Young athletes from differing worlds: A tale of unmatched courts

The photo shows under-16 basketball players waiting to go onto the court. The Americans stand proudly in line while their Salvadoran opponents accompany them with a noticeable dose of shyness. The United States representatives have an enormous advantage in terms of height. The shortest among them is still taller than any player from El Salvador.

The photojournalist had his moment because his photo regularly circulates on the internet. It turns out that it has already been five years since the match between the young United States and El Salvador basketball players took place in 2019.

The difference between the teams was visible to the naked eye in the tunnel leading to the court and in the game. The Americans won the continental championship 114:19. El Salvador's best quarter result was nine points; in the last, they scored only one end with a free throw.

The United States is a much larger country than El Salvador. More money is invested in developing female basketball players in the United States. The most talented players undergo rigorous selection, while the team in El Salvador often consists of volunteers. For instance, the young Americans were equipped with the exact footwear, while their opponents had to care for that themselves.

Years have passed since the match with El Salvador captured in the photo, and the Americans are still achieving enormous victories. For example, in the previous season, the under-16 team defeated Mexico 123:27 and the Dominican Republic 106:34. They practically never lost, and no one managed to fight.

The Americans play more evenly matched games in adult basketball, yet they can boast the most significant successes. In 2020, they became Olympic champions, and in 2022, they became world champions. El Salvador can only dream of such achievements.