Jasper Johnson, Team USA take down Australia to open World Cup

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Jasper Johnson at USA Basketball U19 Training Camp - Photo via USA Basketball

The World Cup got started over in Switzerland on Saturday with Team USA beginning pool play. Kentucky guard Jasper Johnson and the rest of the squad got off a 1-0 start.

Team USA’s U19 team logged a 88-73 victory over Australia to begin group play. BYU signee AJ Dybansta (18 points) and Arizona signee Koa Peat (17 points) carried the scoring load. Kentucky signee Jasper Johnson scored six points on six shot attempts in 15 points. Johnson finished the game with a positive plus/minus (+8).

Kentucky target Tyran Stokes scored six points in just three minutes on the floor. Louisville signee Mikel Brown Jr. scored 10 points on 14 shot attempts with six rebounds and seven assists in a team-high 33 minutes. Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd led the team to a 1-0 start.

Team USA will be back in action on Sunday against France. Tip in Switzerland is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed on FIBA’s YouTube Channel.

Team USA coaches have been impressed with Jasper Johnson’s development

Before games could actually take place, Jasper Johnson had to make the team. During tryouts in Colorado Springs, the Kentucky diaper dandy stood out.

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A coaching staff that includes Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, Notre Dame’s Micah Shrewsberry, and Texas Tech’s Grant McCasland has been impressed with Jasper Johnson.

“His experience playing on the U18 team, I think showed especially early,” Team USA assistant coach and Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland told KSR in Colorado Springs. “When he played with us originally, he really was hunting shots and was more of a straight two guard. What I’ve really been impressed with is — one, he’s always been coachable, but he’s increased his ability to learn and grow and the willingness to hear everything you have to say and try to do it. Defensively, he’s competing, but offensively, his composure level, his ability to make the next play, and his ownership in winning really has been tremendous.”

“He’s gotten better — and I don’t mean just a little bit. I think Jasper — he’s always been a shot-maker and an elite scorer, but I think his composure level offensively has really grown. I’ve been really impressed with him.”

It will not be long until we see Jasper Johnson in a Kentucky jersey at Rupp Arena.