Mikel Brown Jr. Helps Team USA Breeze Past New Zealand in FIBA U19 World Cup Semifinals

Originally posted on Louisville Cardinals on SI
By Matthew McGavic | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 3:39 PM ET

Mikel Brown Jr. and the USA Basketball Men’s U19 National Team are now just one win away from capturing gold.

Facing New Zealand in the semifinals of the 2025 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup, Team USA was able to regain their dominant form, earning a 120-61 win on Saturday at Vaudoise Arena in Lausanne, Switzerland.

With Team USA taking a 29-point lead at halftime, Brown didn't have to spend as much time on the court like he did in the narrow six-point win vs. Canada in the quarterfinals. Even still, his impact played a big role in the USA's winning effort against New Zealand.

Despite playing just 17:21, the point guard and incoming Louisville men's basketball freshman tallied 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting and 1-for-3 on three-point tries. This came on top of six assists to 2 turnovers plus a steal.

With just one game left, Brown has a very good chance to be named the MVP of the 2025 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup. In three group stage games and three games in the knockout stage, he is averaging 15.3 points, 6.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds, while shooting an efficient 31-of-62 (50.0 percent) from the field and a blazing 18-of-35 (51.4 percent) on three-point tries.

Now, the only thing standing between the United States and the gold medal is a matchup with Germany in the FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup final. Tip-off time is set for Sunday, July 6 at a to-be-determined time.