BASKETBALL: Langford scores eight as Team USA wins World Cup bronze medal 96-72

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

CAIRO, Egypt – New Albany star Romeo Langford and Team USA earned the bronze medal in the FIBA U19 World Cup on Sunday with a 96-72 victory over Spain in the bronze medal game.

Langford came off the bench to score eight points and distribute one assist. The Bulldog incoming senior shot 2-of-3 from 3-point range and knocked down both of his free-throw attempts, as he saw 2 minutes and 48 seconds of action.

All of Langford’s points came in the final 6:15 of the game. He hit two free throws with 6:15 left in the fourth quarter to put the Americans up 81-51. Langford nailed his two 3-pointers at the 5:08 and 4:44 marks of the final period, helping Team USA build a 90-56 advantage.

Purdue University guard Carsen Edwards led Team USA with 13 points along with dishing out four assists. University of Oregon guard Payton Pritchard chipped in with 12 points and six assists for the Americans.

Team USA guard Immanuel Quickley had 11 points and teammate Cameron Reddish scored 10.

In the gold medal game Sunday, Canada defeated Italy 79-60.

SEMIFINAL

CANADA 99, TEAM USA 87

Langford did not play for Team USA in its loss to Canada in the World Cup semifinals Saturday. Throughout the World Cup, the 6-foot-5 swingman has been battling lower back spasms.

University of Kentucky recruit PJ Washington paced the Americans with a double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Pritchard had 16 points and four assists, while Auburn University player Austin Wiley tallied 13 points and snagged a single-game, Team USA-record 17 rebounds. Edwards scored 12 points.

Kentucky recruit R.J. Barrett led Canada with a game-high 38 points.

QUARTERFINAL

TEAM USA 81, GERMANY 59

Langford went scoreless in his 2 minutes and 55 seconds of court time in the Americans’ quarterfinal triumph over Germany on Friday. Langford grabbed one rebound and did not attempt a shot.

Wiley recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 boards. Edwards scored 12 points.

BASEBALL: Area players make IHSBCA All-State teams

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

JEFFERSONVILLE – New Albany incoming senior Ryan Robison and several Southern Indiana players have been selected to the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State teams.

Robison was one of two first basemen throughout the Hoosier State to be named to the Class 4A All-State squad. He is the fifth player in New Albany history to be selected to the All-State team. Robison helped the Bulldogs post a 17-10 record last season.

Jeffersonville’s Jack Ellis and Bedford North Lawrence’s Drew Hensley earned spots on the Class 4A All-State honorable-mention list.

Providence, which advanced to the Class 2A Plainfield Semistate last season, got one player on the Class 2A All-State team. That player was standout shortstop Timmy Borden, who has given a verbal commitment to play at the University of Louisville.

Fellow Pioneers Jake Lewis and Reece Davis were 2A honorable-mention selections. Lewis, who was Providence’s ace pitcher the past few seasons, will continue his baseball career next season at Eastern Kentucky University.

Austin’s Tanner Craig joined both Providence players on the 2A honorable-mention list.

Lanesville pitcher Cameron Harvey made the Class A All-State team. The right-hander was the winning pitcher in the Eagles’ 5-1 victory over Rossville in the Class A state championship game June 17 at Victory Field in Indianapolis. It was Lanesville’s first state title in any sport.

Borden’s Lucas McNew got picked to the Class A honorable-mention list along with Trinity Lutheran’s Jake Moore and Kendall White.

BASKETBALL: Langford scores six in USA’s 117-69 win over Mali in World Cup

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

CAIRO, Egypt – New Albany senior-to-be Romeo Langford poured in six points in Team USA’s 117-69 victory over Mali in the Round of 16 of the FIBA U19 World Cup on Wednesday.

Langford scored all six of his points in the second half. He converted a slam dunk with 4:27 left in the third quarter to put the Americans up 62-44. Langford’s two field goals were a pair of dunks in the last 1 minute and 27 seconds of the game.

Langford shot 3-of-7 from the field, grabbed three rebounds and made one steal in 6 minutes and 59 seconds of action. It was his second game back after sitting out last Sunday’s contest with Angola because of back spasms.

The Americans (4-0) had seven players who scored in double figures, led by University of Kentucky recruit PJ Washington with a game-high 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting. Washington also grabbed eight rebounds and distributed three assists.

Team USA forward Brandon McCoy recorded a double-double with 19 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. University of Kentucky player Hamidou Diallo chipped in 14 points, while teammates Cameron Reddish, Louis King and Payton Pritchard each scored 11. Purdue University guard Carsen Edwards tallied 10 points for the Americans.

