Oregon's Leunen Scores 12 to Help USA Finish Fifth

The win clinched fifth place for the Americans.

Maarty Leunen scored 12 points in the Pan Am Games' fifth place game. Photo courtesy: goducks.com

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Oregon's Maarty Leunen scored 12 points off the bench to help the USA Pan American Games team defeat Panama 77-74 for fifth place on Sunday.

It definitely wasn’t pretty, nor was it easy.

But in the end a determined USA team (3-2) made the plays it needed to come back from as many as 13 points down.

The win, which clinched fifth place for the Americans, was their third straight after starting the Pan Ams with two losses, including a 75-67 loss on July 26 to the same Panama team.

Washington State's Derrick Low led the U.S. with 16 points, while Shan Foster and D.J. White each added 14.

Leunen, a senior from Redmond, Ore., hit four-of-six from the field and tied for the team high with six rebounds in 25 minutes.

In Sunday’s gold medal clash, Brazil (5-0) jumped out to a 32-15 first quarter lead and streaked on to an 86-65 win over Puerto Rico (3-2).

In the bronze medal contest, Uruguay (3-2) trailed Argentina (2-3) 40-23 but rallied back to capture a 99-93 overtime victory.

Canada captured its first win of the Pan American Games, defeating the U.S. Virgin Islands 69-60 in the seventh place game.

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