Maryland basketball freshman Guillermo Del Pino hits game-winner to lift Spain over France in FIBA U18 title game

Ahmed Ghafir
Aug 3
2 min read

Guillermo Del Pino saved his best performance for Sunday’s championship game after Spain defeated France, 82-81, in the FIBA U18 championship, thanks to the incoming Maryland men's basketball freshman guard.

Spain steadily chipped away through the second half after trailing by as many as 11, but it was Del Pino who scored the final six points for Spain, including the game-winning three with just 1.4 seconds left. The comeback win marked the fifth FIBA U18 title in six tournaments for Spain with Del Pino leading the way, finishing with a game-high 23 points on 50% shooting while adding three assists in the win.

Spain also assembled a comeback in the semifinal vs. Italy, trailing by as many as 12 before winning by 22 points as Del Pino added 14 points on 40% shooting from the field. The incoming freshman guard finished the tournament averaging 11.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists on 41% shooting, in addition to finishing in double figures scoring in five of his eight games and shooting at least 50% from the field in two wins.

Sunday’s performance marks the latest achievement for Del Pino on the international stage after previously being named MVP of the FIBA U16 Euro Championship where he averaged 14.6 points en route to a Gold medal finish. Del Pino, previously named a top international prospect by NBADraft.net, also drew all-star honors during the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup.

Now, Del Pino will head back to College Park, where he transitions to Big Ten basketball and adds an intriguing blend of youth and experience to a point guard room headlined by Myles Rice and David Coit.

"We're incredibly excited to welcome Guillermo to our Maryland basketball family. He's a highly skilled and competitive player who has proven he can produce at a high level," said head coach Buzz Williams at the time of Del Pino’s signing. "Beyond his talent, Guillermo brings outstanding character, maturity, and a deep love for the game of basketball. He comes from a great family, and we know he'll fit seamlessly into the culture we're building here. We're confident he'll make an immediate impact and will be a key piece of what we're building here at Maryland."

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