LAUSANNE (Switzerland) - United States are just two wins from their goal of winning the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 and completing their mission of redemption. Waiting for them in the Semi-Finals are a New Zealand who have never reached this stage.
USA were close to being tripped up already in the Quarter-Finals as Canada gave them a real fight. And they will be forewarned to not take the Junior Tall Blacks lightly.
Key matchup
Tama Isaac vs Mikel Brown
So much of USA's game is defensive pressure and creating turnovers. That means that New Zealand's excellent point guard Tama Isaac will face a never-ending barrage of athletic, quick defenders - starting mainly with Mikel Brown. For the Junior Tall Blacks to have any chance, Isaac must deal with the pressure.
X-factors
Julius Halaifonua has been slow making his way into the tournament with 16 points in the first three games and then scoring 10 points against China in the Round of 16. The New Zealand 7-footer collected 17 points and 8 rebounds in the Quarter-Finals and he is playing his best basketball so far. USA struggled at times against Canadian giant Olivier Rioux's presence in the paint. Halaifonua is not as big as Rioux but he is a mountain of a man.
Stats don't lie
USA are the leading scoring team in the tournament with 114.6 points per game while New Zealand rank 4th with 86.0 points. The Americans shoot 38% on three-pointers; dish out 29.0 assists and swipe 16.2 steals per game - all ranked tops. New Zealand meanwhile rank first in the competition in rebounds, including a best 18.4 offensive boards; and are third in assists. But they are second-to-last in steals with only 5.6 per game.
Past matchups
These two teams have squared off three times in FIBA youth events - all USA wins. The Americans won 85-43 at the FIBA 1997 World Championship for Men '22 and Under' and then knocked off the Oceania side 111-71 in the group stage in the FIBA U19 World Cup 2019. Many of the players on both teams actually faced off last summer in the Semi-Finals of the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2024 - won by USA 145-65.
FIBA