USA Trounces Belize 150 – 54 in Americup Tournament

Belize’s National Under-Eighteen Basketball team suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of U.S.A.’s under-eighteen team in Argentina. The upset came after a victorious first day for team Belize against Brazil on Monday. Team U.S.A. overcame Belize in blowout fashion, winning the game by a whopping ninety-six points. Belize must now regroup and prepare for the remainder of the tournament. News Five’s Paul Lopez reports.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

Belize’s National Under-Eighteen Basketball team faced an upsetting defeat in their second match in FIBA’s Americup in Argentina. Belize faced off against Team U.S.A, the number one ranked under-eighteen team. It was an uphill battle from the start. But, before the match we heard from a couple of Belize’s athletes.

 

Josiah Moseley, National U-18 Basketball Team

“I think a lot of people are making this game a bit bigger than it is. At the end of the day it is just another game. We will approach this game like we approach any other game. I think the team is in a good mind space right now. We are prepared and we know what we are getting into.”

 

Elijah Favela, National U-18 Basketball Team

“I think what makes team Belize what it is simply that we have a strong brotherhood, and we just know what each other can do and we really trust each other and we are all tight and I think that is what helps us throughout everything, because we stick together and I feel that makes us be successful the way we are.”

 

Paul Lopez

“What is it that you all have been hearing from Belizean fans that you all like and appreciate, if you have been following on social media?”

 

 

 

 

 

Josiah Moseley

“We try not to stay into all the social media stuff. We try to keep our head focus and strictly on basketball and from our coaches and family we have all the support we need. But we are not focused on social media.”

 

Paul Lopez

“Any final words you want to say to fans and family back home?”

 

Douglas Langford, National U-18 Basketball Team

“Hi mom, We appreciate the love, thank you everyone.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early in this one there were already signs that it would not be anything close to an easy game for team Belize. Four minutes into the first quarter team U.S.A already had a huge lead over Belize with twenty-three points to zero. Team U.S.A wins the tipoff and Trey McKenney makes easy work of the layup. Darius Acuff Junior with the three-point shot. Ian Parham ended the drought with a three-point shot. But team U.S.A kept drilling those three-point shots. Josiah Moseley strong on the inside for Belize’s second basket. At the start of the second quarter, team U.S.A had a twenty-four-point lead. Moseley again, securing the spin around jump shot. But team U.S.A did not let up.

 

 

Here is another three-pointer from Mikel Brown to further extend their ballooning lead. Team Belize scored nine points in total in the second quarter. Team U.S.A scored thirty-five points in the same quarter. Douglas Langford coming alive in the third quarter with a slam dunk. At this point in the game, team U.S.A was leading by sixty points.  That lead expanded to seventy-one points at the end of the third quarter. Team U.S.A outscored Belize by more than twenty points in the fourth quarter, punctuating their dominant victory.

 

 

 

This one ended one hundred and fifty-four points to fifty points, in favor of team U.S.A. That is a ninety-six-point defeat for team Belize as they go back to their hotel room and regroup for their match against Argentina on Wednesday.

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.