USA 84, CAN 80
The USA AmeriCup Team won the bronze medal at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup with an 84-80 victory over Canada on Sunday at Geraldo Arena in Recife, Brazil. This year marks the 10th time the U.S. has competed at the FIBA AmeriCup.
The U.S. trailed at halftime 36-29 but rallied in the third quarter to pull within one possession (57-54) entering the fourth. Gary Clark put the USA ahead, 75-73, on a layup with 1:27 remaining. The Americans would hold on to earn the bronze.
The full game box score is available here.
TEAM NOTES
Key Run: The U.S. flipped a halftime deficit (36-29) in the third quarter. A Norris Cole steal led to a Clark layup, which sparked an impressive 12-0 run. The run was over two minutes of game time and ended with the Americans leading, 48-44.
Helping Hands: The U.S. assisted on 30 of their baskets compared to 16 for Canada. USA came into the matchup leading the AmeriCup in assists with an average of 22.4 per contest. Today's game marked their second game recording 30-plus assists (31 vs. Venezuela, 9/6/22) during the competition.
Rebounds: The U.S. out rebounded Canada, 40-35. Tonight was their third game with 40 or more rebounds. The USA ranks third in rebounds (39.5) at the AmeriCup.
PLAYER NOTES
Gary the Great: Clark had a team-high 18 points (8-11 FG, 2-5 3FG) to go with six rebounds and three assists. He scored 14 of his points in the second half.
Z-13: Zylan Cheatham finished with 16 points (6-8 FG, 4-5 FT), a team-high eight rebounds and one block in 26 minutes. The game was his third-straight scoring in double figures.
Sword Game: Craig Sword logged a team-high eight assists to go along with eight points, three rebounds and a steal. His eight assists are the most by an American this week.
What's Next
The USA Basketball Women's National Team is preparing for the 2022 FIBA World Cup in Australia. The World Cup, featuring 12 of the best national teams in the world, is scheduled for Sept. 22-Oct. 1 in Sydney.
A complete game recap will be posted on usabasketball.com