Wisconsin has 2 freshmen at the FIBA U18 Asia Cup and Jackson Ball stock is way up

As FIBA U18 Asia Cup continues to truck on, two current Wisconsin Badger freshmen continue to stand out. Guard Jackson Ball and forward Isaac Riddle are the two Badger State representatives competing in the tournament, Ball for his home country of New Zealand and Riddle for Australia.

Thus far, both men have done what they had to and arguably more, with New Zealand and Australia both holding perfect 3-0 records through group play, placing them at the top of their respective pools. This success gives both of them a bye heading into bracket play, clearing a path for the two Wisconsin kids to square off in a high-stakes game.

With all this said, both Ball and Riddle have played very different roles for their respective countries en route to success, with one clearly outshining the other.

Jackson Ball's High-Volume Scoring

It was clear from the opening tip of New Zealand's first game that things were going to run through Ball. Through three games, the 6-foot-5 guard is averaging 16.7 shots per game, 4.7 more per game than anyone else on the team.

Carrying that burden is only possible if your game backs it up, and it's fair to say Ball has done that. He is currently averaging team highs in points (17.7), assists (4.0) and steals (2.3), highlighting his well-rounded impact. Even more impressive is the fact he's doing all this in just 25 minutes per game, as outside of the first game, New Zealand has won by hefty margins.

Now heading into bracket play, Ball will have to up the efficiency, as 38% from the field and 24.1% from 3-point range isn't going to cut it as his team's No. 1 option. In all fairness, those numbers were heavily inflated by his abysmal shooting performance in the first game, which saw Ball shoot 6-for-21 from the field and 1-for-12 from 3-point range. Nonetheless, New Zealand will need him to be on his A-game heading into the home stretch if they want any chance at taking home gold.

Isaac Riddle's Starring in His Role

Although Riddle's averages of 13 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game are far less glamorous than those of Ball, he has still found a way to make a positive impact in all of his minutes. Riddle has been much more offensively tilted than his Wisconsin counterpart, logging just one steal and zero blocks through group play, but that's not to sell short the things he has done on the court.

Offensively, unlike Ball, Riddle has been very efficient, shooting 60% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point range on a very thin outside shot diet. He has also provided value to Australia on the offensive glass, logging 2.7 offensive rebounds per game, a solid mark for a rotational big.

Now entering bracket play, Riddle will likely see his role shrink a bit as games get more competitive. Thus far, Australia has won by an average of 53.3 points per game, meaning reserves like Riddle have been given a fair amount of opportunity to produce.

Now as games wind down and become more competitive, Australia likely won't have the same luxury of blowing out whoever is in front of them, meaning they will have to lean on their top guys a bit more. Nonetheless, Riddle has made a positive impact in his minutes and has picked up some important developmental reps heading into his first year in Madison.

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