HUIZHOU, CHINA — After carrying the flag for Team USA in Opening Cermonies earlier in the day, Orlando Johnson helped the men’s basketball team roll past Mexico, 18-67, in its first game of the 2011 World University Games on Saturday.
The UCSB star scored 10 points and had three assists as the Americans outscored Mexico 65-30 in the second half.
Pitt’s Ashton Gibbs led all scorers with 20 points. Five players scored in double figures.
“For the first game, I thought we had some jitters,” said USA and Purdue University head mentor Matt Painter. “We had guys who just weren’t quick to the basketball. Mexico played a little bit harder than we did. Then, once we kind of got into the flow of things, we did a little better in the second quarter. Then, obviously we picked it up in the second half.”
