DAY 5 FIBA FROM RIGA: USA ADVANCES TO GREAT 8 HOLMGREN NETS DOUBLE DOUBLE

4-0 v 0-4. Same numbers, different meanings. Perspective is an interesting thing. Team USA beat Team Korea in what can only be described as a complete rout...132-60. This game broke long-standing records including high score (132), assists (39), and rebounds (62). We assume the experience for Team Korea (0-4) was about maintaining effort and growing as a unit even though knowing they would not advance, while for Team USA (4-0), the experience was about honing skills and solving weaknesses knowing they would advance.

For both, we hope they share the perspective that FIBA U19 in Latvia has been about enjoying the team and the travels that basketball has afforded them. Going forward, Team USA will need to focus on limiting turnovers and steals, spreading the ball around to keep opponents guessing, making free throws (they win games), and playing great defense (it wins tournaments).

In other words, they need to focus on basketball fundamentals 101. As Team USA advances into the Great-8 games, the level of competition will advance too. No longer will teams have different perspectives on what they believe they can accomplish.

All teams are ready; all have demonstrated success on the court; all have put together successful game-plans to win, and all believe they can win it all. What separates these teams now will be recognizing that they need to earn each new win versus relying on what worked before. In other words, they will need to rely on skill, teamwork, and effort, not hype.