| Dominate 2nd leads US to Victory |
By Isiah Mungai
August 29, 2010
On Friday the United States basketball team took the floor in Turkey for their first game
of the FIBA World Championship against Croatia winning in a blowout 106-78. This
team that many have been calling the US B team since it’s missing all the great player
who won the United States the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics did all they could do to
make us all believers in them.
They started the game off strong racing to an early 7-0 lead but then things started
going downhill. With 1:42 left in the first quarter Croatia took their first lead at 19-18 on
a follow up shot by Marko Banic. Sadly for Croatian fans this was as good as it was
going to get because once the second quarter starting the US showed us all how well
they can really play.
After hanging on during the first quarter only down 22-20 the Croatians just couldn’t find
the basketball missing 14 of 17 shot in the quarter 12 of them being from three point
range. In the quarter Croatia was outscored by 20 points, 26-6.
Even though they hung tight for 3 of the 4 quarter the Croatians just couldn’t overcome
their dreadful second which caused them to lose this game.
The second quarter showed how this US “B” team can play in this tournament, if they
can sustain that level of execution they can do something that no US team has done
since 1994, win the FIBA World Championship.
With gaining such a large led Coach Mike Krzyzewski had the luxury of resting his
starters and getting all 12 players some good playing time, with everyone playing at
least 10 minutes. The team was led by Eric Gordon who had a team high 16 points off
the bench connecting on 6 of his 8 shots with 4 of them three pointers. Durant, Billups,
Russell Westbrook and Rudy Gay also had double digits in points and Kevin Love had
10 rebounds in just 13 minutes of play.
Croatia was led by 2 players, Bojan Bogdanovic and Marko Popovic, who had 17 and
16 points respectively. Even with teams dreadful shooting these two players combined
to go 8 of 13 from three point range while the rest of them team went 0-11.
Next up for the US is Slovenia on Sunday and Brazil on Monday before they have a one
day break. As for Croatia they face Iran on Sunday then play Slovenia on Monday.
August 29, 2010
On Friday the United States basketball team took the floor in Turkey for their first game
of the FIBA World Championship against Croatia winning in a blowout 106-78. This
team that many have been calling the US B team since it’s missing all the great player
who won the United States the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics did all they could do to
make us all believers in them.
They started the game off strong racing to an early 7-0 lead but then things started
going downhill. With 1:42 left in the first quarter Croatia took their first lead at 19-18 on
a follow up shot by Marko Banic. Sadly for Croatian fans this was as good as it was
going to get because once the second quarter starting the US showed us all how well
they can really play.
After hanging on during the first quarter only down 22-20 the Croatians just couldn’t find
the basketball missing 14 of 17 shot in the quarter 12 of them being from three point
range. In the quarter Croatia was outscored by 20 points, 26-6.
Even though they hung tight for 3 of the 4 quarter the Croatians just couldn’t overcome
their dreadful second which caused them to lose this game.
The second quarter showed how this US “B” team can play in this tournament, if they
can sustain that level of execution they can do something that no US team has done
since 1994, win the FIBA World Championship.
With gaining such a large led Coach Mike Krzyzewski had the luxury of resting his
starters and getting all 12 players some good playing time, with everyone playing at
least 10 minutes. The team was led by Eric Gordon who had a team high 16 points off
the bench connecting on 6 of his 8 shots with 4 of them three pointers. Durant, Billups,
Russell Westbrook and Rudy Gay also had double digits in points and Kevin Love had
10 rebounds in just 13 minutes of play.
Croatia was led by 2 players, Bojan Bogdanovic and Marko Popovic, who had 17 and
16 points respectively. Even with teams dreadful shooting these two players combined
to go 8 of 13 from three point range while the rest of them team went 0-11.
Next up for the US is Slovenia on Sunday and Brazil on Monday before they have a one
day break. As for Croatia they face Iran on Sunday then play Slovenia on Monday.
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