HoopWatch

Definitely, Team USA has learned their lesson and they are disciplined to adhere to what is necessary in international competition. It’s patience in their ball movement. The zone has been their bane in recent FIBA tourneys. It’s not anymore.

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I love how USA moves the ball around when playing against the zone. They pass from end-to-end, and the bigs are cutting towards the basket. They have had more assists than any team in the FIBA Americas tournament. And those extra passes have resulted in corner-threes or easy rim-rattling dunks.

Puerto Rico has dealt the NBA-laden Team USA the worst in international games ever, a 73-92 loss in the 2004 Olympics. They avenged that earlier as they humiliated Puerto Rico 117-78, and they beat the zone with perfection through constant passing and efficient ball movement.

Although at times, some players to ball hog, but Coach K has done a good job reminding his stars to pass the ball around so that their plays will be effective. In FIBA games, the ball should not stay too long in a single player’s hands because the defense will collapse. Kobe Bryant learned that as the ball was stolen from him when he tried to hold the ball for too long.

The biggest test for the Americans will come this Thursday night against fellow unbeaten team Argentina which boasts of NBA players Carlos Delfino (Toronto Raptors), Manu Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs), Luis Scola (Houston Rockets), Andres Nocioni (Chicago Bulls) and Fabricio Oberto (Spurs). (photo courtesy of yahoonba.com)

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