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Team USA Finishes 1-4 in Pool Play at U23 Men’s World Championships

By NWBA, 06/12/17, 8:00PM CDT

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Photo Courtesy of Wheelchair Basketball Canada

TORONTO, CANADA – The U23 U.S. Men’s National Team finished pool play with a 1-4 record at the 2017 IWBF U23 Men’s World Championships, by defeating South Africa, 76-17. The U.S. Men will next play for 9th/10th place on Thursday. The United States commanded a lead from the first quarter and never looked back for its first victory of the tournament.

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater athlete Drew Selz of Waterford, Wisconsin, paced Team USA with 16 points against South Africa, with a pair of his college teammates Kyle Gribble of Elmhurst, Illinois, putting up 15 points, and Collin Evans of Mondovi, Wisconsin, scoring 10. To close out the American’s scoring leaders with 10 points was Brent Regier of Henderson, Nebraska, who plays collegiately for the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Team USA put up a strong defensive game, keeping South Africa players to only shooting single digits. For South Africa, Simingaye Shabalala led the offsense with 8 points, and Ayabongo Jim with 5 points.

Up next, the United States will tip-off on Thursday against Italy at 10 a.m. EDST.

Paralympic medalist Jeremy Lade of Whitewater, Wisconsin is the U23 Men’s Head Coach and is his first international coaching assignment. Joining Lade on the sidelines are assistant coaches Christian Burkett of Seattle, Washington, and Scott Meyer of Columbia, Missouri. Kelly Fischbach will serve as the Team Leader, with Mike Lenser of Whitewater, Wisconsin working at the athletic trainer.

The U23 men’s wheelchair basketball program is an international development team that serves as NWBA pipeline to the U.S. Men’s National Team. This program provides elite youth athletes the opportunity to compete at the international level. Team USA has reached the championship game in three of the last five U23 World Championships, having won in 2005 and 2009. The United States claimed a bronze medal in 2001, and did not participate in 2013. 

2017 IWBF U23 Men’s World Championships Results

Toronto, Canada, June 8-16

Pool Play – USA record, 1-4

Great Britain def. USA, 87-50

Germany def. USA, 75-51

France def. USA, 62-54

Japan def. USA, 64-57

USA def. South Africa, 76-17

2017 IWBF U23 Men’s World Championships Schedule

Toronto, Canada, June 8-16 (All Times EDST / Home Team Listed Last)

June 14

11th/12th Place Game at 10 a.m.

Quarterfinals at 12 p.m.; 3 p.m.; 6 p.m.; 8 p.m.

June 15

9th/10th Place Game at 10 a.m.

7th/8th Place Game at 12 p.m.

5th/6th Place Game at 3 p.m.

Semi-Finals at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

June 16

Bronze Medal Game at 10 a.m.

Gold Medal Game at 12 p.m.

2017 IWBF U23 Men’s World Championships Pools

Toronto, Canada, June 8-16

Pool A: Turkey, Iran, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Italy

Pool B: Great Britain, Japan, United States, France, South Africa, Germany