LUBBOCK, TX — Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson and head coach Grant McCasland helped their respective squads advance to the quarterfinals of the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup with knockout-stage wins Wednesday in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Anderson, representing Germany, recorded 12 assists along with eight points and two steals in a 92-83 win over Serbia in the Round of 16. His 12 assists matched the fourth-highest total in a single game in U19 World Cup history. Anderson currently leads all players in the tournament with 6.8 assists per game while also averaging 14.5 points and 4.0 rebounds through four contests.
“My teammates make it easy for me,” Anderson said. “We all know how to share the ball. We’ve played together for a long time and know each other’s strengths. Our chemistry is unmatched.”
Meanwhile, McCasland, serving as an assistant coach for Team USA, helped guide the Americans to a record-setting 140-67 rout of Jordan. The 140 points marked the most ever scored by a U.S. U19 team in the tournament.
Germany and the USA are both 4-0 entering Friday’s quarterfinals, where Germany will face Australia and Team USA will meet Canada. A win by both teams would set up a potential championship matchup on Sunday.
Anderson, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, holds dual citizenship with Germany through his father. He is coming off a standout freshman season at Texas Tech, where he earned All-Big 12 Freshman Team honors after averaging 10.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He tied for the team lead with 71 made 3-pointers and scored a career-high 22 points in the Red Raiders’ NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 win over Arkansas.
McCasland has compiled a 51-20 record in two seasons as Texas Tech’s head coach and recently signed a six-year contract extension to remain with the program through the 2030–31 season. He is in his second year as a Team USA assistant and helped lead the Americans to a gold medal at the 2024 FIBA U18 AmeriCup in Argentina.
More information about the U19 World Cup can be found at FIBA's official website.
For the latest Texas Tech men's basketball updates, visit TexasTech.com or follow the Red Raiders on social media.
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