RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Maybe cutting shooting guard Chris Lofton of Tennessee was a bad idea.
The United States men’s basketball team struggled to hit 3-pointers in a 81-72 loss late Wednesday night to Uruguay to start the Pan American Games. The Americans finished 3-for-21 from long range.
Lofton was among 32 invitees to the trials earlier this month in Philadelphia. Most expected the SEC Player of the Year, rated one of the college game’s deadliest shooters, to make the cut to 14.
The Americans, all college players, including several stars such as Georgetown’s Roy Hibbert and Michigan State’s Drew Neitzel, couldn’t overcome their sloppiness or the physical play of Uruguay. Then they looked just as tentative in a 75-67 loss to Panama on Thursday.
The loss eliminated the U.S. from advancing to the medal-round semifinals.
Against Panama, the U.S. watched a 14 point second quarter lead evaporate.
The Americans shot a miserable 37.1 percent from the field and were 8-of-23 from 3-point range.
“I’m proud of our guys. I think our guys are playing hard. I think we played two very good teams,” said U.S. coach Jay Wright of Villanova. “Obviously, I’m disappointed in the outcome, but not in our performance. I think they’re giving us everything they’ve got and I’m proud of their effort. We still have to play a little bit better, we’ve got to execute a little bit better, we’ve got to play defense little bit better, but we’ve got to keep working on that. It’s not over yet.”
The U.S. will conclude pool play today against undefeated Argentina.
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Comments » 5
tnmantravel#531151 writes:
shooting....shooting...shooting....can anyone in America shoot the ball? seems as if all the Americans can do is dunk a basketball....and that is a recipie for defeat....the pro's in the Olympics will also be defeated (again) if they do not find some players that can shoot the ball well from the 3 point line at. When will the basketball culture change away from "look at me, i can jump high and dunk it" to where players chosen for the teams can actually shoot the ball well, then and only then will the Americans have a chance to win the sport we invented.
RockyTop1 writes:
This is typical and why so many NBA teams such as the SPURS have foreign players. They understand basketball fundamentals. A dunk is an ESPN hightlight but give me hustle, heart and basics which usually equals more wins than losses. I wish Chris had made the team, it may have made a difference.
prdark writes:
well the pros usa team added kobe and he can shoot and play defense. and jason kidd to pass the ball to all those selfish superstarts. who couldn't polish the 90's teams shoes. there is no more team basketball everyone wants a big dunk or a big block. well yeah the spurts play on a scale 1-10 they play at 8 all the time. some teams can play up to 10 and then fall down to 5. if you want to beat the spurs you have to play up to 8 and thats why they win. and thats how other countries play.
Colliervol writes:
Good job picking your team there Coach Wright. You leave the best 3 point shooter in the country off your team because he had a couple of tough days in practice. Maybe you can call Chris and fly him down for the next game. I guarantee you he could step off the plane from a 10 hour flight in his street clothes and hit 3 threes.
hueypilot writes:
Sort of like Johm Thompson's Olympic team. He had no three point shooters and he was going to "intimidate" Russia's players defensively, most of whom were in their early 30's, veterans of a decade of international competition, with Thompson's skinny little college kids. No wonder they lost back then and no wonder we lost now. Show 'em they made a bad mistake Chris. If Chris Lofton improves his floor game from last yeat to next year, as much as he did from his sophomore to his junior year, he will be a serious contender for the Naismith award.
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