AUS - Humphries sets new U17 Worlds scoring record in loss

DUBAI (FIBA U17 World Championship) - Australian center Isaac Humphries pulled out tricks not even he knew he had in scoring an all-time record 41 points against Canada in Group B play at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship.

Humphries made 16 of 23 shots and 9 of 11 free-throws for his 41 points to go along with 19 rebounds and five blocks. The effort was for naught though as Australia lost to Canada 85-74 to finish third in the group.

"I was really happy with the performance. But it's not about that, it's about the team. It doesn't matter about points at the end of the day. We played pretty well, we just didn't come along with it, unfortunately," said Humphries, who totalled 25 points, 20 rebounds and nine blocks in his first two games against Japan and France while hitting 9 of 23 shots.

"The first two games, it wasn't happening for me."

The previous record was held by Heo Hoon, who scored 37 points on 11-of-22 three-pointers in Korea's 119-108 overtime loss to hosts Lithuania at the 2012 FIBA U17 World Championship.

The previous regulation scoring record was 31 points, accomplished twice: by Nenad Miljenovic in Serbia's 67-51 victory over Germany 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship and by Zhao Yanhao in China's 75-70 defeat to Argentina on Saturday.

"That's the best game Isaac's played for Australia," said Australia coach Mark Watkins, who has been coaching the 16-year-old Humphries since he was 12.

"I've coached him since he was this little baby who walked into the stadium. He's getting better and better every week. The things he showed me today I hadn't seen before."

Watkins mentioned how Humphries spun, turned and got up to dunk the ball while also recalling a post move that the youngster made.

When asked about doing things not even one of his only coaches had ever seen, Humphries smiled and said: "I always find myself doing things I didn't know I could do. I do a thing and think, what the hell, I just did that. I don't know how I did that but it just happened. And then I go back and look at it and put it in my cookbook of stuff."

FIBA