USA Basketball Gold Medalists Making An Impact As Duke Freshmen
Check out some of the people and organizations USA Basketball is following with this week’s USA Basketball Social Media Roundup:
After dropping 22 pts on Wisconsin, @Tyusjones06 has been named ACC Rookie of the Week, ending @BigJah15's 3-week run http://t.co/929CjMH4Zq
— Duke Basketball (@dukebasketball) December 8, 2014
Duke University acknowledged a pair of its freshmen here, both of whom happen to be USA Basketball gold medalists. Tyus Jones was named ACC Rookie of the Week after three straight weeks of teammate Jahlil Okafor winning that honor. Jones and Okafor were teammates before they got to Duke, most recently as members of the 2014 USA Men’s Junior National Select Team that won the 2014 Nike Hoop Summit.
Getting my middle school basketball jersey retired tonight 🙏🏀
— tyus battle (@kidmamba23) December 4, 2014
Jones wasn’t the only Tyus to win gold for USA Basketball this year. Tyus Battle was a member of the 2014 USA U17 World Championship Team that was victorious at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Battle, from Edison, New Jersey, is a junior at Gill St. Bernard’s School. Perhaps that school, like Battle’s middle school, will someday retire his jersey.
Players: Just because your performances may waiver, your confidence should remain steadfast. #ChampionshipMindset
— Sue Phillips (@coachsphillips) December 8, 2014
This isn’t the first time we’ve included a motivational message from 2014 USA Basketball Women’s U17 World Championship Team head coach Sue Phillips. The head coach at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, California, often tweets these messages – for her players and anyone else who cares to follow.
What a win against a great Gonzaga team. Thanks to our fans for making McKale the best home court in the country! #APlayersProgram
— Sean Miller (@UACoachMiller) December 7, 2014
Sean Miller, who won gold with USA Basketball at the 1991 World University Games, most recently helped bring home gold as an assistant coach for the 2014 USA Men’s U18 National Team that won the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship. Now he’s focused on his full-time job, leading the University of Arizona men’s basketball squad, which had a big overtime win over Gonzaga Saturday in a battle of Top 10 teams.
Happy birthday Sabrina!! Miss you☺️🎉🎁 @sabrina_i20 pic.twitter.com/F2CqeYi6vA
— LC☀️ (@lauren_cox15) December 7, 2014
Lauren Cox offered birthday well wishes to Sabrina Ionescu, her teammate from the 2014 USA Women’s U17 World Championship Team. Before they captured gold at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship in the Czech Republic in July, the team played three late-June exhibition games in France, which is where this photo was taken. Pictured from left to right are teammates Cox, Ionescu and Kristine Anigwe.
Shout out to @BishopGormanFB for coming out and supporting us tonight! Great energy! Let's get that ring tomorrow! #GoGaels 🔸🔹
— Stephen Zimmerman Jr (@BIGG_ZIMM) December 6, 2014
It was a big weekend for Stephen Zimmerman’s high school athletic program. The gold medalist from the 2014 USA U18 National Team is a senior at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. After they watched Zimmerman and the basketball squad win a game Friday night as part of the Wild West Shootout tournament in Reno, Nevada, the Bishop Gorman football team went out Saturday and won the state title.
