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Tuesday, September 19
Italy keeps it close for a half
SYDNEY, Australia -- Italy came at the U.S. men's basketball
team in a different fashion, slowing the game down and getting
physical. It worked for a while -- almost a half, in fact -- before
the Americans made their own statement.
|  | | Gary Payton ducks underneath Italy's Gianluca Basile. |
Emphatic slam dunks by Ray Allen and Antonio McDyess and a
rejection by Alonzo Mourning sparked a 14-0 run near the midpoint of
the second half that spurred the United States to a 93-61 victory
Tuesday.
The Italians gave the U.S. team something to think about by
keeping the game close for longer than many would have expected. It
was a two-point game with less than three minutes left in the first
half, but it became a blowout not long after.
The catalysts were Allen, McDyess and Mourning -- all of whom
were in a brand new starting lineup than the one coach Rudy
Tomjanovich used in the Americans' first game against China.
"We know we'll se different tactics as teams try to figure out
what will work," Mourning said. "But this worked against them
because they got so tired from all that grabbing and holding that
they were unable to put the ball in the hole."
With the score 54-42 early in the second half, McDyess started
the big run with a dunk. Mourning added a turnaround jumper,
McDyess converted a fastbreak layup off a pass from Jason Kidd and
Mourning emphatically rejected an inside shot on Italy's next
possession.
Next came the cappers: Allen racing downcourt after Mourning's
block and taking the ball straight to the hoop for a one-handed
dunk, and McDyess following with a steal near midcourt and an
uncontested dunk for a 22-point lead.
"The easy baskets gave us confidence. We had three or four in a
row," McDyess said.
It was a laugher from there on out as the Americans went ahead
by as many as 34 points and wound up winning by 32 -- something that
didn't seem likely late in the first half as the Americans couldn't
find a way to shake off their pesky opponent.
The pestering style of physical play that Italy would use became
apparent before the game even started as Mourning and Italy's
center, Gregor Fucka, got their arms tangled up three times while
waiting for the referee to throw up the opening tip.
"They came out fearless, and our depth wore them down," Allan
Houston said.
Italy kept reaching in, banging and hindering the Americans any
way they could, then frustrated the U.S. team by running most of
the time off the shot clock before hoisting a shot.
The Italians' tactics weren't all that pretty to watch, but they
served their purpose. The score was 35-33 before Houston made a
3-pointer to start a 10-2 run to close the first half.
Mourning blocked a shot by Carlton Myers just before the
halftime buzzer, pumping his arms afterward. That enthusiasm seemed
to stick with the team through intermission, and the American
players jumped off the bench as one after McDyess scored on a
fastbreak layup -- not a dunk -- and drew a foul early in the second
half for a 52-35 lead.
"Maybe they were looking for something spectacular, but I took
an easy bucket," McDyess said. "I'll leave that stuff to Vince
(Carter)."
Carter led the Americans with 13 points, Mourning had 12 and Vin
Baker 11. Myers led Italy with 11.
Italy never led, and the game was tied after four minutes before
Kidd gave the U.S. team the boost it needed. With the score 10-8,
Kidd pushed the ball upcourt and then dropped it off to Mourning
for a fastbreak dunk. Kidd then cut into the passing lane, stole
the ball and went in for an uncontested layup.
Italy would tie the game one more time at 18-18.
"It was 15 minutes of a rather interesting game," Italy coach
Bogdan Tanjevic said. "After the beginning of the second half, we
really didn't play very well. We didn't stand up to this
opportunity. We could have done more if we had kept doing what we
did in the first half. It could have been less than 20 points."
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ALSO SEE
U.S.-Italy box score
Canada's 2-0 start brings on the medal talk
U.S. men hurdles Chinese 'Great Wall' with ease
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