Ethan Morton is walking around these days with gold around his neck.

International gold.

The incoming Butler High School senior and Golden Tornado basketball career points scoring leader returned from Mongolia over the weekend as part of the USA U-18 gold medal-winning 3x3 basketball team.

Morton had attended a 3x3 training camp in Colorado Springs earlier in the year. His four-person team included Dawson Garcia of Prior Lakes, Minn., Devin Askew of Santa Ana, Calif,, and Nimari Burnett of Prolific Prep out of Chicago.

“They kept our team together and picked us to go over there (to Mongolia),” Morton said. “The women's team (which also won gold) was a combination of players from different 3x3 teams in Colorado Springs.

“They kept my team together and that helped us.”

Morton and his teammates secured the FIBA 3x3 U-18 World Cup. It marked the first time in nine tries the United States has won the championship.

The quartet won all seven of its games, including victories over Italy (19-13)in the quarterfinals, Russia (19-18 in OT) in the semifinals and Turkey (16-12) in the championship game.

Each game was played on half-court with a 10-minute clock. Games lasted until a team scored 21 points or the clock expired.

“In 3x3, every player has to be able to do everything — shoot, rebound, pass ... It's a different type of game,” Morton said. “I don't know about the whole tournament, but I led our team in assists.”

Team USA arrived in Mongolia June 1. Tournament pool play began Tuesday.

“Latvia, Georgia, Belarus and Mongolia were our pool play games,” Morton said. “We won each of those games by scoring 21 points. The championship round was much more competitive.

“The games were physical, too, The officials weren't calling much.”

The 3x3 teams could not be coached once the games began. The advisor who accompanied Morton's team to Mongolia was WNBA star Tara Lawson.

“It was awesome learning basketball from her perspective and how to handle an event like this,” Morton said.

“The atmosphere was incredible. When we played Mongolia, the crowd was about the loudest I've ever played in front of. There were 200 seats and they were filled, and people were standing around all over the place.”

Besides host Mongolia, Morton said the United States “was the biggest draw over there. That experience made me feel grateful and blessed for living in the country I do.

“After the championship game, we stayed on the court for 20 or 30 minutes posing for pictures with different people,” Morton added.

He described the feeling of playing for his country as “surreal.”

And as far as winning the gold medal and standing while the national anthem was played?

“Can't even put into words,” Morton said. “Representing my country, the letters USA across the jersey, playing halfway around the world and listening to our anthem was unbelievable. Tara told us every time we hear the anthem for the rest of our lives, we'll think about this moment and she's right.”

Eventual NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Nick Collison, Allan Houston, Kyrie Irving and Stephon Marbury are among players to participate in FIBA 3x3 competition in recent years.

Morton's summer of basketball is far from over. He flies out to Colorado Springs Saturday to try out for the U19 5-on-5 national team. If he makes that team, it heads to Greece to compete immediately after tryouts.

Morton is one of 34 players vying for 12 roster spots.

“If I make the team, we return from Greece July 7. My (New York) travel team plays in the Peach Jam in Augusta, Ga., July 10-14. Either way, I'll be with them for that,” Morton said.

“After that ... I'm going on vacation in August. It's strange, missing half my summer, but it's worth it for this stuff. It will never happen for me again.

“This trip (to Mongolia) was my coolest experience in basketball so far,” he added.