Former Duke Basketball players Jayson Tatum and Mason Plumlee had quiet nights for Team USA in its first pre-Word Cup scrimmage against Australia.
In Team USA’s first pre-World Cup scrimmage against Team Australia, former Duke Blue Devils Jayson Tatum and Mason Plumlee had quiet nights at Marvel Stadium.
USA was able to secure a victory in the first of two games against Australia, 102-86.
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Both Tatum and Plumlee came off the bench in the victory for the Americans, but Tatum received more playing time than the Denver Nuggets big man.
Jayson Tatum scored 11 points in just over 22 minutes while also grabbing three rebounds, four assists, and one block.
The Boston Celtics forward was 4-of-7 from the field and 2-of-3 from the 3-point line while also splitting a pair from the free throw line. Tatum was even in his game +/- against Australia.
As for Plumlee, the former Duke star big man logged just under ten minutes scoring two points with four rebounds and a steal in the victory.
The 6-foot-11 star only took two shots from the field, only making one.
With 13 players currently on its roster, head coach Gregg Popovich needs to cut one player from the team before the FIBA World Cup that starts on August 31.
Plumlee is a player that could be cut with other big men on the team in Myles Turner and Brook Lopez.
Turner started on Thursday morning, United States time, with 15 points and 14 rebounds, while Lopez only played six minutes netting two points and two rebounds.
Derrick White of the San Antonio Spurs played the least amount of minutes, getting just under three minutes of game action.
Team USA will have two more scrimmages before the FIBA World Cup, another against Australia and one against Canada. USA and Australia in Sydney will get back on the court on Saturday August 24 starting at 12:00am EST.