Second game is not good enough quality to make out the numbers, so I gave up on that one.
The final game, against Greece's National U19 team, is starting out like a pretty challenging matchup.
Carey starts for the East Coast. Greece's kids are well coached and tore up the East Coast team early, jumping to a 10-4 lead. Carey was guilty of several poor plays in that opening stretch. He started the game by missing an open 3 from the top of the key, then made the wrong rotation on defense and left an open corner shooter who made the three.
East Coast was getting killed inside early, so Autry had them switch to zone. Carey made a lazy pass for a turnover and Autry called TO. He gave Carey a real talking to at the first time out, but this time, I didn't see a big change on the court afterwards.
Second quarter, Carey starts. Greece pressures the ball, he handles it. Then on D he lets a guy get past him on the drive and the Greek player is fouled at the rim.
Carey is fouled on a drive. Non-shooting foul. When pressured, he changes direction with short little moves instead of trying to out-race a guy down court.
He made a nice turnaround spin move in the lane and made about a 12 foot fadeaway. He made a couple drives where he kicked out to a corner shooter in the right corner, but both shot attempts missed.
Mostly, he's keeping his dribble low against ball pressure and handling it pretty well, but then makes a lazy pass cross court that gives up a breakaway basket.
Then, he brings the ball up court for East Coast, kicks to a shooter in the right corner, another miss by the shooter and Carey fouls in frustration trying to get the rebound. Time out. Swaps out for the other crew.
So far, the kid from North Carolina, KJ Smith, is doing a better job than Carey. Smith and #3, who I believe is Archibald, the guard from Louisiana Tech, are the better backcourt so far.
The Greek team is talented. These kids would make up a mid-level team in one of the P5 conferences, like a Notre Dame or Kansas State, somebody like that. They're good, they have a good big man, they spring traps on defense, pressure the ball. Very impressive.
Second Half:
Carey comes in after a few minutes. Drives from the right wing, passes across to left wing for an assist as teammate makes a mid-range jumper from the win.
Carey steals the ball away under the rim after a defensive rebound by Greece, but is blocked as he tried to shoot among the trees. No foul call, Greece comes away with the ball.
Carey commits a foul holding on defense as a Greek guy drives across the lane. Greece makes both fouls shots to retake the lead 46-45 with 3 minutes left in 3rd Q.
Carey dribbles, trying to find an opening in the lane, is forced to take a 3 from the top of the key as the quarter is ending and misses it.
4th quarter:
Full court press by US, Carey bumped off ball handler on pick.
Autry gets into KJ Smith a bit at the time out.
Better intensity from whole team afterwards. Much more defensive intensity.
KJ Smith with 2 fast breaks - fouled at the rim on 1, nice assist on the other.
Defense picking up for both teams. Lots of contested shots (lots of misses) by both teams.
Carey in - full court press. Carey challenges corner jumper, makes him miss.
Carey facing a lot of ball pressure, handles it well.
Carey fouled on 3 point attempt. Misses first and second, makes 3rd FT.
On fast break, receives intermediate pass, kicks it back out for 3 point shooter (miss).
Carey has been robbed of about 3 assists because the shooter missed open shots. Time Out.
Carey with long outlet pass for assist on fast break. East Coast (US) up by 3.
Technical foul on US bench, Greece makes both FT's and gets ball down 1 point.
Carey late to loose ball after Greece miss, Greece guy gets rebound in the lane puts it up and in.
Cuts US lead to 1 point with 28 seconds left.
Carey inbounds the ball, gets it back, fouled, makes 1 misses 2nd.
Greece ties the game with a drive across the lane.
US inbounds from half court with 6 seconds left. Carey passes to Archibald (Louisiana Tech kid) in corner, drives, fouled. Makes 1, misses 2nd with 3 seconds left.
Greece drives the lane, looking to take lead, shot blocked at the rim.
Greece inbounds with less than a second left. Corner shooter is open and makes it, but after the buzzer.
US (East Coast) wins. Phew.