Under the guidance of Pitt coach Jamie Dixon, the United States' under-19 national basketball team won its eighth consecutive game yesterday and advanced to today's Federation of FIBA U19 World Championship gold medal game in Auckland, New Zealand.

The U.S. team, which previously won the tournament in 1991, will meet Greece (6-2) in the final. Greece upset previously undefeated Australia, 84-69, in a semifinal.

The U.S. squad defeated Croatia (6-2), 81-77, in the other semifinal. Pitt's Ashton Gibbs started his fourth consecutive game and scored 11 points in 23 minutes. He is averaging 9.4 points and 2.4 assists, and a team-leading 22.6 minutes per game. Gordan Hayward from Butler University was the U.S. team's leading scorer with 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds.