BREAKING: Bo Bassett pins first foe at world championships | New

Bo Bassett used his first opportunity to represent the United States at the Cadet Wrestling World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on Tuesday.

14-year-old Catholic student Bishop McCort pinned Georgia’s Malkhazi Khelaia in 3:17 in the first round at 45 kilograms.

Bassett will fight again on Tuesday morning in the quarterfinals of the freestyle tournaments against Yusif Isparov of Azerbaijan or Hayko Gasparyan of Armenia.

Khelaia appeared to use Bassett’s aggression against him early on, scoring a takedown after Bassett shot him down. The Georgian poked his head out as Windber’s wrestler tried to follow him for two points.

Bassett’s withdrawal to the edge tied the game at 2 before Khelaia regained the lead. Bassett scored a double-legged takedown just before the end of the first period to tie it at 4.

Bassett attacked again in the second period, but Khelaia used an arm throw for four runs and an 8-4 lead. Bassett scored two more outs to equalize, then transformed Khelaia twice for a 12-8 lead. In the last minute, he took Khelaia behind his back and pinned him with 43 seconds left in the fight.

The American wrestlers put on an outstanding performance in Budapest on Monday, with four of team’s five members reaching Tuesday’s championship round. The United States held a 36-27 lead over Russia, second at the start of day two of the tournament.

Levi Haines, who will be in his final year at Biglerville High School in Adams County, is Pennsylvania’s second wrestler on the freestyle team. A Penn State rookie who won a state title at 145 pounds in March, Haines was scheduled to wrestle later Tuesday at 71 kilograms.

Bassett, who will also compete in the Greco-Roman events from Saturday, has been a dominant force in the United States.

Seven-time Pennsylvania junior champion in folk style, a title next season would make him the second to win eight he competed at the Cadet Nationals earlier this year in Wisconsin. Competing in freestyle and Greco-Roman at 45 kilograms, Bassett had a 9-0 combined and outscored some of the country’s top wrestlers 86-12. No opponent has gone the distance with him.

He gained international experience at the Pan American Cadet Championships in Mexico last month, as he went 4-0 winning both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. He dominated his opponents, edging them 36-0 and didn’t allow a game to come out of the first period.