SIXTEENTH PAN AMERICAN GAMES – 2011

With the 2011 Pan American Games men's basketball competition being held Oct. 26-30, USA Basketball fielded a team that featured players and coaches from the NBA Development League. While a frigid shooting day versus host Mexcio in the medal round semifinals eliminated the Americans from the gold medal hunt, the U.S. perservered to earn its first Pan American Games medal since 1999 when it defeated the Dominican Republic 94-92 to capture the bronze medal.

2011 USA Men's Pan American Games Team 2011 USA RESULTS (3-2) USA 77 Dominican Rep. 76 USA 88 Brazil 77 Uruguay 82 USA 80 Mexico 71 USA 55 USA 94 Dominican Rep. 92 2011 PAN AMERICAN GAMES FINAL STANDINGS 1. Puerto Rico (4-1) 5. Brazil (2-2) 2. Mexico (3-2) 6. Canada (1-3) 3. USA (3-2) 7. Argentina (2-2) 4. Dom. Rep. (2-3) 8. Uruguay (1-3)

Directed by Tulsa 66ers head coach Nate Tibbetts, the U.S. was led by Lance Thomas' double-double of 15 points and 16 rebounds, but it was Marcus Lewis’ two blocked shots in the game’s final 12 seconds that earned the USA a 77-76 victory over the Dominican Republic in both teams opening game. The USA mounted a miraculous comeback to record an impressive 88-77 win over Brazil. Behind Blake Ahearn’s 21 points ,and Justin Dentmon’s 16 points, the USA stormed back from 17 points down midway in the third quarter to claim a remarkable 11-point win. Assured of Group B's No. 1 seed for the medal round, after making the plays needed in the closing minutes to win their first two games at the Pan American Games, the USA came up short and fell 82-80 to Uruguay in its final preliminary round game. The game came down to plays in the final minute and Uruguay made enough to slip past the U.S. Jerome Dyson paced the U.S. with 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the floor and 4-of-6 from 3-point.

Carrying Group B's No. 1 seed into the medal round semifinals, there couldn’t have been a worse time for the USA’s shooting to go South. Making just 32.7 percent (18-53) of its shots for the game and sinking only 23.5 percent of its attempts from behind the 3-point line, the USA fell 71-55 to host Mexico who was spurred on to the win by a capacity and rautous crowd. Leo Lyons finished as the USA’s leading scorer with 13 points and made 5-of-7 shots overall and was a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point. Dyson added 10 points and five rebounds, while Ahearn tossed in nine points, and Donald Sloan accounted for seven points and a USA best eight rebounds.

Behind a balanced scoring effort that saw all 12 USA players score, including five in double digits, the USA fought to a well earned 94-92 bronze medal game victory over the Dominican Republic. In an offensive game that saw the two teams combine to score 186 points, the game’s outcome was decided by a defensive stop by the American squad in the final seconds. Clinging to a 94-92 lead, the USA's 6'8" Thomas well defended the Domican's 3-point attempt that missed its mark and the USA had its narrow win and the 2011 Pan American Games bronze medals. The USA’s offensive showing was led by Thomas, who finished with 14 points. Lewis added 12 points and seven rebounds, Dentmon tallied 12 points and five assists, Sloan scored 11 and Lyons finished with 10 points. Gregory Stiemsma tied a USA single game record for blocked shots with four, and added six points and two rebounds in 13 minutes of action.

"I’m excited about this. It’s our first medal since 1999 and I’m really proud of our guys for bouncing back after a tough loss yesterday and coming out and playing hard this morning,” said Tibbetts following his squad's determined showing in the bronze medal game.