US men's basketball team loses Pan Am game to Uruguay

Re: US men's basketball team loses Pan Am game to Uraguay

Well, the American were 3-for-21 from 3-point range, and they cut Chris Lofton from the roster at tryouts.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

Re: US men's basketball team loses Pan Am game to Uraguay

3-21 ...And they cut Lofton? When are the geniuses picking our international teams gonna realize having outside shooters is EXTREMELY important in International ball. It's been the same damn story in nearly every international loss going all the way back to the 88 Olympics.

And why do U.S. players seem to shoot so much worse from long range in international ball than they do here. Is the International ball a different weight or something?

 

Re: US men's basketball team loses Pan Am game to Uraguay

This will remain a problem a long as international basketball embraces thre 3-pointer and defending the 3, while American coaches would rather the shot not exist, and coach accordingly.

 

Re: US men's basketball team loses Pan Am game to Uraguay

The problem is that the Euros and South Americans play team basketball and we don't. We were cocky, thinking that no one would catch up to us and we've been surpassed by the rest of the basketball playing world.

 

Re: US men's basketball team loses Pan Am game to Uraguay

And Lofton's not just a 3-point shooter any more. For proof, how bout watching, oh, I don't know, any game he played last season. Leaving him off the roster was completely inexcusable. How can a few bad days at a tryout outweigh a dazzling season (despite a bum ankle that's now 100%).

You could argue that it would make more sense to put him on the Senior team than leave him off the B-Squad. The way he was playing before the ankle injury last season (when he scored humiliated Memphis and hit the game-winner from 439 feet over Durant against Texas) was as good as Redick's peak at Duke.

 

Re: US men's basketball team loses Pan Am game to Uraguay

439 FEET! Damn, now that's the kind of long range shooting we need.

But seriously, making Lofton's ommision look even worse, I believe Wright gave one of those guard spots to Scottie Reynolds who plays for him at Villanova. He's set himself up for legitimate favoritism criticism by making that selection over Lofton.

 

Re: US men's basketball team loses Pan Am game to Uraguay

BTW: It's Uruguay... think we can spell it right in the thread title?

 

Re: US men's basketball team loses Pan Am game to Uraguay

Couldn't Roy Williams' Tarheels whoop most international teams? Am I wrong in thinking this?

If they complain about not knowing each other on the court, just take an established college team. I know this causes all kinds of problems, but it would be interesting to see.

Changing focus now...

When you play international ball you have to be an attentive defender. Many of our kids start playing D when their man catches the ball. You have to shadow your man every second they are on the court. A drop in concentration will mean an open look, and with good shooters, two or three points.

A player like Nowitzki will destroy you if you do not shadow him at all time.

http://www.usabasketball.com/history/hsum_1998.html

The International Team committed 30 turnovers and still won. It was made easier by the USA fouling out five players while trying to get those 30 steals. The US also clanked 18 triples while making only five. 15 points scored in 23 shots. Wonderful.

I also love how the assistant was a freaking AAU coach.

We suck, have sucked, and we will suck.

Thank you AAU.

 

Yeah, they couldn't have used this guy...

Those who say he's not an NBA player are fools.

 

And to answer your other question, I don't think the ball weighs any different, but it does have those couple of white spots that make it look funny. I've heard guys complain about that.

 

If the NBA kids stayed for all four years, what would our amateur team look like?

Durant, Oden, Horford, Conley, Aldridge, Bynum, Marvin Williams, O'Bryant, Gay, Thomas, Green, Brewer and Wright would all of been thought of for this team. Still no shooters, but the talent level just increased dramatically.

We really cannot compare these kids to the teams of the past talent wise. But we sure need to stick a Mullin or Alford on these teams.

 

There was a tail wind...