Graphic by Campus Live Staff
Horned Frogs Lead the U.S. to FIBA World Cup Title
TCU’s head men’s basketball coach Jamie Dixon led the U19 USA team to gold at the FIBA U19 Championship. Dixon’s go-to was TCU’s very own Mike Miles Jr., the team’s starting point guard who averaged 9.1 points, 3.9 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in the seven games they played. As a freshman at TCU, Miles averaged 13.6 points this past season, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists for the Horned Frogs.
FIBA U19 Championship Run
Dixon had this USA team ready to go from the start as they went 7-0 in the tournament. In the championship, Mike Miles and team USA faced off against France who have 2022 NBA prospect Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama is a 7’2 prospect who can do it all, and at that size, the USA had its hands full. Jamie Dixon made a vital coaching adjustment putting Kenny Lofton Jr. on Wembanyama in the second half. Lofton Jr. would hold Wembanyama to eight points in the second half, Wembanyama finished with 22 in the game.
Mike Miles would help team USA close off France as he stole the ball with about a minute left, taking it all the way for a big slam putting the game out of reach. Team USA would win 83-81, with five guys scoring in double digits. This would be Jamie Dixon’s second time winning this tournament. He won the FIBA u19 tournament in 2009 when he was the head men’s basketball coach at Pittsburg. On that team were guys like Seth Curry, Gordon Hayward, and Klay Thompson, who are all in the NBA now.
This tournament gives TCU fans something to look forward to this upcoming season as Mike Miles looks to take TCU back to the NCAA tournament. As for Jamie Dixon, he has to be impressed with the way his young star played against global talent.
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