Ilias Van Hecke took over in the first half and our young Lions never let Czechia back into it. The 21-point, 6-rebound, 3-assist performance from Van Hecke set the tone early, and a 17-point halftime lead proved too much to overcome for the Czechs. Final score: 81–64. It was the kind of dominant, two-way showing that moves games out of reach before the fourth quarter matters. Van Hecke's efficiency across the board — scoring off the dribble, moving the ball, defending with intent — gave our side control from start to finish. This is what a U18 tournament performance looks like when a prospect plays within the flow of the game rather than chasing numbers. Next up for our boys: the closing round of group play.