McCasland, Team USA Win Gold at U19 FIBA World Cup

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND — Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland and sophomore guard Christian Anderson capped off a historic FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup with medals on Sunday. McCasland helped lead the United States to a gold medal while Anderson was named to the All-Star Five after guiding Germany to its first-ever silver.

The U.S. defeated Germany 109-76 in the championship game at Lausanne Arena, securing its ninth U19 World Cup title. McCasland served as an assistant coach for the undefeated Team USA squad, which went 7-0 in the tournament.

Anderson, who holds dual citizenship, had 18 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and four steals in the final. He averaged 17.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds over seven games and finished second in assists and 10th in scoring among all players in the tournament. His top performance came in a 29-point effort against Canada, followed by a 12-assist outing against Serbia in the Round of 16.

Germany finished the tournament 6-1, earning its first podium finish at the U19 World Cup.

Anderson, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, recently completed his freshman season at Texas Tech, where he earned All-Big 12 Freshman Team honors. He averaged 10.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, tied for the team lead with 71 made 3-pointers, and shot 42.2% from 3-point range during Big 12 play.

McCasland, entering his third season at Texas Tech, has compiled a 51-20 record in Lubbock. He also served as an assistant for the 2024 U.S. U18 squad that won gold at the AmeriCup in Argentina and led the Red Raiders to an NCAA Elite Eight appearance this past season. He signed a six-year contract extension earlier this summer.