Palma de Mallorca, Spain - August 14-28, 1983

Riding the crest of success that the USA junior men established at the 1979 Junior World Championship, the USA men entered the 1983 competition looking to extend their eight-game winning streak and again capture the gold.

Despite falling once to the Soviet Union and suffering an upset at the hands of the Federal Republic of Germany, the 1983 USA Men's Junior World Championship Team persevered and in the end was rewarded with the gold medal.

Held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, the second FIBA Junior World Championship was unpredictable from the start. The USA men defeated Italy 88-75 in the opener as 6-foot-8 Larry Krystkowiak scored 22 points and added eight rebounds, and Kenny Walker aided the U.S. cause with 17 points. Two days later, Brazil fell to the high-powered USA offense 100-84, as Walker and 6-foot-6 Buck Johnson each tossed in 18 points.

The Soviet Union successfully avenged the USA's 1979 win, recording a 87-83 overtime win. Trailing 44-35 at half, the Americans rallied and led 73-61 at one point, but the Soviets outscored the U.S. 16-4 from there to tie the game 77-77 at the end of regulation and force the contest into overtime. The U.S. led 78-77 late in overtime, but again the Soviets finished strong and claimed the win, 87-83. Johnson led the U.S. with 20 points and added 13 rebounds, and Dwayne Washington scored 16 in the losing cause. Viktor Zharkov led the Soviets with 30 points.

The U.S. regrouped and captured a 92-74 win over Argentina, as Walker scored 27 points and Krystkowiak added 21. Then, the USA overcame a determined Yugoslavian squad and earned an 81-79 win. Trailing Yugoslavia 45-42 at half, the U.S. found itself trailing 77-75 in the closing minutes, but reeled off six-consecutive points to claim the win. Johnson spearheaded the U.S. attack with 27 points, and Walker added 18 in the win.

With a 4-1 record, the USA's hopes for the gold received a blow when the Federal Republic of Germany scored the final six points in overtime to upset the U.S. 88-87. Johnson scored 23 points, Krystkowiak added 14 and Scott Skiles, Jeff Hall and Walker each accounted for 12 points in the loss. The U.S. hopes for the gold were rekindled when the Soviet Union was upset by Argentina, 91-87. Facing host Spain in the semifinals, the U.S. struck early, taking a 21-8 lead, and at half led 44-37. In the end, the U.S. cruised to a 99-70 victory as Walker erupted for 33 points and 12 rebounds.

Facing the Soviet Union in a battle for the gold, the U.S., behind Walker's 22 points, 15 from Skiles and 14 from James Blackmon, overcame the Soviets to earn an 82-78 win. Falling behind 35-28 in the first half, the U.S. closed the gap at half to three, 51-48. Trailing 70-65 late in the second half, the U.S. closed strong, outscoring the USSR 17-8 to earn the victory and the gold medal. The Soviet's 17-year old 7-foot-3 center, Arvidas Sabonis, finished with 31 points and eight rebounds.

1983 USA Men's Junior World Championship Cumulative Statistics