Indianapolis, Indiana, USA • August 7-23, 1987

The 1987 Pan American Games marked the first time the event was held in the United States since 1959 when the U.S. captured the gold medal in Chicago, Illinois. This year, however, the fate of the U.S. squad was not the same. Upset by Brazil in the championship, the United States was denied the gold medal for just the second time in 36-year Pan American history.

Head coach Denny Crum and the United States squad breezed its way through its first five games, winning by an average margin of over 29 points. Opening against Panama, six U.S. players scored in double digits to pace the USA squad to a 91-63 win. Argentina fell 85-58 to the U.S. as all 12 USA team members scored.

The USA's shooting warmed up in its next three games and the offense responded with three consecutive 100-point games. Dropping Mexico 105-73, the U.S. shot 59.2 percent from the floor and Rex Chapman scored 18 points. Defeating Venezuela 109-74 the following day, the U.S. again shot 59.2 percent from the floor as Chapman scored 17 points and 7'1' David Robinson added 17 points and 11 rebounds. Shooting 60.9 percent from the floor, the U.S. beat Uruguay 105-81 as every U.S. member scored, including seven in double figures.

Standing 5-0, the U.S. team received its first test when it locked horns with Puerto Rico in the semifinals. Tied at half 39-39, the USA held a slim 74-72 lead heading into the final minute and eventually posted an 80-75 win thanks to the dominating inside play of Robinson and Danny Manning and a strong defense. The U.S. held Puerto Rico to just 41.2 percent shooting and outrebounded them 47 to 36, as Robinson finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds and Manning added 20 points and six boards.

With a sold-out Market Square Arena crowd of 16,408 in attendance, the 6-0 USA team took the court against a 5-1 Brazilian team. The U.S. team, which had won 65 of 67 previous Pan American Games, seemed in total control early, cruising to a 68-54 halftime lead. But Brazil, behind international veterans Marcel Souza and Oscar Schmidt, who accounted for 55 of Brazil's 66 second half points, stormed back to capture the win, 120-115. The 29-year old Schmidt put on an offensive display not many will ever forget, scoring 35 second-half points to help lead Brazil to its shocking 120-115 victory over the United States. Schmidt finished the game with 46 points (7-15 3-pt. FGs) and Souza added 31. Despite foul trouble which limited his playing time to 15 of the game's 40 minutes, Robinson led the U.S. with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while the U.S. scoring was rounded out with Chapman adding 17, Willie Anderson 16, Manning 14, Pervis Ellison 13 (12 rebounds) and Keith Smart tossed in 12.

The United States, which lost only its third contest in the history of the Pan American Games, was led offensively by all-Americans Robinson and Manning. Manning led the squad in scoring averaging 14.6 ppg. and was the team's third leading rebounder, hauling down 5.9 rpg. Robinson was the team's leading rebounder grabbing 9.0 rpg. and was the second leading scorer, averaging 14.0 ppg.

1987 USA PAN AMERICAN MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM ROSTER

1987 USA PAN AMERICAN MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS