Thanks to All!

What a wonderful journey we've had - from training camps, winning the Gold in Mexico at the Tournament of the Americas in the summer of 2011 to the GOLD medal at the World Championship in Lithuania.

Thanks to:

BJ Johnson

Caroline Williams

Samson

Team doctor Diane and team trainer Debi

Coaches Jones, Showalter, Gray

Madison and Pauline

Paul, our Lithuanian ambassador

What a great group of people to be with!  Thanks.

The World Champions!  We will forever follow your basketball careers!

Good bye for now. 

I feel blessed to have been a part of this TEAM USA.
Love ya all!

Landed Back in the USA!

30 hours later and we are back in the USA!  Traveling this time went well - all connections worked!  We are all in Las Vegas tonight staying at the Wynn!  Tomorrow we get to have breakfast with the Olympic Basketball Team and go to practice with them.

Ready for the last leg of the trip - Chicago to Las Vegas

We made it!

Players using their phones once we were back in the USA.

Pizza at the Wynn upon our arrival.

Breakfast with Coach K visiting with our players.

We attended the USA Olympic team's meeting.
Inspirational speaker - Captain Scotty Smiley spoke

Captain Smiley served in Iraq and lost his eyesight.

Don with Coach K!

USA U17 Team with the USA National Team

USA U17s watching the Olympic team practice

USA National Team at practice

Leaving Lithuania with a Gold Medal!

We attended the "friendship party" at the hotel for all the teams and staff, packed, and loaded the bus at 2:30 am.  No time for sleeping.  We arrived at the Vilnius airport at 4:00 for the 6:00 flight.  After a 2 1/2 hour flight we had about a five hour lay-over in Frankfurt.  

the Gold Medal!

Caroline interviewing Coach Showalter after the game.

Diane, Debi and Coach Showalter enjoying the food at the party.

The friendship party at the hotel

Visiting with players from other teams.

FINALS! Game 8 vs Australia

USA 95 - Australia 62      GOLD!  
WORLD CHAMPIONS!


Gold Standard # 15:  PRIDE.  We are the best team in the World and will prove this at the U17 World Championships!

Trophy presentation

TEAM USA!

Justise Winslow - All Tournament Team

Jahlil Okafor - All Tournament Team and MVP!

Coaches with their gold medals!

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What a journey!

Coach Showalter proudly showing off his gold medal!

The Day Has Arrived!

Yes, we are slated for the Gold Medal game tonight at 8:30 (12:30 CT).  So what do we do as we wait for game time - practice in the arena, shop, get a massage, hang out, nap, pack up, and get stuck in the elevator on the way down to the pre-game meal.

SHOPPING/STROLLING IN OLD TOWN

Madison and Pauline in the chocolate shop!

Yum!!

SIGHTS FROM THE PEDESTRIAN WALK-WAY

Coach Showalter catching a little nap.

TRUE STORY - 11 of the players got in the elevator to go from the 7th floor to the 1st floor for the pre-game meal.  As they came around the corner to the restaurant from the stairwell they are all laughing.  The elevator got stuck on the way down.  They used the innercom to let the hotel know.  According to Stanley they didn't really believe them, but said they would send someone.  Then Joel punched the innercom to tell them to hurry as it was HOT in there.   Eleven big, tall guys in one little elevator - I guess it would be hot and crowded! They were rescued!  They crawled out of the elevator that had dropped down some and stuck.  Another memory!!

Gold Standard #6: CARE. We have each other's back. We give aid to a teammate.

After the game tonight the hotel is hosting a "friendship party" for all of the teams and staff at 11:30.  We board the bus at 2:30 AM!!  Off to Vilnius to catch our 6 AM flight to Frankfurt to Chicago, then to Las Vegas.