The U.S. men’s water polo team went into group play at the 2021 World League Super Final as a relative unknown. Unlike France, Greece Italy and Montenegro, whose players had been active in Europe playing either for their respective national teams or professionally, the Americans had not played significant matches together—though all on the 15-man U.S. roster in Tbilisi, Georgia had played individually for European professional teams.

This led to some uncertainty regarding the potential of Head Coach Dejan Udovicic’s squad. With an average age of 26—not including the ageless Jesse Smith, who recently turned 38—the young Americans would have to develop quickly to be ready for the rigors of Olympic competition that begins later this month.

Boy, did they grow up quickly.

An opening day loss by four goals to Montenegro, the tournament’s #2 seed, was cause for some concern, especially as the following day Team USA faced Japan, a team whose counter-attacking style has bedeviled them. Those fears appeared to be realized; the Japanese cut a three goal lead to one midway through the third period before Hannes Daube, Max Irving and Ben Stevenson ignited a five goal surge between the third and four periods, leading to a resounding 15-7 win.

A 13-9 victory over host Georgia ticketed the U.S. to the quarterfinals against France, a squad that had caused headaches to Greece and Italy in group play. A back-and-forth contest resulted in a narrow 12-11 win for Team USA, sealed by an Alex Bowen penalty conversion with four minutes to go.

Then came the game of the tournament, a 10-8 win over top-seeded Italy that thrust the Americans from afterthought in Tbilisi to surprising contenders for gold. Led by Daube’s hat trick and an outstanding performance from Drew Holland (14 saves), Udovicic’s crew rallied for the victory, holding a powerful Italian offense to a single goal in the second half.

Then came the championship tilt—a rematch with undefeated (5-0) Montenegro—and lessons to be learned prior to Tokyo.

Youth versus experience: the age old question

The Americans went down 2-0 within the first four minutes and never caught up, closing to within one goal multiple times in a 9-8 loss. There were many positives to take away from this match—Daube’s three goals (he ended the tournament with 15, good for fourth place among all scorers); Holland’s 14 saves; he was named goalkeeper of the tournament with 41 saves over six matches; Max Irving’s strong tournament (9 goals on 18 shots).

But the key takeaway for Udovicic’s squad was experience counts, a point hammered home by Aleksandar Ivovic, the second oldest player in the water. The 2018 Swimming World Player of the Year was the primary reason the U.S. did not claim gold in Tbilisi. Now 35 years old, with (presumably) his best playing days behind him, Ivovic shredded the U.S. with five goals, particularly in the second half when he scored three times, including two penalty shots.

Smith, a five-time Olympian who captains the squad including of Bowen, Luca Cupido, Ben Hallock and Alex Obert—all veterans of the 2016 Rio Games—is an experienced voice in the scrum, but has nowhere near the ability or experience of Ivovic. Serbia and Croatia—who will both be contenders for gold despite aging rosters—have “old hands” of their own. At 34, Serbia’s Filip Filipovic remains one the world’s best players and is the leader of the defending Olympic champions. Andro Bušlje (35) is the Croatian captain and will presumably be a focus of their efforts to capture gold in 2021 after silver and gold results the last two Olympics.

The Americans will go with youth, youth, youth—Smith will likely start all the matches but not finish them as Dylan Woodhead, a defensive specialists, will likely get critical minutes at center defender. The team will go as far as Bowen (at 27 the most experienced American besides Smith) Daube, Irving, Hallock and Holland will take them.

[USA Water Polo Announces U.S. Olympic Men’s Water Polo Team Nominees For Tokyo Olympic Games]

This is not to discount the many others on Udovicic’s squad; in fact, the energy exhibited by this squad is in stark contrast to the team that competed in Berlin for the 2018 FINA Water Polo World Cup. I covered that squad and it was apparent there were issues with the line-up. Baron McQuin and Alex Roelse both quit after that tournament, which saw the U.S. finish a disappointing sixth.

In their place came Chancellor Ramirez—a true “glue guy” who did everything Udovicic needed even though he didn’t make the Olympic roster—and Holland, who must now be considered the top U.S. netminder.

Daube wasn't in Berlin but at 21 he is the best prospect America has developed since a young Tony Azevedo burst on the scene at the 2000 Games in Sydney.

Stevenson was, but appeared overmatched by European competition. Not in Tbilisi; he contributed critical goals and is a grinder who will be an important contributor to a U.S. squad that will need to succeed by grit, guile and boundless energy.

A description that could not be made of the previous two American entries to the Olympics, and one that makes this squad a compelling story going into the Tokyo Games in three weeks.