HOW IMPORTANT IS SCOUTING?

Perhaps the biggest change behind the scenes that shows just how seriously the Americans are taking the competition involves the evolution and sophistication of their scouting department.

There are three decorated N.B.A. scouts on USA Basketball’s staff.

They have compiled a 37-page report on the Australians. They obsess over basketball minutiae like how often a player goes to his left, who a team’s defensive weak links are and what are the different options on a set play.

They also give a detailed report on each player. For example, Russia’s Andrei Kirilenko has a penchant for slipping screens and sealing his man in international play. Kirilenko is more aggressive at the Olympics than he is in the N.B.A.

After hop-scotching to Puerto Rico, Greece, Spain, China and Japan the past three years, they are not in China to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

From all the information they send over, the Duke staff makes a report that is the front and back of a sheet of paper, which is handed out to the team.

“I think one of the things Tony Ronzone gives us is a feel for players,” Wojciechowski said. “There’s one thing to understand what a team is trying to run, or a guy goes left more than right. Tony gives us a knowledge of a guy’s history. Is he the heart and soul of a team? Is he the guy who takes the big shots?”