BUTLER TWP — The medal wasn't gold this time, but the experience was still golden.

Joe Lewandowski, a history teacher in the Butler Area School District and former varsity boys basketball coach at Butler and Deer Lakes, recently returned home from Budapest, Hungary, and the FIBA 3x3 U18 World Championships.

Lewandowski coached the United States girls to a silver medal — losing a 20-19 decision to France in the gold medal game — and guided the U18 boys to the quarterfinals of the 24-team tournament.

“This was a different experience,” Lewandowski said. “The kids were younger and there was more teaching involved.

“But the passion, enthusiasm, and energy for the game ... You have it, they have it and together, we could do a lot of things with it.”

Lewandowski coached the USA Basketball collegiate 3X3 teams in the 2014 world championships in Moscow and the 2012 event in Athens, Greece.

The women's team won the gold medal in both tournaments.

USA Basketball runs the U18 3x3 program as well as the Open (collegiate) division.

“They asked me to coach the U18 teams this year and, of course, I went for it,” Lewandowski said. “This was the first international experience for these kids, which was exciting for all of us.

“There's talk of making 3x3 an Olympic sport in 2020. It would really take off then.”

The U.S. U18 girls team featured Jalek Felton of Mullins. S.C., Natalie Chou of Plano, Texas, Arike Ogunbowale of Milwaukee, Wisc., Kristine Anigwe of Phoenix,. Ariz., and Erion Boley of Hodgenville, Ky.

Felton is verbally committed to play college basketball at North Carolina, Anigwe to California, Ogunbowale and Foley to Notre Dame.

The U18 boys team included Zach Collins of Las Vegas, Payton Pritchard of West Linn, Ore., and P.J. Washington Jr. of Frisco, Texas. Collins is headed to Gonzaga, Pritchard to Oklahoma.

“All of these are verbal commitments because they're all too young to officially commit yet,” Lewandowski said. “All of these kids have ultimate goals of playing pro ball.

“P.J. Washington hasn't committed to a school yet, but he can pretty much go where he wants.”

The teams got together for three days of practice in Colorado Springs before heading overseas.

“The 3-on-3 game is a new concept to them,” Lewandowski said. “But these kids are so eager to learn and are so coachable that we got a lot done. At this point, they want to soak up everything they can about basketball.

“The women's gold medal game came down to the final 10 seconds. It was intense.”

The 3x3 games are played half-court with 10 minutes on the clock.

The U18 boys team dropped a 20-18 decision to France in the quarterfinals.

Lewandowski said all of the players from both U.S. squads will be eligible to try out for next year's 3x3 teams.

The FIBA U18 World Championships will be in Pakistan next year.

The Open 3x3 tournament — which occurs every other year — returns next summer as well. Lewandowski will likely be coaching USA Basketball teams in both events.

“The games are played in front of packed houses, standing-room crowds of 2,000 or so,” Lewandowski said. “The atmosphere is incredible.

“You get a chance to talk basketball with different people from all over the world. I found myself staying up late at night, not only game-planning, but talking to coaches from China and other countries about their approach toward basketball. It was fascinating.

“The experience is phenomenal and coaching players at that talent level is tons of fun. I'm so blessed,” Lewandowski added.

Lewandowski is still coaching locally, working with the Butler girls youth basketball program, grades 3 through 8.