Erie BayHawks point guard Blake Ahearn made the final 12-man roster for the USA Pan American Games Team.

Team USA made the announcement late Wednesday night. The squad will continue practicing in Tulsa, Oklahoma for the men’s tournament, which will run Oct. 26-30 in Guadalajara, Mexico. USA’s first game is against Dominican Republic.

The team consists of several D-League players that include three guys I predicted would make the team – point guard Jerome Dyson of the Tulsa 66ers, small forward Renaldo Major of the Dakota Wizards and forward Lance Thomas of the Austin Toros.

Ahearn will give USA that outside shooting threat and is money from the free throw line, as you can see below.

He’s getting his shot.

And if he’s on, combo guard Blake Ahearn stands a good chance of making the USA Pan American Team for the upcoming Pan-Am Games.

To be in this training camp, Ahearn had to sign a D-League contract for the 2011-12 season so Ahearn will be back with the Erie BayHawks for this season.

Ahearn averaged 16.9 points and 5.8 assists last season.

Training camp was scheduled to start Friday in Tulsa, Okla. Ahearn was one of 21 players invited to participate in the USA Pan American Games Team training camp that’s scheduled to end Oct. 22.

Ahearn can stroke the long-range shot, is nearly automatic from the free throw line (150-of-156 from the line for the Erie BayHawks in 2010-11), but can be liability on defense.

So depending on whether the coaches want an offensive or defensive team will factor into whether Ahearn makes the team.

The team will have a 12-man roster. The Pan American Games is Oct. 26-30 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

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Even though the NBA is in a lockout mode that shows no signs of ending, there is still news out there about the Erie BayHawks’ sole NBA affiliate, the New York Knicks.

1. Phil Jackson transitions into retirement as New York Knicks questions persist (Sporting News)

2. NBA or bust: John Starks was determined to make it (NewsOK.com)

3. Josh Harrellson stops drunk driver (ESPN)

4. Magic’s Howard, Knicks legend Monroe take in action at West 4th (New York Post)

5. NY Knicks Captain Turns Children’s Author (Publishers Weekly)

6. Time Running Out for Chauncey Billups (SLAM)

7. Brewer wanted to stay with Knicks (ESPN New York)

8. Former Knicks president Walsh regrets not hiring Mullin (Yahoo! Sports)

Stephen Curry has answered all the questions about whether he was too slight in stature to shine early in the NBA.

Ya’ll know Stephen Curry is my guy.

Just do a search of his name on my blog to find out.

When making my predictions for the 2009-10 NBA season, I thought the rookie of the year award would come down to Blake Griffin of Oklahoma and Curry, who was the most exciting college player while at Davidson.

Since Griffin, the top pick in the 2009 draft, had a major injury that cost him the season, (Darn L.A. Clippers curse), Curry became my choice by process of elimination.

For months, people have essentially given the award to Sacramento point guard Tyreke Evans out of Memphis, but Curry has been playing better and better as has his team.

The argument against Curry was the Warriors were a bad team. They still are but the Warriors are 5-5 in their last 10 days. The Kings? 1-9. Both teams are 24-54.

Being part of Don Nelson becoming the all-time winningest coach in NBA history will help Curry, but his play should merit enough to take home the honor.

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With speed, quickness, leadership and a much-improved jump shot, point guard Ty Lawson emerged as one of nation's best players in leading North Carolina to its fifth national championship.

Before the NCAA Tournament began, I picked Pittsburgh, Oklahoma, Washington and Louisville to make it to the  Final Four and figured the Panthers would win it all.

I know. None of them even made it to Detroit. Don’t remind me.

Anyway, my Final Four prediction had a couple of disclaimers. Here’s one of them:

“As much as I think North Carolina has the most talent of any team in the country, just unsure about Ty Lawson’s injury. If he was healthy, I’d have the Tar Heels winning it all.”

Well, after missing North Carolina’s first tournament game, Lawson played through the toe injury, got healthy and led the Tar Heels to their fifth national title.

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Villanova. Michigan State. North Carolina. Connecticut.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo shared a magical moment with former Spartan All-American, Magic Johnson, following a 64-52 win against top-seeded Louisville in the Midwest Regional final to earn a spot in next week's Final Four in Detroit.

I didn’t pick any of those teams to make it to the Final Four.

Dang.

Oh well. Guess I can watch Saturday’s games without rooting for any one particular team and just enjoy the games.

Just for a quick recap, I picked Washington (What was I thinking?), Pittsburgh (Scottie Reynolds, why didn’t you give Pitt at least 1.5 seconds to win the game at the buzzer?), Louisville (What were the Cardinals thinking?) and Oklahoma (Ty Lawson, how did get so healthy so fast?).

Maybe I’ll have better luck next year.

Then again, maybe not.

After hitting the game-winning shot to beat Pittsburgh, Scottie Reynolds (center with black glove) celebrated with his Villanova teammates as the third-seeded Wildcats are headed to the Final Four after upsetting the top-seeded Panthers, 78-76, Saturday night.

As Scottie Reynolds’ game-winning shot trickled down through the nets Saturday night, my NCAA Tournament bracket was set ablaze.

Not literally, of course, but Villanova knocked out the team I picked to win the national title – Pittsburgh.

The Wildcats won, 78-76, on a driving Reynolds’ layup with 0.5 seconds remaining. Levance Fields flung a near full-court heave that had a good chance to go in, but it banged off the backboard at the buzzer.

Got to feel for the Panthers. They get past the Sweet 16, finally, and then fall to Villanova, but their style of play leaves little margin for error.

So going 21-of-29 from the free-throw line cost them the game. Villanova was nearly perfect from the charity stripe: 22-of-23.

Only two of my Final Four predictions are alive: Louisville and Oklahoma.

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Pittsburgh. Oklahoma. Louisville. Washington.

Sam Young (23) and the Panthers will win it all (if DeJuan Blair can stay out of foul trouble).

Ya’ll know me.

I just go by gut feeling on these picks.

So as much as I think North Carolina has the most talent of any team in the country, just unsure about Ty Lawson’s injury. If he was healthy, I’d have the Tar Heels winning it all

As far as picking Pittsburgh to win it all, it’s just time for the Panthers to cash in on all the talent they have. It all hinges on their big man, DeJuan Blair. If he stays out of foul trouble, Pitt will cut down the nets at the Final Four in Detroit.

If not, the Panthers will fold, early.

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