​Add another gold medal to Scott Fitch’s trophy case. The Fairport high school boys’ basketball coach has just steered the USA Basketball U17 Men’s National Team to a gold medal at the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup in Istanbul, Turkey, marking his sixth gold medal with Team USA in roles as either an assistant or head coach.
Fitch took the helm for the Americans in Istanbul, guiding a squad that toppled Serbia in the championship game to finish 7-0 for the tournament. The United States secured its eighth consecutive gold at this event, a streak that has become a hallmark of Fitch’s international coaching tenure. Standing on the podium with the Star-Spangled Banner playing in the background produced what Fitch described as a “surreal moment.” “You try and picture it or figure out what it’s going to feel like,” he reflected after returning to New York, “but you can’t until you’re actually there.”
This success comes on the heels of last year’s triumph, when Fitch led Fairport’s basketball program as the head coach to gold with USA Basketball. Representing the United States on the international stage comes with a distinct pressure, he noted, as every opposing team aims to be the one to end the U.S.’s dominance. “Everyone wants to beat you and become the first team to put us down,” Fitch explained. “You embrace the challenge, focus on what you control, and make sure it’s something you’re proud of.”
In Istanbul, Fitch’s 12-man squad advanced through the competition with authority, capped by a 107-81 championship win over Serbia on July 5. CJ Rosser, a 6-foot-10 forward from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, led the team with 23 points in the final. Fitch praised the early camaraderie and the culture he helped cultivate: “This group seemed to like each other right away. We set forth a good atmosphere and culture, and I thought they bought in. They played for each other and played extremely hard, which is something we always challenge teams to do, but the chemistry stood out to me.”
The U.S. roster also posted impressive margins in other games: a 115-84 victory over France, 128-66 over Japan, 131-80 over Italy, 141-85 over Cameroon, 149-82 over Puerto Rico, and 114-65 over Australia. Two U.S. players earned spots on the tournament’s All-Star Five: Beckham Black, a 6-foot-3 guard from Duncanville, Texas, and Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, a 6-foot-10 center from St. Petersburg, Florida. Fitch observed Boumtje Boumtje’s rapid absorption of coaching guidance, noting, “Everything I was telling him, he was soaking in. That’s a special trait. He has a great chance to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft in two years, and it’s because he yearns to get better. He’s not satisfied.”
This success adds to Fitch’s growing international résumé. He previously led Team USA to gold at the 2025 FIBA U16 Men’s AmeriCup, his first head-coaching assignment on the international stage. In prior years, he contributed as an assistant on championship squads at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, the 2018 FIBA U17 World Cup, and the 2017 FIBA Americas U16 Championship. Fitch has also been a steady presence in Fairport, where he continues to coach at the high school level, guiding young athletes on the path to excellence both on and off the court.