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Plumlee Settles an Old Score by Winning Gold

Mason Plumlee carries a grudge.

That was his demeanor this summer, when he made the USA World Cup team that won the gold medal on Sunday by overwhelming Serbia 129-92 in the championship game.

It was a moment of fulfillment for Plumlee. He was a member of the U.S. Under-18 team that lost in the title game to Argentina.

Silver was acceptable. Gold was the goal.

"It’s a dream come true," Plumlee said. "It’s every player’s dream, and I am just fortunate to be a part of this team."

Plumlee wasn’t expected to be on this team. He was invited to work out with the team in Nevada. But Plumlee quickly impressed Coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff with his smart play and unrelenting effort.

When several NBA stars such as Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge withdrew from the team, Plumlee took advantage of the opportunity.

"I didn’t go to camp thinking I wasn’t going to make the team," Plumlee said before the team left for Spain." I don’t think if you’re a competitor you approach it that way. There were a lot of great players there. I just tried to concentrate on my game, what I can bring, and it worked out."

Plumlee played the same game for the USA that he played for the Nets: He took smart shots, ran the floor, and rebounded.

Plumlee averaged 2.3 points on 60-percent shooting (9-of-15) and two rebounds in 6.7 minutes of play. They aren’t numbers that jump off the page but Plumlee believes the experience of playing on this team will make him a better NBA player in his second season.

“Just every day [working] with some of the best players in the world, you pick up things in practice, workouts and games," Plumlee said. "We just had a good time and I took a lot away from it."

He also settled a grudge.