MANILA, Philippines -- 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.
That was not the case at this World Cup. The American team that lost to Germany, 113-111, in Friday's semifinal had generally good focus. They had outstanding camaraderie. They had strong coaching. Most of the players excelled within their roles, were willing to accept smaller ones than with their respective NBA teams, or change on the fly.
This team didn't have a character flaw, it had a physical one -- they just weren't big enough.