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Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Basketball players beat Australia in Shanghai but game was sloppy
By Brian Mahoney
Associated Press
Published on Wednesday, Aug 06, 2008
SHANGHAI, CHINA: They couldn't shoot and occasionally didn't defend. Definitely a performance the Americans should be relieved came before they got to Beijing.
Undefeated, but no longer unchallenged, the U.S. Olympic basketball team wrapped up its exhibition schedule with its toughest test, pulling away to beat Australia 87-76 Tuesday night.
The United States led by only four points nearly halfway through the third quarter and was ahead by seven midway through the fourth against an Australian team that was resting its best player, Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut.
The U.S. players still feel like gold medal favorites, but they hardly looked like gold medal locks during this shaky outing.
''Nothing alarming for us. It's alarming when you lose,'' Dwyane Wade said.
''We're still growing. We're still going to get better as each game goes on, but I think tonight we learned something.''
The Americans relied on an aggressive defensive effort to overcome a horrendous night from 3-point range and the free-throw line, the same areas that proved costly in their semifinal loss to Greece in the world championships two years ago.
Wade scored 22 points and LeBron James had 16 for the Americans, who finished 3-of-18 from behind the arc and 20-of-33 (61 percent) at the foul line.
The U.S. team won two blowouts in Macau but found things much more difficult in Shanghai, starting with an 89-68 victory over Russia on Sunday.
Patrick Mills and Chris Anstey, who had a first-half altercation with Wade, each scored 13 points for Australia.
''In the third quarter they knocked down some big shots and I think that got them back in the ballgame,'' Kobe Bryant said. ''And for us, we have to understand that that's going to happen from time to time and it's important to keep our poise, keep our composure and buckle down.''
The U.S. team seemed in control after allowing one basket in the final 51/2 minutes of the first half to open a 44-29 lead.
The Americans left that defensive intensity in the locker room, however, allowing a number of open 3-pointers and uncontested drives to the basket.
''We came out lazy,'' Wade said.
The Australians outscored the Americans 13-2 to open the third quarter, pulling to 46-42 on David Barlow's layup with 6:52 remaining in the period.
''We just broke down. We gambled a couple of times and allowed them to make the extra pass,'' James said. ''We can't have those types of mental breakdowns because these teams can really shoot the ball.''
Bryant scored 13 points and Carmelo Anthony had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the United States, which faces host China on Sunday in its Olympic opener.
SHANGHAI, CHINA: They couldn't shoot and occasionally didn't defend. Definitely a performance the Americans should be relieved came before they got to Beijing.
Get the full article here.
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