FOURTH FIBA AMERICAS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR YOUNG MEN QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT -- 2004
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada - July 28 - August 1, 2004
USA and University of Oklahoma head coach Kelvin Sampson stressed the importance of teamwork from the beginning of trials on July 16 and it paid off in the end with the gold medal for the United States at the 2004 World Championship For Young Men Qualifying Tournament. Held July 28-Aug. 1 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the tournament saw the U.S., along with silver medalist Puerto Rico, bronze medalist Argentina and fourth place finisher Canada, qualify for the 2005 FIBA World Championship For Young Men.
2004 USA RESULTS (5-0)
2004 COMPETITION FINAL STANDINGS
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In rolling to a 5-0 record, the U.S. had four players average in double digits, including Sean May, who paced the squad by scoring at a rate of 16.0 ppg. Justin Gray averaged 14.2 ppg., Hassan Adams posted 10.8 ppg. and Chris Paul scored at a clip of 10.5 ppg. May set a U.S. record after averaging 9.5 rpg. and Curtis Withers and P.J. Tucker helped on the glass, swiping 6.2 rpg. and 5.0 rpg., respectively. Paul passed off for a new U.S. assist record of 7.8 apg., while Gray added 3.5 apg.
Five players finished among the top 30 scorers at the tournament, including May, who ranked sixth, Gray ranked 10th, Adams was 22nd, Gray finished 23rd and Withers (9.2 ppg.) ranked 29th among all scorers. May also listed third among the top rebounders, Withers ranked 11th and Tucker tied for 15th. Withers (.636) and Adam Morrison (.625) were the top two shooters in the tournament; Paul and Gray ranked first and sixth, respectively, in assists; while Adams was credited for a seventh best 2.5 spg.
Venezuela, which had travel problems, didn't arrive in Halifax until July 28. Thus, the U.S. captured its first win by forfeit.
The United States, behind a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds from May, earned its first true victory after besting Brazil 87-64 on July 29. Also posting stellar efforts were Adams with 15 points, while Morrison and Tucker checked in for 10 points apiece.
The Wake Forest tandem of Gray and Paul combined for 28 points and 16 assists as the USA pushed past Puerto Rico 92-79 on July 30. May posted his second double-double in as many games with 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Adams and Morrison contributed 13 and 11 points, respectively, to the win.
The U.S. advanced to the gold medal game after putting host Canada away in the fourth quarter for an eventual 86-63 semifinal win on July 31. Gray and Paul were deadly from 3-point, converting on a combined 9-of-15 (.600), while scoring 18 and 19 points, respectively. Withers also had a strong game with 11 points and seven rebounds.
Fighting to the finish in order to put away Puerto Rico 97-86 in the gold medal contest on Aug. 1, the U.S. utilized a total team effort as five players scored in double digits. May paced the squad with 18 points, Withers poured in 17, Gray notched 13, Adams chipped in 12 and Wright had 10 points.
Opening the fourth period strong, and holding a slight 75-71 edge, the Americans knew they didn't put in two-a-days and physical practices since July 16 to go home with a silver medal. Adams was the first player to score and Gray hit a three, followed by an Adams free throw and with 6:31 before the medal ceremony the U.S. was up by 10, 81-71. But Puerto Rico's Gabriel Colon was fouled on a basket and collected his bonus, leaving the score 81-74 at 6:18.
Withers made a traditional 3-point play of his own to again pad the USA's lead by 10 at 5:56. The United States still held a 10-point margin, 92-82, when May put his squad up by 12 at 1:13. After a Puerto Rican miss, Adams was fouled with 49 seconds to go and made the back end of his free throws to give the USA a 95-82 upper hand and virtually put the gold medal in the hands of the North Americans.
