The youngest player had the most significant impact for Team USA on Saturday evening.
Paolo Banchero, aged 20, stepped onto the court against New Zealand with a high level of confidence, following a blistering 14-4 start that rattled Team USA’s starters.
He immediately asserted his presence, contributing in various ways – scoring, rebounding, and shot-blocking.
As the first quarter concluded with the sound of the horn, the USA held a lead of 19-18, with Banchero contributing five points, including a powerful slam dunk that ignited even more enthusiasm among the American team.
However, the 2023 NBA Rookie of the Year didn’t take all the credit, acknowledging his teammates who also came off the bench and aided in stabilizing Team USA.
“Feels good. Just coming off the bench me and some of the other guys want to be live and be ready to go as soon as we check in and have a lot of energy, push the pace, and I think we were able to do it today after our flat start and everybody else picked it up,” said the American-Italian stretch-four.
Alongside Banchero, Tyrese Haliburton and Austin Reaves also injected energy into the lackluster start of the second-ranked team in the world, earning the loudest cheers from the 10,978-strong crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Banchero played a pivotal role in Team USA’s surge during the second half, contributing 12 out of his 21 points in the third quarter, during which they outscored the Tall Blacks, 31-22.
The 6-foot-10 rising superstar of the Orlando Magic was unstoppable during that remarkable period, going 4-of-4 from the field, including two successful conversions from beyond the arc.
Their upcoming Group C matchups include facing World No. 9 Greece on Monday, followed by a meeting with Jordan on Wednesday.
To avoid finding themselves in an early deficit in the upcoming games, Banchero shared his insights.
“I think just playing faster, turning up the pressure on defense, getting stops, and getting out running,” said Banchero on what they need to do to address the slow start.
“We gotta get going. I think me, a couple other guys who came off the bench we brought ourselves and pushed the pace.”
