Germany 113 - 111 United States

This is the third World Cup I've covered and the third time Team USA has failed to win the gold. Those previous squads have faced learning curves along with issues in focus, preparation, and experience.

Hat was not the case at this World Cup. The American team that lost to Germany 113 - 111 in Friday's semifinal generally had good focus. The players had outstanding camaraderie. They had strong coaching. Most of them excelled within their roles, were willing to accept smaller ones than with their respective NBA teams, or changed on the fly.