Under the guidance of Gonzaga University head coach Mark Few, the U.S. chalked up its first win on the opening day by downing Venezuela 85-62. Trailing 41-33 at halftime, it was the veteran players who help the Americans rally. Thirty-five-year-old Damien Wilkins led the USA offense with a game-high 21 points, while also adding 10 rebounds, including seven offensive boards; 26-year-old Anthony Randolph contributed 16 points and six rebounds and 30-year-old Bobby Brown scored all 12 of his points in the second half.

On a night when six USA players combined to make 11 3-pointers, it was a 20-0 run midway through the second quarter that powered the U.S. to a 102-70 rout of Puerto Rico. All 12 USA team members scored and recorded at least one rebound, led by 16 points from Brown, 15 points apiece from Denzel Valentine and Wilkins, and 10 points by Taurean Waller-Prince.

In each team's final preliminary round game and a contest to determine Group A’s No. 1 seed for the medal round semifinals, Brazil’s offensive rebounding and 3-point accuracy doomed the USA as Brazil earned a 93-83 win. Keith Langford paced the USA scoring with 17 points, Brown and Waller-Prince each added 16 points and Randolph chipped in 15 points. Led by Vitor Benite’s 34 points on 8-of-11 shooting from 3-point, Brazil made 15-of-26 3-point attempts in the game and outworked the USA on the glass by a 32-28 margin.

The USA-Canada semifinal game was everything the partisan, capacity crowd and ESPN2 audience could hope for. With Canada leading 68-67 in the third period, Valentine drained three straight 3s over 57 seconds to push the Americans ahead 76-71 and the U.S. entered the fourth period owning an 80-74 advantage.

Canada’s Jamal Murray made a deep 3 with 36 seconds left in the game to even the score at 97 and the two teams went into overtime. Minnesota Timberwolves forward Anthony Bennett scored Canada’s first five points in OT to push his squad ahead 102-97, but behind two points from Kaleb Tarczewski and four more from Baker, the USA surged back in front 103-102 with 2:05 left. A 3 from Randolph cushioned the USA lead to 106-104 with 1:45 remaining, but Murray, who finished with 31 points, made back-to-back 3-pointers giving Canada an 110-106 lead with 55.9 seconds remaining. Following a free throw by Canada, Brown scored for the USA to reduce the lead to three, 111-108. Canada missed a deep 3 attempt and with 7.1 seconds to play in OT, and following a USA timeout, the U.S. inbounded the ball from the sidelines to Brown in the corner and his 3 missed the mark giving Canada the emotional win in front of its ecstatic crowd.  Brown scored 25 points and dished out a game-best seven assists, Randolph contributed 21 points and Baker added 15 points.

Trailing by 21, 63-42, with 4:29 left in the third quarter, the U.S. slowly turned momentum around and outscored Dominican Republic 45-19 over the final 14:29 of the game to earn an improbable 87-82 win and capture the bronze medal. Brown led the USA charge with 19 points, Wilkins added 18, Waller-Prince had 12 points and Baker and Valentine each tossed in 11 points.

"We waited until our backs were firmly pinned against the proverbial wall, and then we responded,” said Few. 

"I salute their service to our country. I salute their service to USA Basketball. They could have been doing anything. They gave up their bodies. They gave up their time and all their effort to do this. I really commend them for that," added Few.

2015 U.S. PAN AMERICAN MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM ROSTER

2015 U.S. PAN AMERICAN MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS