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Gonzaga Basketball

Former Gonzaga guard David Stockton returns to U.S. roster for FIBA World Cup qualifiers

Gonzaga senior guard David Stockton exits the court with a game-high 21 points and four assists in a 2014 WCC Tournament semifinal win over Saint Mary's at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.  (Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review)
By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com(509) 459-5585

From staff reports

Former Gonzaga point guard David Stockton is on the United States’ FIBA World Cup qualifying team roster for the third time in the past seven months.

Stockton is joined on the 12-man team by former BYU forward Eric Mika. They played against each other when Stockton was a GU senior and Mika was a freshman with the Cougars in 2014. The other 10 players are Tyler Cavanaugh, Malik Ellison, Michael Frazier II, Langston Galloway, Dewan Hernandez, DaQuan Jeffries, John Jenkins III, Mac McClung, Robert Woodard and McKinley Wright, according to a USA Basketball release.

The U.S. faces Uruguay on Aug. 25 at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas ahead of Colombia in Barranquilla on Aug. 29 in the fourth of six 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifying windows.

Stockton was named to the U.S. roster in July, but wasn’t able to play due to a hand injury as the Americans posted wins over Puerto Rico and Cuba. Stockton had 21 points, seven assists and connected on 5 of 7 3-pointers in U.S. wins over Puerto Rico and Mexico in February qualifiers. He averaged 10.0 points and 3.0 assists in four games during 2018 qualifying windows.

Stockton has played for the Memphis Hustle in the NBA G League the past two seasons. He averaged 11.2 points, 4.3 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 14 games last season.

Former NBA and college coach Jim Boylen will be the U.S. team’s head coach and Othella Harrington and Ty Ellis will serve as assistants for the fourth consecutive qualifying window.

The U.S. and Brazil share the top spot in Group F with 5-1 records. Uruguay is 4-2. Colombia is 2-4. Seven of the 12 remaining teams from the 16-team Americas qualifiers will earn spots in the 2023 World Cup next August in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.