BEIJING, Sept. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- LeBron James scored 31 points and Carmelo Anthony added 16 as Team USA grabbed the gold medal at the FIBA Americas 2008 Olympics qualifier tournament with a 118-81 trouncing of Argentina Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada.
James' 31 points are the most by an American player in an Olympics qualifier. Both teams had clinched spots in the Olympics by winning semifinal games, but the Americans didn't let up, remaining perfect in four Olympic qualifiers, including 7-0 against Argentina.
James and Anthony played on teams that finished third in the 2004 Olympics and '06 world championships. The latter disappointment forced the Americans to play in the qualifying tournament this summer.
"I'm tired of bronze," Anthony said. "I'm speechless right now. This is my first time ever winning the gold medal."
"I learned that players can throw their egos and personal accolades out the window," James said. "We came here for one reason and that was to get the gold medal."
James finished the tournament shooting 76 percent from the field 鈥?his percentage actually dropped from 76.5 after he made 11 of 15 shots. He was 8-of-11 from 3-point range 鈥?another U.S. record 鈥?and also led the tournament in that category, hitting 62 percent.
"You don't like to single guys out, but LeBron's performance today was one of the best ones in an international game that a U.S. player has had," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "He was big-time today."
Tournament MVP Luis Scola had 23 points for Argentina (8-2), which lost twice to the Americans. He led a team lacking its normal firepower to a spot in the Olympics, and now turns his attention to making his NBA debut next month for the Houston Rockets.
