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Good, come home, rest, and get ready for the season Bruce.
Still though, GO TEAM USA!!!
USA USA USA USA
USA Basketball Senior National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo and USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski announced today the official 12 player roster for the USA World Championship Team. The USA opens FIBA World Championship preliminary group play on Aug. 19 against Puerto Rico in Sapporo, Japan. Preliminary play continues through Aug. 24, with the U.S. playing a total of five games over the six days.
Selected for the 2006 USA Basketball Men's World Championship Team were: Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Shane Battier (Houston Rockets); Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors); Elton Brand (Los Angeles Clippers); Kirk Hinrich (Chicago Bulls); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Antawn Jamison (Washington Wizards); Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks); Brad Miller (Sacramento Kings); Chris Paul (New Orleans/ Oklahoma City Hornets); and Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat).
"This has been a great process, it's difficult especially when you get down to the end because you get so attached to the last members of the team. Gilbert (Arenas) and Bruce (Bowen) are every bit a part of this team as the 12 others guys, it's just we can only go forward with 12. You have to make tough decisions and our group made that decision and we thank both of them. Gilbert unfortunately had an injury and Bruce was right there, he could just of easily be on the team because he did a good job. We appreciate that and now its time to concentrate on the 12 people we do have to go forward and try and win a gold medal," said Krzyzewski.
"I think we're very together; I think we're working hard; We're very unselfish; No one really cares who gets the credit. I think they all have one goal and that is to win. They've been easy to coach. I haven't had to worry about minutes, who's starting, that type of thing, although I do think we need to get into a little bit better rotation than we had when we were doing a platoon system, but we knew we would do that when we got down to 12."
"We now have one phase behind us regarding getting to the final 12 players and it was difficult because we really had a great group of guys. Making the selections was challenging because you could build a case for any one of the players to stay or not to stay. So we made the tough decision, we think the decision that was made protects us where we thought we needed some protection, up front. We have versatility in terms of swing people and defenders, which led us to make the final determination regarding Bruce (Bowen). It was very difficult. Bruce is a quality guy, a terrific defender, but it was a numbers game," stated Colangelo.
"We feel very good about where we are. We've had a very successful exhibition run. We had one little scare that was a wake up call and a good one. Other than that I think we have made progress in all of our games. We know a lot more about who were are and what we need to do. We're very focused, it's a hard working group and there's a lot of good chemistry here and that's something we sought," Colangelo added.
The averaged age of the 12 US players selected for the World Championship is 24.5 years old, with 30-year-old Miller listing as the oldest member of the team and 20-year-old Howard the youngest. The players also boast of an average of 4.25 NBA regular seasons of experience.
Krzyzewski is serving as head coach of the USA Senior Team and is being assisted by Syracuse University (N.Y.) and Hall of Fame mentor Jim Boeheim, Phoenix Suns head mentor Mike D'Antoni and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.
The USA team is scheduled to train Aug. 17 and 18 in Sapporo, Japan, where it will play its preliminary group games of the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Men from Aug. 19-24.
Joining the US in preliminary Group D are China (Asia Zone champion and ranked #14), Italy (wild card qualifier and ranked #6), Puerto Rico (wild card qualifier and ranked #11), Senegal (Africa Zone runner-up and ranked #30) and Slovenia (European zone sixth place finisher and ranked #22).
All five of the USA's preliminary group game in the World Championship will be televised live by ESPN2.
The US will open the ‘06 Worlds on Aug. 19 facing Puerto Rico, a team it is very familiar with. Earning a 114-69 victory in the Aug. 3 in the State Farm USA Basketball Challenge in Las Vegas, the USA owns an all-time 7-1 record against Puerto Rico in World Championship play. In the opening game of the 2004 Olympics Puerto Rico stunned the Americans 92-73.
One day later, Aug. 20, the American men will face a Yao Ming led China squad. The United States is 4-0 against China in World Championship games, last recording an 84-65 victory in 2002. The two teams most recently met on Aug. 7 in Guangzhou, China, and with Ming out injured, the US posted a 119-73 victory.
Following a day off on Aug. 21, the US returns to action Aug. 22 against Slovenia, a team it has never previously faced in World Championship play.
On Aug. 23 the USA men will take on ‘04 Olympic silver medalist Italy. Italy, just prior to the ‘04 Olympics, handed the US a 95-78 loss in an exhibition game held in Cologne, Germany. However, the US owns an all-time 5-2 mark against Italy in World Championship play, having last met in 1998, a game the US claimed by an 80-77 margin.
The USA will close out preliminary round play on Aug. 24 facing Senegal, another team that the Americans have not faced before in the World Championships.
