Final preview: can hosts Spain shock the world against the USA?
Final preview: can hosts Spain shock the world against the USA? MALAGA (Spain) – In the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2022 Final, the United States will face off against Spain, the last team standing between them and a sixth consecutive undefeated run to the title.
Given that they have already secured their first U17 World Cup medal, Spain would love to make further history. However, the United States has not been seriously challenged in this tournament thus far and is not prepared to lose.
Here’s a look at how the Championship Game went down, as well as a quick recap of France’s and Lithuania’s Third-Place Match.
Does Spain have a chance to become the first team to defeat the United States?
Backdrop
“There is always a first,” “All good things must come to an end,” etc. Fans of the Spanish squad are surely thinking, “Good times don’t last forever” as they prepare to face the United States in the Final. The Americans come into the game with a perfect 43-0 record in the competition and are favorites to win their sixth U17 World Cup.
Already, Spain has made history in the U17 World Cup by securing its first medal in four attempts by advancing into the Semi-Finals. The home team would love to make history by beating the Americans for the first time in the history of the competition.
Past matchups
In the U17 World Cup, Spain and the United States met only once, but it was a major encounter nonetheless. Justice Winslow scored 17 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and Conner Frankamp scored 13 points in relief to lead the American bench as they raced to a 95-66 victory over the Europeans in the 2012 Semifinals.
Three days before the 2022 tournament began, Spain and the United States faced off in an exhibition game, and Spain put up a surprisingly good fight in a 73-69 U.S. victory. While Spain was playing their sixth game of preparation, the Americans had just been together for less than two weeks and this was only their second game as a team.
Numbers to know
The Americans average 103 points per game, the highest of any team in the tournament, while the Spanish average 79.2 points per game, good for fifth place. The United States is second in the world, behind only Spain, in three-point shooting percentage (35.4% to 33.6%). However, the United States has made 8.5 three-pointers per game, second only to Poland.
The United States is not just an offensive powerhouse; they also thrive defensively, ranking first in the league with 16.2 steals per game and second by allowing just 58.8 points per game. They also have the most offensive rebounds (22.5) in the league, with Spain in second place (14.0). To add insult to injury, Spain has only converted 58.3 percent of their free throws, which might be the difference in a close game.
Keys to the game
The Americans, as in any game involving their country, will need to create turnovers and quickly capitalize on them for points. The Spanish team has done an excellent job all tournament long of preventing fast-break points.
When Spain faces the United States in the Final, they won’t be facing the same team who allowed just 73 points in the exhibition game. The Americans have learned to play together on offense and defense. Ron Holland, Ian Jackson, Koa Peat, and Cooper Flagg are just a few of the names that have risen to the top in their respective fields. However, there are a number of other players on the US squad who are capable of taking games over for extended stints.
The Spaniards brought their A-game to the event as well, led by Aday Mara, who was a force on both ends in the first friendly against the United States and throughout the competition. Also indispensable against the athletic Americans is Izan Almansa, who has been great throughout the competition. Coach Javier Zamora of Spain will require Lucas Langarita, Hugo Gonzalez, and Alvaro Folgueiras to keep performing effectively while Sergio De Larrea and Conrad Martinez try to deal with the pressure from the United States defense.
X-factor
This game will come down to the smallest of details if Spain can hold off the onslaught of defensive pressure the United States will unleash. The crowd at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena could be as influential as the free throws, which were just highlighted. Spain’s home crowd sparked a fourth-quarter comeback against Australia in the quarterfinals, and then again against France in the semis.