoming senior at St. John Bosco, contributed to the U.S. national team winning 109-76 against Germany in the FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup championship game | Photo courtesy of USA Basketball

Khamenia and McCoy are the first athletes from their respective schools to compete for the U.S. national team at the FIBA U19 World Cup.

AJ Dybantsa, a Brigham Young commit from Utah Prep, was selected tournament MVP for the Americans, accumulating 11 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal against Germany and concluding the World Cup with 100 points, 29 rebounds, 16 assists and eight steals.

Mikel Brown, Jr., a Louisville commit from DME Academy in Florida, was also selected to the tournament’s All-Star Five, after amassing 104 points, 43 assists, 15 rebounds and five steals, including 12 points, four assists and two rebounds in the final against Germany.