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The FIBA World Championships are in Japan in 2006
FIBA World Championship Site
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No Pau, No Problem- Spain takes gold with rout of Greece
Despite playing without team leader and top scorer Pau Gasol, who had to sit out the Gold Medal Game of the World Championships with a fractured foot, Spain used its defensive mastery to smother Greece 70-47 to win the country's first World Championship title.
Spain mixed an aggressive, double teaming man-to-man defense with a swarming match-up zone and contested just about every shot the Greeks took. Greece shot 33% from the field for the game and made only 5-of-21 of its three-pointers, quite a contrast from the Greeks hot shooting against the USA on Friday.
Spain broke away from the team that beat the USA, in the semifinals,in the opening quarter. A 20-3 run that began in the first period, ended in the second and put Spain up 28-12. Juan-Carlos Navarro and Jorge Garbajosa were the key players in the run and the game. Navarro scored eight points in the run on two jumpers and two drives to the hoop while Garbajosa hit back-to-back three-pointers.
The Spaniards led 43-23 at half and even though they only scored 11 points in the third quarter they only yielded 11 as well. So Greece was never able to make a run and by the time the fourth quarter rolled around Navarro was sinking back-to-back three-pointers as Spain's lead swelled to 27.
Navarro and Garbajosa made up for the absence of Gasol by scoring 20 points each. Garbajosa hit 6-of-11 three-pointers and had 10 rebounds while Navarro sank 4-of-9 three-balls and had four rebounds and three assists.
Michail Kakiouzis led Greece with 17 points while his teammate Vasileios Spanoulis, who scored 22 versus the USA on 6-of-10 field goal shooting, only had four points against Spain and he went 1 for 10 from the field.
Barney
Roundball Coach
Spain/Greece box
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USA salvages bronze at WC with 96-81 win over Argentina
Audio Version with analysis from Toombs County High School (GA) Head Coach Donnie Arrington.
Two decisive runs and Dwayne Wade's domination in the fourth quarter enabled the USA to bounce back from the disappointment of losing to Greece 101-95 in the semifinals with a 96-81 victory over Argentina in bronze medal game at the 2006 World Championships in Japan.
Argentina started of the game running its offense efficiently and hit four straight shots and 10 of 15 to open up a 21-14 lead. Luis Scola scored 12 of Argentina’s first 21 points. Argentina led 27-21 after a quarter and extended the lead to 43-34 with 4:05 remaining before halftime as Carlos Delfino got hot in the second quarter and scored nine of Argentina’s first 11 points.
The USA finished the half with a 16-6 run sparked by the shooting of Carmelo Anthony, who hit two three-pointers and made a three-point play. That commanding run allowed the USA to open up a 50-49 lead at the break.
The American picked up where they left off in the third quarter and put together a 17-6 run to open up a 67-59 lead over Argentina. Lebron James scored seven points in that rally.
The USA dominated the fourth quarter as Wade took over, scoring 19 of his game high 32 points. Wade was deadly accurate in his shooting: he connected on 13-17 from the field, 3-3 on three-pointers and 3-4 from the free throw line. James finished with 22 points on 8-13 field goal shooting and he had seven assists and a monster jam before the final buzzer. Anthony added 15 points and Elton Brand 11.
Scola, who picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter, scored 19 points for Argentina and Andres Nocioni had 18, Delfino 13, and Manu Ginobili who sat out the third quarter, with three fouls, added 10.
The USA shot 51% from the field but only 50% (15-30) from the free throw line. Argentina shot 53% from the field in the first half, but the USA's improved second half defense reduced that number to 41% in the second twenty minutes. Argentina shot 45% for the game and made only 4-21 on three-pointers.
