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US, Argentina to square off again
Source: AFP |
August 10, 2012, Friday
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FOR the third straight Olympics, the United States faces Argentina in the semifinals of the men's basketball tournament.
Argentina beat the Americans en route to the gold medal in Athens in 2004. The US took revenge four years later in Beijing, when it also went on to win the gold.
Now, the Golden Generation of Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and Carlos Delfino is beginning to feel its age but has the opportunity to go out with a bang.
"We have maybe 10, 5 percent chance of winning but we are going to fight for that," Ginobili said after scoring 16 points in the 82-77 win over Brazil that put Argentina in the last four.
"We are getting older," said Scola, 32. "We know we don't have two more Olympics. We may not have one more. This is a special chance for us."
Kobe Bryant scored 20 points, LeBron James recorded a triple-double and the Americans rolled into the semifinals with a 119-86 win over Australia.
Down by 14 at halftime, Australia opened the third quarter with an 0-11 run that put a shiver in the US squad. But Bryant made consecutive 3-pointers - he finished with 6 3s - and Kevin Durant drove hard to the basket for a thundering dunk to help the US regain control. James finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.
The Gasol brothers dominated under the basket and Spain held France scoreless for nearly seven minutes in a 66-59 win that sent Spain to a semifinal showdown with Russia.
"We still have to find our flow, we still have to find our best game offensively. But I like the way we were competing today," said Pau Gasol, the Los Angeles Lakers center. "France made things very difficult for us, it could have gone either way."
First quarterfinal
In the first quarterfinal, Andrei Kirilenko scored 19 points and Timofey Mozgov added 17 to help Russia beat Lithuania 83-74.
Luis Scola scored 17 points and Delfino added 16 as Argentina held off a late Brazil rally.
Argentina lost to the Americans by 29 in the preliminary round finale.
"We are going to try to do the same approach, try to turn the ball over less, make a few shots in the second half hopefully, and not let them run. Then if they get inspired and LeBron James starts making 20 3s, there is little you can do," Ginobili said.
Russia's celebration was so boisterous that even coach David Blatt got a bloody nose.
"I was knocked down, but not knocked out," he said.
On the court afterward, players from two nations who used to play under the Soviet Union's red flag, embraced.
Argentina beat the Americans en route to the gold medal in Athens in 2004. The US took revenge four years later in Beijing, when it also went on to win the gold.
Now, the Golden Generation of Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola and Carlos Delfino is beginning to feel its age but has the opportunity to go out with a bang.
"We have maybe 10, 5 percent chance of winning but we are going to fight for that," Ginobili said after scoring 16 points in the 82-77 win over Brazil that put Argentina in the last four.
"We are getting older," said Scola, 32. "We know we don't have two more Olympics. We may not have one more. This is a special chance for us."
Kobe Bryant scored 20 points, LeBron James recorded a triple-double and the Americans rolled into the semifinals with a 119-86 win over Australia.
Down by 14 at halftime, Australia opened the third quarter with an 0-11 run that put a shiver in the US squad. But Bryant made consecutive 3-pointers - he finished with 6 3s - and Kevin Durant drove hard to the basket for a thundering dunk to help the US regain control. James finished with 11 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.
The Gasol brothers dominated under the basket and Spain held France scoreless for nearly seven minutes in a 66-59 win that sent Spain to a semifinal showdown with Russia.
"We still have to find our flow, we still have to find our best game offensively. But I like the way we were competing today," said Pau Gasol, the Los Angeles Lakers center. "France made things very difficult for us, it could have gone either way."
First quarterfinal
In the first quarterfinal, Andrei Kirilenko scored 19 points and Timofey Mozgov added 17 to help Russia beat Lithuania 83-74.
Luis Scola scored 17 points and Delfino added 16 as Argentina held off a late Brazil rally.
Argentina lost to the Americans by 29 in the preliminary round finale.
"We are going to try to do the same approach, try to turn the ball over less, make a few shots in the second half hopefully, and not let them run. Then if they get inspired and LeBron James starts making 20 3s, there is little you can do," Ginobili said.
Russia's celebration was so boisterous that even coach David Blatt got a bloody nose.
"I was knocked down, but not knocked out," he said.
On the court afterward, players from two nations who used to play under the Soviet Union's red flag, embraced.
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