The United States claimed their eighth FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup title with a thrilling 83-81 victory over France in Riga, Latvia, on July 11, 2021.
Leading the charge was Gonzaga freshman Chet Holmgren, who earned tournament MVP honors after a stellar performance in the championship game. The 7-foot-1 center scored 10 points and dished out 5 assists, including a crucial reverse layup that gave the Americans a 69-68 lead with 6:50 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Holmgren’s impact extended far beyond the final. The Minneapolis native averaged 11.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 blocks throughout the tournament while shooting an impressive 62% from the field and 53.8% from three-point range—all in just 21.3 minutes per game.
It feels great. I don’t think I can say I have felt anything as big as this. I’m really happy for our whole team, the coaching staff and everybody that went through all the things we went through in the last couple of weeks.
Chet Holmgren
The championship game proved to be a back-and-forth battle. France, led by 17-year-old Victor Wembanyama’s 22 points and 8 rebounds, held a 42-37 halftime lead and stretched their advantage to 64-59 after three quarters.
But the Americans found another gear in the final period. Holmgren sparked an 11-0 run with 5 quick points, drawing Wembanyama’s fourth foul and sending the French phenom to the bench. When Wembanyama returned, he quickly fouled out as the USA built a 79-71 lead.
France rallied within two points at 83-81, but the Americans secured the victory with crucial offensive rebounds in the closing seconds.
Joining Holmgren on the All-Tournament Team were teammates Jaden Ivey, who contributed 16 points in the final, along with France’s Wembanyama, Canada’s Zach Edey, and Serbia’s Nikola Jovic.
For Holmgren, the tournament marked his first international competition—arriving in Latvia with an empty passport. The victory caps off a remarkable year that saw him earn numerous national high school honors, including Gatorade National Player of the Year and Naismith Prep Player of the Year.
Chet’s leadership was huge all the way through. He was a great teammate, has good understanding of the game. He is really a special kid. He’s unselfish. He loves passing and he plays defense. And he plays hard all the time.
USA head coach Jamie Dixon
The Americans finished the tournament with a perfect 7-0 record, adding another chapter to their rich U19 World Cup history. The victory also continues a family tradition of excellence—Holmgren joins his former AAU teammate Jalen Suggs, who helped the USA win the 2019 U19 World Cup title.
Latvia served as gracious hosts for the tournament, with games split between Arena Riga, Elektrum Olympic Center, and Daugavpils Olympic Center. The host nation finished 11th overall, defeating Iran 71-63 in their final classification game.
