Winnipeg, Canada • July 31 - August 8, 1999

Twelve of the top players from the Continental Basketball Association (CBA), competed for the USA in the XIII Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada, and they joined together to post a 4-1 record and return with the tournament silver medal.

The USA men, who fell 95-78 to Brazil in the `99 gold medal game, have now earned a medal in 12 of their 13 Pan Am Games appearances, including eight golds, three silvers and one bronze; and now own a 79-8 (.908) all-time mark at the Pan Am Games.

'I'm disappointed we didn't win, but at the same time I'm extremely proud because these teams were all in Puerto Rico (at the Pre Olympic Tournament of the Americas). Maybe all their guys didn't come with them, but they were all there together working as a group and we were not,' said USA head coach Mo McHone of the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Opening preliminary round play on July 31, the USA opened play impressively with an 89-48 victory against Cuba. The following day, Aug. 1, the Americans claimed a 73-71 win against eventual gold medalist Brazil in a contest that was decided in the final seconds.

On Aug. 4, the U.S. wrapped up preliminary play with a 95-83 triumph against the Dominican Republic to head to the medal round semifinals with a perfect 3-0 record.

In the medal round semis, the U.S. dispatched Argentina 84-76 before bowing to Brazil in the gold medal game, 95-78.

For the third consecutive game, the previously undefeated USA men found themselves trailing by a double-digit margin in the first half, but this time were unable to bounce back against the Brazilians.

To open the second half, Brazil outscored the Americans 10-3 and were ahead 59-39 with 16:04 to go when the USA went on a 14-2 run that cut Brazil's lead to eight points, 61-53, with 12:00 remaining.

But Brazil had an answer in the form of Santos, who finished with 14 points, all of which were scored in the final 12:26 of play and helped his squad hold off the American rally.

The USA made one late charge to cut Brazil's lead to 78-70, with 4:12 to go. But the Brazilians responded by making 12-of-14 free throws down the stretch to secure the 95-78 win and the gold medal.

'I think we definitely feel we're a better team, but we weren't a better team today. Yeah, we haven't played together, that's an excuse if you want to use it, we just got beat,' Damon Bailey (Fort Wayne Fury / Indiana, '94) said. 'We're not going to sit here and take anything away from their victory because they played a great, great game today.'

Leading the United States in scoring and rebounding was forward Travis Williams, who averaged 12.8 ppg. and 7.6 rpg. Guard Michael Hawkins, a member of the bronze medal winning 1998 USA Basketball Men's World Championship Team, averaged 11.8 ppg. and a team high 4.6 apg.; Carl Thomas (Fort Wayne Fury / Eastern Michigan `91), the only returning member of the silver medal winning 1995 USA Basketball Men's Pan American Games Team, averaged 11.8 ppg. and shot a sizzling 58.3 percent (21-36 FGs) from the field; and guard Bailey averaged 10.0 ppg. As a team, the red, white and blue outscored its opponents 83.8 to 74.6, outrebounded its foes 35.4 to 31.4, and held its opponents to just 45.4 percent (119-262 FGs) field goal shooting.

1999 USA PAN AMERICAN MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM ROSTER

1999 USA PAN AMERICAN MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS