Buenos Aires, Argentina – The U.S. Men’s U23 Team dominated host country Argentina at the 2017 U23 America’s Wheelchair Basketball World Championships Qualifier on Wednesday with a strong defensive front that only allowed 10 points in the first half of action.

Team USA was once again led by a 24- point effort from University of Wisconsin at Whitewater’s Kyle Gribble of Elmhurst, Illinois. Gribble, who only scored in three quarters, was contained in the first and third quarters with 12 points, and then turned on the power in the fourth putting up 12 points and finishing the game with 9 rebounds and 6 assists.

The U.S. team saw a double digit game from University of Missouri’s Marshall Lindsay of Stansbury Park, Utah, with 11 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Fabian Romo of Missouri City, Texas and the University of Texas at Arlington scored 9 points and grabbed 7 boards. University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Jeromie Meyer of Woodbine, Iowa, put in another solid game with 8 points and 6 rebounds.

Playing before a raucous home crowd, Team USA never permitted Argentina to score more than 8 points in any quarter, starting the game on a 18-2 run, and then almost matching that same point differential in the third quarter, 17-2.

“Argentina brought a rowdy crowd and provided some challenges that our team has not faced,” said U.S. U23 Men’s Head Coach Jeremy Lade of Whitewater, Wisconsin. “It was a great game to gain experience playing a tough game against a host country. Our team fought hard and gained some knowledge in a great team victory against Argentina.”

After three days of play, Team USA has outscored the field 229-87, and will tip off against Brazil on Thursday.

The United States must place in top two to qualify for the 2017 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championships, scheduled for Toronto, Canada, June 8-16.

U.S. Paralympic medalist Jeremy Lade of Whitewater, Wisconsin, is serving as the head coach of the Men’s U23 World Championships team, and it is his first coaching assignment for the United States. Also 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 America’s Wheelchair Basketball World Championships Qualifier

Buenos Aires, Argentina

January 23-28

Results

USA def. Brazil, 64-38

USA def. Chile, 96-31

USA def. Argentina, 69-18

Schedule

January 26 USA vs. Brazil

January 27 Chile vs. USA

January 28 Argentina vs. USA