Team USA will face Germany (3-1) in the medal quarterfinals at 3:15 p.m. EDT Friday.

BASKETBALL: Langford returns for USA in 98-65 win over Italy in FIBA World Cup

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

CAIRO, Egypt – New Albany star Romeo Langford returned to the floor in the FIBA U19 World Cup on Tuesday as Team USA rolled past Italy in the final day of pool play 98-65. Langford did not play in Sunday’s 109-68 victory over Angola because of lower back spasms.

Langford saw 8 minutes and 20 seconds of action on Tuesday. The 6-foot-5 swingman scored two points on 1-of-5 shooting from the field, grabbed two rebounds and blocked one shot.

Langford entered the contest for the first time with 3:20 left in the third quarter. His two points came with 1:38 remaining in the third on a dunk to put Team USA up 70-45.

University of Kentucky recruit PJ Washington paced the Americans with a game-high 20 points. Norristown, Pa., resident Cameron Reddish added 15 points and teammate Brandon McCoy, a UNLV recruit, tallied 13.

Tuesday’s victory enabled Team USA to win Group D with a 3-0 record. The Americans will face Mali, which ended up 0-3 in Group C, in the Round of 16 at 10:30 a.m. EDT Wednesday.

FOOTBALL: NAYFL free camp, sign-ups

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

NEW ALBANY – The New Albany Youth Football League will have a free football camp July 10-12 at New Albany High School.

The camp is open to players in grades 1-8. During the camp, players in grades 1-5 will meet from 6-7 p.m. each day and players in grades 6-8 will participate from 7-8 p.m. each day.

In addition, the league will have sign-ups for the upcoming season on the following dates: this coming Monday (July 10); Saturday, July 15; Saturday, July 22; Saturday, July 29. The sign-ups will take place each of those days from 10 a.m.-noon at the New Albany High School parking lot.

League registration is $85 per player. Checks must be made payable to NAYFL.

More information on the camp and NAYFL sign-ups is on the league’s Facebook page – NAYFL Junior Bulldogs. Interested parties also can get more information at league sign-ups.

BOYS’ BASKETBALL: New Albany to have golf scramble Sept. 10

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

NEW ALBANY – The New Albany High School Boys’ Basketball Golf Scramble will take place Sunday, Sept. 10 at Covered Bridge Golf Club, 12510 Covered Bridge Road, Sellersburg. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. and the scramble will have a shotgun start at 8 a.m.

The format will be an 18-hole, four-person scramble. Mulligans will be available.

There will be awards for the first-, second- and third-place teams along with longest drive, closest to the pin and door prizes. Golfers also will have a chance to win a car, sponsored by Kahl’s Body Shop, if they make a hole-in-one.

Entry fees are $85 per individual and $340 per team. Fees include golf, a cart and lunch. Sponsorship packages are available. Entry deadline is Tuesday, Sept. 5.

For more information, contact Matt Denison at (502)558-9843 or Steve LaDuke at (502)439-6021.

BASKETBALL: Langford scores five in Team USA’s 108-48 World Cup win over Iran

By KEVIN HARRIS

kevinharris1972@gmail.com

CAIRO, Egypt – New Albany swingman Romeo Langford registered five points in Team USA’s 108-48 victory over Iran in Group D pool play during the first day of the FIBA U19 World Cup on Saturday.

Langford played 7 minutes and 41 seconds, distributing two assists and making one steal. The senior-to-be connected on 1-of-4 field-goal attempts, 1-of-3 3-point tries and 2-of-2 free throws.

University of Kentucky player Hamidou Diallo paced the Americans with a game-high 17 points.

Four other Team USA members scored in double figures. Purdue University guard Carsen Edwards tallied 15 points. Teammates Brandon McCoy and Cameron Reddish each had 14 and Las Vegas native PJ Washington chipped in 13.

SUNDAY’S GAME

LANGFORD SITS OUT BECAUSE OF BACK SPASMS

Langford did not play in Team USA’s 109-68 win over Angola on Sunday because he was battling back spasms. USA Basketball stated on its website that Langford is listed as day-to-day.

Team USA’s Josh Okogie and Austin Wiley each recorded double-doubles. Okogie, who plays at Georgia Tech, scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Wiley, an Auburn University player, registered 16 points and 16 boards.

Diallo tallied 15 points, while McCoy and teammate Immanuel Quickley poured in 12 apiece. Reddish and Washington each scored 11.

Team USA is now 2-0 in Group D. The Americans will face 2-0 Italy in their final Group D preliminary round game at 10 a.m. EDT Tuesday.