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Tuesday, September 19
Both teams play down hard play
Reuters
SYDNEY, Australia - Australian Olympic basketball
captain Andrew Gaze said on Monday he hoped tempers had cooled
after clashes during a weekend warm-up with the United States.
Gaze and Vince Carter clashed during Saturday's match in
Melbourne, which the Americans won 89-64.
Asked if there was animosity between the teams Gaze said:
"I certainly hope not. The way Australians are, we have a good
hard crack on the court. Culturally what we're all about, we go
out there and give it 110 percent."
"We kick back and chew the fat afterwards and talk about
how great or how stupid we were out on the court.
"We respect and admire the players and so hopefully we can
be mates as well," he told reporters.
Gaze, the second-highest all-time scorer in Olympic history
and an NBA championship guard with San Antonio, and Carter, a
star with the Toronto Raptors, crashed to the floor after Gaze
attempted a long-range shot.
The incident escalated seconds later when Australia's Shane
Heal shoved a standing Carter. Both Carter and Heal had to be
restrained.
Heal was also involved in a celebrated push-and-shove
incident with Charles Barkley at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
"They're very physical contests," said Gaze, 35, preparing
for his fifth Olympics.
"You definitely don't want to get into a situation where
you're having a blue (fight).
"I don't think you can isolate one incident. By and large
they are really classy blokes that are very passionate about
representing their country and I have nothing but respect for
that."
U.S. captain Alonzo Mourning played down the incident on
Saturday.
"I think they just a got a little tangled up," he said.
Gaze said the U.S. team, which is expected to sweep through
the Sydney Olympics undefeated as the United States have done
at the past two Games, does not have the same aura as the
original Dream Team of 1992.
That 1992 team included Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and
Larry Bird, three of the game's all-time greats. The 1996 team
included Shaquille O'Neal, John Stockton, Karl Malone and
Barkley.
"In years to come, I'm sure these guys will have that same
mystique and that same reputation," Gaze said.
Australia narrowly missed bronze at Atlanta and will be
boosted by the return of centre Luc Longley, a former Chicago
Bulls championship player.
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