2004 USA World Championship For Young Men Qualifying Team Roster
| NAME |
POS
|
HGT
|
WGT
|
AGE
|
COLLEGE / HOMETOWN
|
| Hassan Adams |
G
|
6-4
|
201
|
20
|
Arizona / Los Angeles, CA
|
| Justin Gray |
G
|
6-2
|
185
|
20
|
Wake Forest / Charlotte, NC
|
| Sean May |
F/C
|
6-9
|
260
|
20
|
North Carolina / Bloomington, IN
|
| Adam Morrison |
F
|
6-8
|
205
|
20
|
Gonzaga / Spokane, WA
|
| David Padgett |
C
|
6-11
|
230
|
19
|
*Louisville / Reno, NV
|
| Chris Paul |
G
|
6-0
|
168
|
19
|
Wake Forest / Lewisville, NC
|
| Mustafa Shakur |
G
|
6-3
|
178
|
19
|
Arizona / Philadelphia, PA
|
| Curtis Sumpter |
F
|
6-7
|
220
|
20
|
Villanova / Brooklyn, NY
|
| P.J. Tucker |
F
|
6-5
|
220
|
19
|
Texas / Raleigh, NC
|
| Charlie Villanueva |
F
|
6-11
|
230
|
19
|
Connecticut / Brooklyn, NY
|
| Curtis Withers |
F/C
|
6-8
|
230
|
19
|
Charlotte / Charlotte, NC
|
| Bracey Wright |
G
|
6-3
|
200
|
20
|
Indiana / The Colony, TX
|
| Head Coach: Kelvin Sampson, University of Oklahoma | |||||
| Assistant Coach: Tom Crean, Marquette University (Wis.) | |||||
| Assistant Coach: Dan Monson, University of Minnesota | |||||
| Team Physician: Herb Parris, Denver, Colorado | |||||
| Athletic Trainer: Brad Pike, Syracuse University (N.Y.) | |||||
| * David Padgett competed for the University of Kansas as a freshman during the 2003-04 season, but announced in April he would transfer from Kansas. It was announced on June 15 that Padgett would transfer to the University of Louisville (Ky.). | |||||
2004 USA World Championship For Young Men Qualifying Team Cumulative Statistics
| NAME | G/S |
FGM-FGA
|
PCT
|
3PM-3PA
|
PCT
|
FTM-FTA
|
PCT
|
REB/AVG
|
PTS/AVG
|
AST
|
BLK
|
STL
|
|
| May | 4/4 |
22- 44
|
.500
|
0- 3
|
.000
|
20- 27
|
.741
|
38/ 9.5
|
64/ 16.0
|
3
|
4
|
2
|
|
| Gray | 4/4 |
20- 48
|
.417
|
13- 31
|
.419
|
4- 4
|
1.000
|
7/ 1.8
|
57/ 14.2
|
14
|
0
|
7
|
|
| Adams | 4/4 |
18- 38
|
.474
|
1- 8
|
.125
|
6- 10
|
.600
|
10/ 2.5
|
43/ 10.8
|
2
|
3
|
10
|
|
| Paul | 4/4 |
16- 37
|
.432
|
7- 11
|
.636
|
3- 5
|
.600
|
15/ 3.8
|
42/ 10.5
|
31
|
1
|
7
|
|
| Withers | 4/4 |
14- 22
|
.636
|
1- 1
|
1.000
|
8- 12
|
.667
|
25/ 6.2
|
37/ 9.2
|
4
|
2
|
4
|
|
| Morrison | 3/0 |
10- 16
|
.625
|
2- 5
|
.400
|
3- 5
|
.600
|
5/ 1.7
|
25/ 8.3
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
|
| Tucker | 4/0 |
9- 18
|
.500
|
0- 0
|
.000
|
10- 13
|
.769
|
20/ 5.0
|
28/ 7.0
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
|
| Wright | 4/0 |
10- 28
|
.357
|
1- 12
|
.083
|
1- 1
|
1.000
|
11/ 2.8
|
22/ 5.5
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
|
| Villanueva | 4/0 |
8- 16
|
.500
|
0- 2
|
.000
|
4- 6
|
.667
|
8/ 2.0
|
20/ 5.0
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
|
| Shakur | 4/0 |
2- 3
|
.667
|
0- 1
|
.000
|
8- 8
|
1.000
|
5/ 1.2
|
12/ 3.0
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
|
| Padgett | 4/0 |
4- 6
|
.667
|
0- 0
|
.000
|
2- 4
|
.500
|
11/ 2.8
|
10/ 2.5
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
| Sumpter | 3/0 |
0- 0
|
.000
|
0- 0
|
.000
|
2- 2
|
1.000
|
0/ 0.0
|
2/ 0.7
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
|
| USA | 4 |
133- 276
|
.482
|
25 -74
|
.338
|
71- 97
|
.732
|
155/ 38.8
|
362/ 90.5
|
67
|
15
|
43
|
|
| OPP. | 4 |
99- 257
|
.385
|
14- 70
|
.200
|
80-107
|
.748
|
125/ 31.2
|
292/ 73.0
|
32
|
13
|
26
|
|
| NOTE: The USA finished with a 5-0 record. However, the USA's first victory was a forfeit by Venezuela. Therefore statistics reflect the four games actually played. | |||||||||||||
NOTE: The FIBA U21 World Championship was originally the FIBA 22 and Under World Championship and designed for men 22-years-old or younger. FIBA lowered the age eligibility to 21-years-old or younger in December 1998 and changed the competition name to the World Championship for Young Men. In 2004 the name changed again to the FIBA U21 World Championship and the qualifying tournament was also renamed to the FIBA Americas U20 Championship.
