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By InsideHoops.com

Related link: Olympics main page.

This was the 2003 competition between Canada, the United States, Central America and South America to qualify for the 2004 Olympics.

USA BASKETBALL MEN’S OLYMPIC QUALIFYING HISTORY

The USA, gold medalists in 12 of the 14 Olympics in which it has played, including the last three when NBA players have participated (1992, 1996, 2000), must earn a qualifying spot for the 2004 Olympic Games.

USA Basketball has had to qualify for the Olympics through a zone qualifying tournament twice before, 1992 in Portland, Oregon, and 1999 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Americans in 1992 rolled to a 6-0 record, won the gold medal and earned a qualifying berth in the ‘92 Summer Olympic Games in Barcelona. In 1999, under the direction of Brown, the American squad won 10 games in 11 days to finish 10-0 and in possession of the gold, while earning one of the two Americas Olympic qualifying berths.

FINAL RESULTS OF 2003 AMERICAS OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT

Dates: August 20-31, 2003
Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Venue: Roberto Clemente Coliseum (8,600 capacity)
Teams Competing: 10 Teams Will Participate.

Final Results:
Gold: USA
Silver: Argentina
Bronze: Puerto Rico
4th Place: Canada

Scores of the Finals:
GOLD/SILVER GAME: USA 106 Argentina 73
BRONZE GAME: P.Rico 79 Canada 66

Final Results: All-Tournament Team:
Steve Nash (Canada), Manu Ginobili (Argentina), Andres Nocioni (Argentina), Jermaine O'Neal (USA) and Tim Duncan (USA)

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2003 USA OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TEAM ROSTER:

Head Coach: Larry Brown. Assistants: Gregg Popovich, Oliver Purnell, Roy Williams.
Guards: Jason Kidd, Allen Iverson, Mike Bibby, Ray Allen, Vince Carter
Forwards: Tracy McGrady, Richard Jefferson, Elton Brand, Karl Malone
Centers: Tim Duncan, Jermaine O'Neal, Nick Collison

(Vince Carter replaced the injured Kobe Bryant.)

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FULL RESULTS FOR ENTIRE OLYMPIC QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT:

First Round
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GROUP A
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Team W L
---- - -

Canada 3 1
Argentina 3 1
Puerto Rico 2 2
Mexico 2 2
Uruguay 0 4

GROUP B
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Team W L
---- - -

United States 4 0
Brazil 3 1
Dominican Republic 2 2
Venezuela 1 3
Virgin Islands 0 4

Top four in each group advance

Preliminary Round
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Wednesday, August 20
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Mexico 91, Argentina 89
Dominican Republic 78, Venezuela 76
Puerto Rico 91, Uruguay 78
U.S. 110, Brazil, 76

Thursday, August 21
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Argentina 91, Uruguay 60
Brazil 100, Virgin Islands 74
Canada 89, Puerto Rico 79
U.S. 111, Dominican Republic 73

Friday, August 22
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Mexico 80, Uruguay 68
Argentina 94, Canada 90
Dominican Republic 69, Virgin Islands 65
U.S. 98, Venezuela 69

Saturday, August 23
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Canada 90, Uruguay 84
U.S. 113, Virgin Islands 55
Puerto Rico 92, Mexico 70
Brazil 96, Venezuela 89

Sunday, August 24
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Canada 108, Mexico 72
Venezuela 87, Virgin Islands 84
Argentina 85, Puerto Rico 80
Brazil 104, Dominican Republic 72

Second Round
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GROUP C
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Team W L
---- - -

United States 7 0
Argentina 4 3
Canada 4 3
Puerto Rico 4 3
Venezuela 3 4
Mexico 3 4
Brazil 2 5
Dominican Republic 1 6

(NOTE -- GAMES AGAINST ELIMINATED TEAMS DO NOT
COUNT IN SECOND ROUND STANDINGS)

Monday, August 25
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Mexico 100, Dominican Republic 91
Argentina 76, Brazil 74
Puerto Rico 84, Venezuela 59
U.S. 111, Canada 71

Tuesday, August 26
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Venezuela 98, Mexico 95
U.S. 94, Argentina 86
Puerto Rico 94, Dominican Republic 61
Canada 101, Brazil 97

Wednesday, August 27
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Canada 78, Dominican Republic 75
Venezuela 97, Argentina 92
Puerto Rico 72, Brazil 70
U.S. 96, Mexico 69

Thursday, August 28
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Venezuela 93, Canada 86 (OT)
Mexico 102, Brazil 92
Argentina 102, Dominican Republic 72
U.S. 91, Puerto Rico 65

Top four advance

Semifinals
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Saturday, August 30
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Medal Semifinals --- Argentina 88, Canada 72
Medal Semifinals --- U.S. 87, Puerto Rico 71

Finals
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Sunday, August 31
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Bronze Medal game, Puerto Rico 79, Canada 66 (Puerto Rico qualifies for
2004 Olympics)

Gold Medal game, U.S. 106, Argentina 73 (U.S and Argentina qualify for 2004
Olympics)