Fifteen-year-old Cooper Flagg — who led Nokomis High School of Newport to its first ever state Class A basketball championship in March — aided the United States’ U-17 national basketball team in going 2-0 in the FIBA World Cup in Malaga, Spain, this weekend.
In Saturday’s tourney-opening 120-44 victory over Lebanon, the 6-foot-8 Flagg had three points but his 13 rebounds and three blocked shots were team highs.
He also led the team in minutes played with 19:55.
The team continued its winning streak on Sunday with an 88-55 win over Slovenia.
Flagg played 14 minutes and one second and had 12 points and eight rebounds. He wound up as the game’s co-leading rebounder with teammate Sean Stewart and was second on the team in scoring behind Ronald Holland’s 14 points.
Flagg also had a block and a steal and shot 6-for-10 from the floor.
Flagg, who became the first freshman in Maine history to be named the Gatorade Player of the Year, is one of just three 15-year-olds on the 12-player roster.
Team USA is now 39-0 in the FIBA World Cup U-17 Tournament since its inception in 2010 and has won the five previous tournaments.
Flagg and Team USA will conclude group play against Mali on Tuesday.
The top qualifiers in each of the four groups will advance to the next round which begins on Wednesday.
Flagg, chosen the third best player in the nation’s freshman class by ESPN, will be attending prestigious Montverde Academy in Florida this fall along with his twin brother Ace.
Cooper Flagg has already received scholarship offers from Duke, UCLA, Michigan and Iowa.
The son of Ralph and Kelly (Bowman) Flagg has had a whirlwind spring and summer.
He was chosen to attend a USA Basketball minicamp in April in New Orleans and also led the Maine United 15-under team to a 7-1 record in two highly-regarded Nike Elite Youth Basketball League tournaments, which earned the team a spot in the season-ending Peach Jam National Tournament on July 17-24.
