Lake Clifton boys basketball coach Herman Harried, who is serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. under-16 national team, returned to the United States from Argentina earlier this week with a gold medal and lasting impressions.

The U.S. captured the 2009 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship with a 101-87 win over host Argentina in the title game, posting a 5-0 record in the tournament.

"There's nothing like being in a different country and hearing your national anthem, seeing your flag raised and having a gold medal placed around your neck," Harried said.

The team was in Argentina for nine days, following a seven-day camp in Colorado Springs. Harried said the biggest challenge for the players and coaches was getting comfortable in a foreign country.

"Here we are in a different country -- 12 players, three coaches and the training staff. Our goal as a coaching staff emphasized on dealing with adversity. Argentina loves basketball. All throughout the game they whistled and had noise makers. We had to make sure the kids put that aside and dealt with the basics of basketball," said Harried.

The basketball tour doesn't stop there for Harried this summer. He is currently in Dallas assisting Utah Jazz star guard Deron Williams at his summer camp and also will help run camps for Phoenix Suns star Amare Stoudamire and NBA MVP LeBron James.