T
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2006
SPORTS
3B
BASKETBALL
USA beats Germany at world championships
Itsuo Inouy/ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY BKIAN MAHONEY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Germany's Dirk Nuwitzki (14), of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, looks to pass the ball as USA's Lebron James (6), of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers, guards during the quarterfinals of the World Basketball Championships in Saitama, Japan. USA defeated Germany 85-65.
SAITAMA, Japan — Once they realized they couldn't shoot, the Americans knew they had to make sure Dirk Nowitzki couldn't. either.
Carmelo Anthony scored 10 of his 19 points in the third quarter, when the United States finally took control with its pressure defense, and the Americans went on to defeat Germany 85-65 Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the FIBA world basketball championships.
The U.S. overcame its worst offensive performance of the tournament with one of its best defensive performanes, limiting Germany to 26 points in the second half and forcing Nowtzik to miss nine of his 12 shots.
"Dirk is unstopable, so we tried to send in as many defenders as possible," LeBron James said. "You've just got to contain
guy like that and hope he misses some shots. He only had 12 attempts so we know we did a good job."
James added 13 points for the U.S., which broke away from a onepoint halftime lead by using a flurry of steals and blocks to outscore Germany 16-2 over a nearly 6-minute span in the third period.
The Americans (7-0) remained one of the four unbeaten teams and advanced to face European champion Greece (7-0) Friday night in the semifinals. Greece beat France 73-56 earlier Wednesday.
"We started making shots late, but I thought our defense was great. We made it tough on Dirk and his teammates and that's what it's about. We've got to play great defense to win a championship."
But this was unlike the other American victories in Japan.
Instead of looking like the team that came in averaging 109.3 points, the Americans looked like the ones that have come up short in recent years because of a lack of perimeter shooting. They shot 37.6 percent (32-of-85) and were 10-of-40 from 3-point range.
teammates and that's what it's about. We've got to play great defense to win a championship."
But they kept it from being costly by pressuring Germany's guards and preventing them from getting the ball to Nowitki, who finished with 15 points and five turnovers.
"It wasn't a great shooting night tonight, but I thought it was OK," American guard Joe Johnson said. "We started making shots late, but I thought our defense was great. We made it tough on Dirk and his
The offense needs to get better against Greece and then either Spain or Argentina — whose players watched the game from behind the basket.
Ademola Okulaja added 15 points for Germany, the bronze medalist in the 2002 world championships. The
"I'm happy with the way we executed in the halfcourt against the zone, but wasn't pleased with the way we finished," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We'll shoot better on Friday and hopefully on Sunday, if we get the looks we had today."
JOE JOHNSON American guard
Germans (5-2)
will face France
in a classification-
round game on
Thursday night
and can still finish
fifth.
Leading 40-39 at the break, the U.S. came out with a new line-up — Anthony, James, Johnson, Kirk Himrich and
Dwight Howard — and forced three turnovers in the first 1:01 of the third quarter.
The Germans were still within a point before Anthony followed a 3-pointer with a steal a dunk. Elton Brand's follow shot made it 51-43 with 6:41 remaining in the period.
"In the beginning of the second half, they turned up the heat defensively and they caused us to be a little more hectic," Germany's Johannes Herber said. "We turned the ball over a couple of times and they get easy (baskets) and they hit two or three 3s. And all of a sudden it's 10 points and it's hard to get back in the game against them."
Okulaja made a jumper, but Anthony drilled another 3, then Dwyane Wade made a free throw, Johnson had a basket and Chris Bosh converted a three-point play on an alley-oop that extended the Americans' lead to 60-45 with 1:53 left in the quarter.
The U.S. had five blocked shots and seven steals in the quarter, taking a 67-52 lead on Chris Paul's jumper as the buzzer sounded.
Sitting back in a zone that featured Nowitzkil, fellow 7-footer Patrick Femerling and 6-8 Okulaja along the back line, Germany forced the United States to shoot from the outside. And unlike Sunday's rout
of Australia, when the Americans were 14-of-27 from 3-point range, they were woeful behind the arc Wednesday.
The Americans were 5-of-20 in the first half, including one miss
when Wade appeared to try to bank one in and it missed the rim entirely — and that was while he could still see straight.
Wade went to the bench a few minutes later after taking a shot near
the eye from Pascal Roller while going for a loose ball. He sat the remainder of the half and returned 4 1/2 minutes into the third quarter.
But Germany could never take much of a lead because of foul trou
ble. Both Nowitzki and Okulaja were on the bench in the final minute with three apiece, and the U.S. took a 40-39 lead when Anthony made a 3-pointer with 47 seconds to go.
NFL
Exhibition game to decide future status of some Chiefs' players
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fans who ridicule the NFL's final exhibition game as nothing more than a meaningless tuneup to the regular season have never walked in Jeris McIntyre's shoes.
BY DOUG TUCKER ASSOCIATED PRESS
For people like him and Jamal Jones, what happens during Thursday night's New Orleans-Kansas City game could determine nothing less than their future in football.
Like just about every other team in the NFL, the Saints (1-2) and Chiefs (1-2) will have their top players on the field for only a few minutes in the fourth and final exhib-
tion game of 2006. Be late finding your seat and you might miss Pro Bowler Larry Johnson and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush.
These games are almost always devoted to reserves and rookies, young guys fighting for jobs and veterans struggling to milk one more year out of their playing career.
Since the Chiefs drafted him in the sixth round in 2004, McIntyre has struggled to stay on the roster. But Jones wasn't even drafted and the Saints are his third team in three years. He was thinking about giving up his NFL dreams and enrolling in graduate school when New Orleans invited him to training camp.
Thursday night could be the end
"But when you're here and on the field," he added, "you can't think about the math or you're not going to do your job."
Knowing that each team will probably keep five — maybe six wide receivers, it's hard not to "do the math." That's what players call it when they sit around and make constant calculations as to where they stand.
Pressure on coaches to make the right choice is also intense.
for him. But make a few nifty plays,
and it could also be the beginning.
"I feel good right now. Presseason isn't over though, so I want to have a good showing on Thursday," Jones said. "I've still got some work to do to make it to the final cuts."
As the cutdown to the 53-man roster looms, backup quarterback is another hotly contested area for both teams.
Veteran Damon Huard is probably safe as Kansas City's No. 2 behind Trent Green. But former CFL star Casey Printers and rookie Brodie Croyle are fighting to see who becomes the Chiefs' quarter-
"You always want to do it," said McIntyre. "You do it before the season, through the preseason, when you're sitting at home. People call you and ask, 'Hey, what's it looking like?' So you're always going to do the math.
Todd Bouman and Jamie Martin have been in a spirited struggle in the Saints camp.
Unlike starter Drew Brees, who was acquired from San Diego in the offseason, both have thrown touchdown passes in the preseason.
"There are some guys that have done some good things in this camp and we'll have a chance to see them maybe more than just in the first quarter," Payton said.
"There's going to be tough decisions — I think at receiver," said Saints coach Sean Payton. "There's going to be tough decisions in the secondary."
back of the future.
TONIGHT:
THURSDAY SPECIALS
$2 Double Wells
$1 Domestic Draws
$2 Jager Bombs
THE BOOM-BOOM ROOM.
THE MARTINI ROOM.
THE PATIO.
THE PINE ROOM.
87 YEARS OF TRADITION ONLY AT THE HAWK.
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