Rio de Janeiro (Rio 2016 Paralympic Games) – After 28 years, the United States men are once more Paralympic gold medalists. Themselves just on the rise, they defeated a Spanish side that should also be in the mix for a while 68-52 in front of a packed Rio Olympic Arena.

This was not a "Redeem Team" as the USA Olympic squad was called in 2008, after avenging a terrible showing four years earlier in Athens. The oldest of the USA players on the team in Rio, Josh Turek, was just 10 years old the last time the Americans were the Paralympic champions in 1988. The pain of having a medal disqualified in Barcelona and being upset by Australia in a 1996 semifinal could not be as personal to them as to the players of that time.

The USA defense collapses on Spain's Asier Garcia in the second half of the gold medal game. Photo by Steve Goldberg/SCS Media

That said, since that time, American teams have been good enough but never great enough to get past the strength of Canada or Australia or Great Britain in their quest for gold.

If not personal, this generation still has a sense of history.

"It is a huge deal," said first-time Paralympian Aaron Gouge. "We have been in a drought for many years. We played awesome and it feels great to bring it back to the U.S."

In his first Paralympic Games, Jake Williams led his team with 20 points in the gold medal game. Photo by Steve Goldberg/SCS Media

Gold Medal Game - USA vs. Spain

Awesome they were. It was hard for any team to match the intensity of the Americans, who won every game by 16 or more points, over the course of a game. But the Spaniards did it the longest, within 5 points going into the final quarter. The final would be the closest game.

"We are disappointed because we lost a game," said Spanish coach Jose Manuel Artacho.

"But we know how difficult it is to beat the USA. We stayed in the game for three periods but it was impossible for us to stay in the game."

Josh Turek drives against Spain in the gold medal game of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Photo by Steve Goldberg/SCS Media

On this night it was the heroics of Jake Williams who led the Americans with 20 points including 3 of 5 three-pointers. Brian Bell, who had been a primary instigator for the USA throughout the tournament, followed with 15.

Coach Ron Lykins put together a squad that ran the length of his bench with an authentic selflessness in supporting whomever was on the court. That worked on the court as well. The team, which passes to a fault, had 23 assists on 28 made shots, led by Steve Serio's 10.

"The strength of our team is that all 12 guys can contribute," said Gouge. "We had guys who came on in the fourth (quarter) for the first time in the game and made a big impact that helped win the game for us."

The Zarzuela brothers, Alejandro (9) and Pablo (7), are the present and near future of Spanish wheelchair basketball. Photo by Steve Goldberg/SCS Media

Spain was led by the Zarzuela brothers, identical twins Alejandro and Pablo, with 20 and 16 points respectively. Co-captain Asier Garcia added 5 points with 10 rebounds, 16 assists and 3 blocked shots.

"We had a perfect tournament and just failed in the final," said Garcia. "It was a dream to get the silver. We wanted the gold but the United States was stronger."

"Spain is a terrific team," said Serio. "We knew they would play us aggressively and they beat a bunch of great teams to get here. So we weren't underestimating them.

In the fourth quarter we found our rhythm offensively and that carried us to the victory. - Serio

Bronze Medal Game - Great Britain vs. Turkey

In the only overtime game of the tournament, Great Britain won their third bronze medal in the past four Paralympic Games with an 82-76 win over Turkey.

The match was a series of comebacks for the Brits as Turkey lead throughout most of the game, behind the scoring of Ozgur Gurbulak (24 points), Kaan Dalay (14) and Ferit Gumus (11).

They held the lead at 6-4 and trailed from that point, as much as 10 points, until the 6:47 mark of the fourth quarter when Terry Bywater's three-pointer put them ahead 52-51.

Clutch scoring in overtime by Great Britain's Terry Bywater won the bronze medal for his team. Photo by Steve Goldberg/SCS Media

With 2:30 to play, GB led by 7 on another Bywater three. Deniz Acar cut that to 5. A Gurbulak three cut it to 2, and two Gumus free throws tied the game at 63-63 with 1:07 to play. Gumus scored but Bywater matched to send the game into extra time.

Turkey pushed ahead by 6, 75-69 with 2:22 left in overtime. Bywater then went nuclear, scoring 11 points in a 13-1 run, to push his team onto the podium, 82-76.

"They say, when the game is on the line I show up and play basketball," said Bywater, nicknamed the "Peacock" by his teammates. "But I would not have got the bronze without the guys. We are a team. I guess I save the best until last."

Along with his scoring, Ozgur Gurbulak finished with 19 assists and 10 rebounds for Turkey. Photo by Steve Goldberg/SCS Media

Bywater, in his fifth Paralympics, finished with 25 points. Ian Sagar had 20. Abdi Jama's 12 included key fourth quarter scoring. First-time Paralympian Phil Pratt had a triple-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists.

I knew my experience would count in the end. Those time-outs and the guys are cuddling me and telling me to keep on going. I did it for them. – Bywater

 They came for gold but a dramatic, come-from-behind overtime win had Great Britain celebrating a bronze. Photo by Steve Goldberg/SCS Media

Placement Games

Brazil 70-69 Australia

Netherlands 61-50 Germany

Japan 65-52 Iran

Canada 70-51 Algeria

The final placement for the men in the Rio Paralympic Games is: