PROVO AJ Dybantsa is already a champion even if he hasn’t participated in a collegiate basketball game.
In the gold-medal match of the FIBA U19 World Cup in Lausanne, Switzerland, the United States defeated Germany 109-76 on Sunday thanks to the 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal from the BYU freshman.
After averaging 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, the 6-foot-8 former five-star recruit and projected 2026 NBA lottery pick was named MVP of the tournament. The Americans won their first U19 gold medal since 2021, defeating Canada, New Zealand, and Jordan in knockout play.
That came after Team USA, which includes former Utah Prep standout JJ Mandaquit, advanced past Australia, France, and Cameroon in group play.
Mandaquit, who has signed with Washington and former Utah State coach Danny Sprinkle, finished the game with seven points, six assists, and a steal. One of those possessions had him draining a three-pointer, stealing the inbound pass, and setting up Koa Peat, a five-star freshman from Arizona, to score at the rim.
Two years after missing out on the international Cup podium, the Americans returned to the top of the junior international competition with a resounding victory. The previous World Cup record of 108.9 points per game, set by a renowned Yugoslavia squad in 1987 that included future players Toni Kukoc, Dino Radja, Vlade Divac, and Sasa Djordjevic, was surpassed by squad USA’s 114.6 scoring average.
Dybantsa will be able to add this trophy to the ones they won at the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup and the 2023 FIBA U17 World Cup. The Brockton, Massachusetts native, who attended Utah Prep for his last year, is the first American since Chet Holmgren in 2021 to win MVP of the FIBA U19 World Cup and the fifth overall. The other three are Aaron Gordon (2013), Jalen Brunson (2015), and Reggie Perry (2019).
Team USA finished with a perfect 7-0 record after scoring more than 100 points for the sixth consecutive game, setting another FIBA U19 record.