Barney
Roundball Coach
USA/Argentina box
Bob Ryan’s take on the USA
USA must keep improving |
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WC Quarterfinals
Tuesday Morning
Argentina 83, Turkey 58
Spain 89 Lithuania 67
Argentina beats Turkey in all phases
Gasol leads Spain to semi-finals
Wednesday Morning
Greece 73, France 56
USA 85, Germany 65
Greece shuts down France
Consolation Games
Thursday Morning
Turkey 95, Lithuania 84
France 75, Germany73
Semi-Final Games
Friday Morning
Greece 101, USA 95
Spain 75, Argentina 74
Greece carves up USA
Fifth Place Game
Saturday Morning
France 64, Turkey 56
Third Place Game
Saturday Morning
USA 96 Argentina 81
Seventh Place Game
Sunday Morning
Lithuania 77, Germany 62
Finals
Sunday Morning
Spain 70, Greece 47
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World Championships' Sweet 16
Saturday night/Sunday morning
Germany 78, Nigeria 77
USA 113, Australia 73
France 68, Angola 62
Greece 95, China 64
Germany holds on to edge Nigeria
Greece pressures China and moves on the quarters
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WC Pool Standings
Group A
Argentina 5-0
France 3-2
Serbia 2-3
Nigeria 2-3
Lebanon 2-3
Venezuela 1-4
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Group B
Spain 5-0
Germany 4-1
Angola 3-2
New Zealand 2-3
Japan 1-4
Panama 0-5
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Group C
Greece 5-0
Turkey 4-1
Lithuania 3-2
Australia 2-3
Brazil 1-4
Qatar 0-5 |
Group D
USA 5-0
Italy 4-1
China 2-3
Slovenia 2-3
Puerto Rico 0-5
Senegal 0-5
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Team USA Basketball News
USA eliminates Australia easily, 113-73
No Wade, but Bosh scores 20 as USA routs Senegal 103-58
Anthony and Wade lead USA to a 94-85 comeback win over Italy
USA takes care of Slovenia 114-95
USA 'steals' a 121-90 win over China
USA opens WC with 111-100 victory over Puerto Rico
Day 6 at the WC
USA 103, Senegal 58
Greece 76, Turkey 69
China 78, Slovenia 77
Spain 104, Japan 55
Italy 73, Puerto Rico 72
Lithuania 79, Brazil 74
New Zealand 86, Panama 75
Nigeria 96, Lebanon 72
Australia 93, Qatar 46
Germany 108, Angola 103
Argentina 83, Serbia 79
France 81, Venezuela 61
Day 5 at the WC
USA 94, Italy 85
Slovenia 90, Puerto Rico 82
China 100, Senegal 83
Germany 81, Panama 63
Argentina 98, Nigeria 64
Spain 93, Angola 83
Lithuania 78, Australia 57
Serbia 90, Venezuela 65
New Zealand 60, Japan 57
Lebanon 74, France 73
Turkey 76, Qatar 69
Greece 91, Brazil 80
Day 4 at the WC
USA 114, Slovenia 95
Puerto Rico 90, China 87
Lithuania 106, Qatar 65
Greece 72 Australia 69
Italy 64 Senegal 56
Yao ejected as China loses to Puerto Rico 90-87
Greece nips Australia 72-69 on a last second three
Lithuania routs Qatar 106-65
Day 3 at the WC
Argentina 96, Venezuela 54
Angola 95, New Zealand 73
Serbia 104, Lebanon 57
Spain 92, Germany 71
France 64, Nigeria 53
Japan 78, Panama 61
Argentina is 3-0
Turkey topples Lithuania on late free throws
Turkey over Australia 78-68
Darko’s 20 helps Serbia rout Lebanon 104-57
NZ is 0-3 after loss to Angola
Day 2 at the WC
USA 121, China 90
Venezuela 84, Nigeria 77
Angola 87, Japan 62
Puerto Rico 88, Senegal 79
Brazil 97, Qatar 66
Argentina 107, Lebanon 72
Germany 80, New Zealand 56
Italy 80, Slovenia 76
Turkey 76, Australia 68
France 65, Serbia 61
Spain 101, Panama 57
Greece 81, Lithuania 76
Turkey over Australia 78-68
Day 1 at the WC
USA 111, Puerto Rico 100
Germany 81, Japan70
Lebanon 82, Venezuela 72
Australia 83, Brazil 71
Angola 83, Panama 70
Nigeria 82, Serbia 75
Greece 84, Qatar 64
Argentina 80, France 70
Italy 84, China 69
Slovenia 96, Senegal 79
Turkey 76, Lithuania 74
Spain 86, New Zealand 70
Australia upsets Brazil 83-77
NZ’s Mark Dickel suspended for three WC games
NZ Coach Tab Baldwin is upset with FIBA
Tony Parker hurts finger and will miss the WC
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