Ribeirio Preto, Brazil ? Kansas University’s Nick Collison and Drew Gooden will be playing for a championship tonight.
The two Kansas University sophomores combined for 16 points and seven rebounds as the USA World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team held off host Brazil, 96-91, Saturday in front of a standing-room-only crowd.
With the win, the USA is assured of a berth in the 2001 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Championship for Young Men. The top three teams in the 2000 Confederation of Pan American Basketball Associations (COPABA) World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Tournament advance to next year’s World Championship for Young Men, which will be held in Japan.
The United States (4-0) will face Argentina (3-1), an 80-72 winner over the Dominican Republic, in the gold-medal game. Host Brazil and the Dominican Republic will play for the bronze medal and the final World Championship for Young Men Americas Zone berth.
Jason Williams of Duke led the way with 27 points on 10-of-13 shooting.
“There’s nothing harder than to play a team on its home court,” said U.S. coach Jim Boeheim of Syracuse. “Jason Williams and Jason Richardson (Michigan State) just had monstrous games.”
Collison picked up his fifth foul as Brazil’s Jefferson Sobral was trying to shoot a three with 11.1 seconds remaining. Sobral, who finished 8-of-11 from the line, had a chance to pull his squad within a point, but made only one of his three free-throw attempts. Kenny Satterfield (Cincinnati/Bronx, N.Y.) scored the USA’s final two points from the line with 2.9 seconds to go.
