Catholic High School Players Help Team USA to Gold Medal 

Cardinal Hayes High School’s Ian Jackson and Archbishop Stepinac High School’s Johnuel “Boogie” Fland helped Team USA capture the gold medal at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup in Spain.

Team USA defeated Spain for the gold medal, 79-67, on July 10.

Team USA finished 3-0 in pool play, averaging 106.7 points per game and allowing only 54.3 points per game. The United States defeated Egypt, 103-48, in the first round of the single-elimination playoffs; Serbia, 106-80, in the quarterfinals; and Lithuania, 89-62, in the semifinals.

ESPN.com ranks Jackson as the third-best rising high school junior in the nation, and Fland is No. 18 in the same ranking.

Jackson averaged 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game at the World Cup. The 6-foot-7-inch small forward shot 58.7 percent from the floor and 45 percent from three-point range. He scored 26 points against Mali and 21 points versus Lebanon.

Fland finished with 4.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game. The 6-foot-3 guard, who turned 16 on July 10, scored 11 points in the quarterfinal win over Serbia.