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Red, white, blue… and gold: Brockton’s Dybantsa wins national feat with USA basketball

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Red, white, blue… and gold: Brockton’s Dybantsa wins national feat with USA basketball

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AJ Dybantsa wrapped himself in the American flag as he stormed the court when the buzzer sounded.

A member of the Team USA’s U17 FIBA World Cup team, the Brockton native celebrated Fourth of July weekend the best way he could: by bringing home gold hardware.

Dybantsa recorded 14 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists as Team USA demolished Italy, 129-88, on Sunday at the Sinan Erdem Dome in Turkey to win its seventh consecutive World Cup gold medal.

Team USA finished the tournament with a 7-0 record, each win coming by an average of 64 points. Its closest game was a 23-point win over France in the group phase.

Dybantsa, who will play his senior year of high school basketball at Utah Prep this winter, averaged 14.1 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in the seven games. He shot 58.7 percent from the field, 31 percent from 3 and 69 percent from the free throw line.

He scored his tournament-high 19 points twice in the group phase: vs. France, and vs. Guinea (124-49 win).

On the team alongside Dybantsa was Tyran Stokes (his former teammate at Prolific Prep in Napa, California), Cameron Boozer (the tournament MVP), Cayden Boozer, Koa Peat, JJ Mandaquit, Brandon McCoy, Caleb Holt, Jalen Haralson, Jordan Smith Jr., Chris Cenac and Jaden Toombs.

Dybantsa returned to his Brockton home on Monday, but he has a quick turnaround before the playing in the Nike Peach Jam in North Augusta, North Carolina on Wednesday.

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