Composition of the other preliminary round groups are: Group A, which will play in Sendai City, consists of Argentina (2004 Olympic champion and ranked #3); Venezuela (Americas Zone third place finisher and ranked #20); France (European Zone third place finisher and ranked #10); Serbia & Montenegro (wild card qualifier and ranked #2); Lebanon (Asia Zone runner-up and ranked #26); and Nigeria (Africa Zone third place finisher and ranked #21). Group B will play in Hiroshima City and features Spain (European Zone fourth place finisher and ranked #5); Panama (Americas Zone fifth place finisher and ranked #34); Germany (European Zone runner-up and ranked #13); host Japan (ranked #25); New Zealand (Oceania Zone runner-up and ranked #16); and Angola (African Zone champion and ranked #17). Group C games will be held in Hamamatsu City and that group includes Lithuania (European Zone fifth place finisher and ranked #4); Brazil (Americas Zone champion and ranked #15); Greece (European Zone champion and ranked #8); Turkey (wild card qualifier and ranked #18); Australia (Oceania Zone champion and ranked #9); and Qatar (Asia Zone third place finisher and ranked #28).
At the '06 World Championship each team plays the other teams in its preliminary group and the top four finishing teams from each preliminary group will then qualify for the Eighth-Finals. Winners of the Eighth-Finals games will advance to the quarterfinals, while losers are eliminated from the compe ion. Winners of the quarterfinals games will advance to the medal round semifinals, while the quarterfinals losers will play in the consolation round semifinals and play out for fifth-eighth places. Winners of the medal round semifinals will advance to the gold medal game, while medal round semifinals losers will meet in the bronze medal game. All games from the Eighth-Finals to the Finals will be played on a one-game elimination basis for the gold medal. The games from the Eighth-Finals to the Finals will be played Aug. 26-Sept. 3 in Saitama, Japan.
2006 FIBA World Championship
Held every four years and considered international basketball's diamond event, the US has had mixed results in World Championship play.
Placing sixth and finishing with a 6-3 record in 2002, the 1998 USA World Championship Team originally was to be a team comprising NBA players. But when labor problems in the NBA prevented the use of their players, the USA team ended up comprising American players who were playing professionally overseas, in the CBA or in college. Despite formulating the team just weeks in advance of the Worlds, the US rolled to a surprising 7-2 finish and the bronze medal.
The US last claimed gold at the 1994 World Championship in Toronto, Canada. Behind the play of World Championship MVP Shaquille O'Neal, and Reggie Miller, Dominique Wilkins, Joe Dumars and others, the US finished 8-0 to take the gold medal and did so in dominating fashion, winning its eight games by an average of 37.7 points a game.
All told, the USA has won nine medals in World Championship play - three gold (1954, 1986 and 1994), three silver (1950, 1959 and 1982) and three bronze medals (1974, 1990 and 1998). Overall, USA teams have compiled a 97-26 win-loss record in the World Championships for a 78.9 winning percentage.
Good, come home, rest, and get ready for the season Bruce.
Still though, GO TEAM USA!!!
USA USA USA USA
I had a feeling this would be the outcome regradless of how well he did. Overlooked and undervalued yet again.
man if the USA gets burned by a opposing SG lol sparks all around
What a surprise. I guess perimeter defense is not what they want after all. Maybe that's why Artest isnt on the team...
Tough luck, Bruce.
I figure that you have figured out how to benefit from this experience anyway.
a little disapointed but not suprised at all.
I wonder if he'll stay with the team and sit on the bench in street clothes or come home.
I'm sure he'll say he appreciated the experience.
Now I really hope Slovenia kicks the U.S. tail.
Seriously, congrats on a job well done Bruce. I am proud of you.
Im so pissed Brad Miller made it....
If Amare was healthy, I'm sure he would not have.
I have lost a lot of respect from Coach K on this decision. Jamison or Miller should be the first ones not to make it. Obviously defense is not a priority.
As long as Arenas got cut, I'm happy
Damn no Bruce vs Manu. I was looking forward to that.
Just out of curiosity is this also going to be the 2008 games roster as well?
The US will get burned from the perimeter in the later rounds. International ball is all about shooters, too bad Bowen will not be there to help stop it.
No. The final 12 for the Olympics will come out of the original 25 invitees (which includes Kobe, Marion, Billups, etc.)
Jamison has been playing well in these exhibition games. I think he's 4th in scoring behind Wade/LeBron/Carmelo.
They couldn't cut Miller because they'd be short of bigs.
They got Bosh, Brand, and Howard. That's enough bigs imo. Miller could've been cut.
From what I saw they barely gave Bruce a chance. He had one bad game to start against Puerto Rico and they never gave him a chance to make up for it. Oh well, how many "role players" get hyped as much as Bruce does?
Then if one of those three gets hurt, you have no real depth. I don't like Miller, but understand why he was kept.
Miller's jumper might come in handy.
Go Argentina!
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