By Michael McAllister
Syracuse target Stanley Johnson had the opportunity to represent his country in the FIBA U17 World Championships in Lithuania. Johnson was one of the starters for the United States, as they took home the gold with a 95-62 win over Australia.
Said Johnson about the experience, "It was great. There's nothing like it. Especially since I had a chance to play in the gold medal game." Johnson said he has put up around 10 points and 8 rebounds per game during the event. This includes a 12 point, 10 rebound, 2 steal performance against France, and a 12 point, 6 rebound, 2 steal performance against Spain in the semi-finals.
Johnson loved being able to represent his country in such a way. "I mean it's the ultimate team you could represent. There's nothing like playing for your country," he said. He also feels as if he has grown as a player. "Yeah as a player, knowledge and IQ of the game has extremely gone up," Johnson explained.
While Johnson missed home, he said it was great being with the other players. "I mean, it's a big family," he said. "We've been together for 30 days."
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