Fort Erie basketball star wins Canada its first U18 AmeriCup gold

Deng Ngor of Fort Erie International Academy tied the game with a three-pointer and won it with a dunk in the final 90 seconds last Sunday as Canada beat the United States 67-65 in León, Mexico, to win the country’s first gold medal at the FIBA U18 Men’s AmeriCup.

Ngor, a 6-foot-7 forward considered a top Canadian prospect in his class, scored 15 points in the final and delivered the decisive baskets that broke the American’s seven-tournament win streak at the championship.

Canada trailed 65-62 in the final with under two minutes left. Teammate Javion Tyndale passed to Ngor near the baseline, and the Fort Erie forward sank a three-pointer from the corner to tie the game 65-65 with 1:27 left.

Canada stole the ball on the next U.S. possession. Tyndale raced it up the floor and passed again to Ngor, who dunked for a 67-65 lead.

The Americans never scored again. Canada held them off for the final 1:27 to win.

Tyndale, a 17-year-old from Mississauga, won tournament MVP with 19 points, eight assists and three steals.

Canada outscored the United States 19-16 in the fourth quarter; the Americans had led by as much as 19-13 early in the game.

Canada took bronze at the 2022 and 2024 tournaments before winning gold this year.

Ngor caps a strong year for Fort Erie International Academy, the Niagara prep school that trained him. The academy beat Ridley College of St. Catharines 64-62 in March to win the Ontario Scholastic Basketball Association men’s title.

It plays next at the Canada Hoops Circuit National Championships in Toronto.

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