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Defense Propels USA Men’s Senior National Team To 101-74 Win Over Puerto Rico In New York Exhibition Game

Behind a double-double of 21 points and 15 rebounds by Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs) and a team defense that allowed just 26 second half points, the 2003 USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team plowed to a 101-74 victory over the Puerto Rico Senior National Team Sunday afternoon in front of a crowd of 16,473 at Madison Square Garden. The game was originally scheduled for Friday night but was rescheduled for Sunday due to the power outage Thursday that affected the northeastern United States and parts of Canada.

The game was the USA’s lone exhibition contest before the United States begins play Aug. 20 in the FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The top three finishers in the Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament will qualify for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

The difference in the game was the USA’s defense in the second half. After allowing Puerto Rico to shoot 47.4 percent and score 48 points in the first 20 minutes, the American defense upped its intensity and the result was 26 second half points and just 9-of-36 shooting from the floor.

“They had 48 points at halftime and shot 48 percent,” said USA and Detroit Pistons head mentor Larry Brown. “We just talked about (at halftime that) our purpose is to defend and rebound and share the ball, and I thought the second half we played more like the way we have to play and a lot of people contributed. I think in general we had a pretty good feeling about the way the game went, but the first half, you know we can’t play that way, we can’t try to outscore people.”

Leading 54-48 at the start of the third quarter, following 3-pointers from Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers) and Tracy McGrady (Orlando Magic), the U.S. slipped out to a 62-51 advantage. But Puerto Rico still had some fight left. Elias Ayuso made back-to-back 3-pointers, and following a hoop from veteran Jose Ortiz, Puerto Rico had closed the difference to three, 64-61, with 3:25 to play in the third.

Duncan ended Puerto Rico’s string of points and after an Iverson three and a basket from Elton Brand (Los Angeles Clippers) the U.S., with 2:21 remaining the quarter three, had quickly pushed its lead back to 10, 71-61. Puerto Rico’s Rick Apodaca nailed a three just before the third quarter buzzer sounded to cut the USA lead down to 75-66.

Puerto Rico started the final period by making one of two free throws, but the game was quickly over after the Americans ripped off 10 straight points to up its advantage to 85-67 with 5:53 to play.

Puerto Rico’s first field goal in the fourth quarter came at 5:37 and they were only able to make one additional shot from the field in the quarter as they scored just eight points for the final 10 minutes. Puerto Rico shot just 2-of-18 in the fourth quarter, while the USA was an even 50.0 percent from the field in the last stanza, making 11-of-22 shots.

Puerto Rico led 9-8 with 7:43 to play in the first quarter, but the USA got seven consecutive points from Duncan to take control 17-9. Behind Duncan’s nearly flawless first quarter, which resulted in 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the field and 3-for-3 from the foul line, the U.S. after the opening quarter led 31-23.

All 11 available USA players scored. In addition to Duncan’s double-double, McGrady finished with 15 points, Ray Allen (Seattle SuperSonics) added 14 points, Iverson was credited with 11 points and five assists, Brand and Richard Jefferson (New Jersey Nets) each tallied 10 points. Jermaine O’Neal (Indiana Pacers) assisted the USA’s rebounding dominance by snatching 11 rebounds, while Mike Bibby (Sacramento Kings) led the U.S. in assists with six.

Carlos Arroyo of the Utah Jazz led Puerto Rico with 18 points.

The USA dominated the glass, outrebounding Puerto Rico by a 54-23 margin. The U.S. finished the day making 53.6 percent (37-69 FGs) of its shots from the floor, including 43.8 percent (7-16 3pt FGs) from 3-point. Puerto Rico shot just 36.5 percent (27-74 FGs) from the field, including 9-for-22 from 3-point.

“I think we have come very far from where we have started just through the five or six practices and the couple of exhibition games (scrimmages) that we have had,” stated Duncan. “People are starting to fall into place and understand what we have to do. I think coach is really trying to tell us we have got to defend and that everything else is going to happen. We have so many guys that can score at any time, guys that are stars on their own teams that score 20 or 25 points a game. So those guys can score any time that they want to. It is about stopping these guys and getting the ball back. We will find a way to put the ball in the hole.”