Top of the class: USA rolls to FIBA U19 World Cup title, Dybantsa named MVP
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- BYU’s AJ Dybantsa dunks against Germany for Team USA in the championship game of the FIBA U19 World Cup in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Sunday, July 6, 2025.
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- BYU’s AJ Dybantsa drives to the basket against Germany for Team USA in the championship game of the FIBA U19 World Cup in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Sunday, July 6, 2025.
LAUSANNE, Switzerland — USA came to Lausanne wanting to get back to the top of the world at the junior level.
They did just that with a strong showing against Germany.
United States’ Redeem Team accomplished its mission by winning the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup 2025 and reclaiming the top spot on the globe at the junior level.
Two years after USA failed to reach the podium at this competition, the Americans defeated first-time finalists Germany 109-76 to win their record ninth FIBA U19 World Cup crown. Morez Johnson paced six players in double figures for USA in front of a crowd of 7,234 fans at Lausanne Arena.
BYU’s AJ Dybantsa was selected as TISSOT MVP of the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup. Dybantsa, who finished with 11 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal in the final, adds a third international gold medal to his trophy case after also leading the Americans to the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup and 2023 FIBA U17 World Cup titles.
The 6-foot-9 forward became the fifth American to be named the MVP of the FIBA U19 World Cup, joining Chet Holmgren (2021), Reggie Perry (2019), Jalen Brunson (2015) and Aaron Gordon (2013). He also earned All-Star Five accolades for a second straight World Cup after averaging 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals in 20.0 minutes per game. He shot 68.4 percent from inside the arc and 84.0 percent from the free throw line.
He scored in double figures in all seven games in Switzerland, including a tournament-high 22-point performance in a 108-102 win over Canda in the quarterfinals. He went 5-of-8 from the field and 12-of-13 from the free throw line, including making his final five attempts from the charity stripe to help the Americans pull away from the Canadians.
Team USA scored over 100 points for the sixth straight game — a FIBA U19 record — in their 109-76 win over the Germans to finish with a perfect 7-0 record.
Germany claimed their first medal at the U19 level with Hannes Steinbach scoring 19 points in the loss.
The 109 points left USA’s average scoring total at 114.6 per game, eclipsing the previous mark of 108.9 by the legendary Yugoslavia team from 1987, which included the likes of Toni Kukoc, Dino Radja, Vlade Divac and Sasa Djordjevic.
Germany led the championship game in the early going 16-9 and the score was 24-23 for USA after 10 minutes. The Europeans were sticking close in the first half and down just 56-47.
But the USA lowered the boom in the opening minutes of the second half. They knocked down three three-pointers in a 22-2 run to build an 80-52 advantage. The cushion was 84-57 after 30 minutes and USA coasted from there.
Six USA players scored between 15 and 10 points and a number of players had strong spells during the game.
USA were unstoppable around the basket, shooting 64% on two-pointers. The Americans also dominated the glass with 50 rebounds, including 14 offensive boards. Germany managed 31 total rebounds in the game. Germany committed 18 turnovers and USA turned those miscues into 16 points.
United States remained the creme de la creme of the event with now nine championships. Spain is the only nation with more than one, winning in 1999 and 2023. The Americans have finished on the podium 13 of 17 events with Spain, Serbia, Greece and Lithuania next highest with three each.
Germany for their part took the podium for the first time at the U19 global event. The result comes a summer after they won their maiden FIBA U18 EuroBasket.
By helping USA win the title Koa Peat became the first player in history with three men’s FIBA Youth World Cups. Peat also has hardward from the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cups 2022 and 2024.
USA’s 56 points scored in the first half rank second all-time for points scored in a half of a FIBA U19 World Cup Final. Australia scored 71 points in the first 20 minutes against Australia in the 2003 Final en route to a 126-92 win.
USA’s 109 total points scored rank second all-time to the Australian team from 2003, when they won 126-92 over Lithuania. The next most was Spain’s 94-87 win over USA in the 1999 Final.
