Lima, Peru • July 27-29, 2019

Although the USA men started slow at the 2019 Pan American Games, they finished strong to claim the inaugural 3x3 gold medal.

The first U.S. PAG 3x3 men’s team featured 2019 FIBA 3x3 World Cup gold medalist Kareem Maddox, former Division II NABC All-American Dominique Jones and NBA G-League athletes Sheldon Jeter and Jon Octeus. The team was selected by the USA Basketball 3x3 National Team Selection Committee after participating in the 2019 Red Bull USA Basketball 3X Nationals.

The men’s gold medal made it a sweep for the USA at the PAG 3x3 competition, as the U.S. women won gold in the 3x3 competition as well.

Jones finished with 12 points for the USA in its first win, 21-14 over Venezuela, including sealing the victory with a four-point play with 1:36 on the clock. With the game tied 9-9, the USA scored twice, and then Jones sank three-straight 2-pointers to put the USA up 17-9. After two scores from Venezuela, Jones was fouled on a made 2-pointer, and he sank both free throws to seal the USA’s 21-14 victory. Maddox added six points. 

The USA’s second contest was a 20-19 loss to Brazil that saw the game go down to the wire. Brazil sank a 2-pointer to lead 8-5 at 7:14. The USA made just 2-of-11 from behind the 2-point line, but those 2s helped the USA climb into the game in the final minute, but time ran out on the USA’s attempted comeback. Jones had seven points, Maddox tossed in five, Octeus finished with four and Jeter added three points.

In its final day of preliminary round action, the U.S. fell to Puerto Rico and Argentina but rebounded to win against Dominican Republic. The USA’s close games helped it emerge from a three-way preliminary round tie as a No. 3 seed and earned the squad a berth into the semifinals.

The USA’s 20-18 loss to Puerto Rico featured five lead changes and nine tied scores. Octeus tied the game at 17-17 with 56.0 seconds left, but Puerto Rico reeled off three points to take a 20-17 lead. Jones scored to make the score 20-18, but that was as close as the USA would get. Octeus had eight points, and Jones and Maddox each scored five.

Against Argentina, the USA was up 12-7 with 4:35 to play, but fell short, 22-20. Trailing early, Argentina sank four 2-pointers to take a 19-18 lead with 2:09 to play. The USA countered with two baskets to move ahead 20-19, but Argentina tied the game at 20-all and then sank a 2-pointer with five seconds left to earn the dramatic win. While Argentina was 6-of-9 from deep, the USA was just 3-of-12. Jones led the U.S. with 12 points.

In a must-win game, the USA topped Dominican Republic 21-13, ending the contest with 1:51 on the clock. The USA was helped by 7-of-8 shooting from the free throw line, and, in fact, it was a made free throw from Maddox that sealed the win. Jones led the U.S. with eight points, Maddox finished with five and both Jeter and Octeus added four points.

In the semifinals, the U.S. recorded a 21-12 win over Brazil. The U.S. sprinted out to a 4-0 lead thanks to 2-point baskets from Octeus and Jones, however, the U.S. lead was trimmed to 9-8 with 5:55 remaining. The U.S. regained momentum when Maddox scored three points and Jones added a 2-pointer to go ahead 14-8 with 4:52 to play. Up 16-10, Octeus made his third 2-pointer of the game, and Jeter followed with a 2-pointer to increase the USA lead to 20-11 with 1:35 left. Maddox added a free throw with 1:16 remaining to give the U.S. the 21-12 win. Brazil was limited to 0-of-8 shooting from 2-point while the U.S. made 6-of-16 2-pointers. Octeus finished with eight points, Jones and Maddox each had five and Jeter added three points.

In the gold medal game, Puerto Rico led 8-7 with 5:36 to play, but a 2-pointer by Octeus propelled the USA ahead 9-8. Puerto Rico tied the game at 9, but Maddox connected on a pair of 2-pointers, and the Americans led 13-10. Puerto Rico grabbed a 14-13 lead with 3:10 to go, but Jeter completed a two-point play and scored again at 2:39 to lift the U.S. ahead 16-14. Puerto Rico sank a 2 to even the score 19-all with 1:28 to play. Octeus was fouled on a drive to the basket and sank his free throws with 1:19 to go to capture the win. Octeus and Jeter each had eight points, while Maddox added four points.

2019 USA MEN'S PAN AMERICAN GAMES 3X3 ROSTER

2019 USA PAG 3x3 CUMULATIVE STATISTICS