USA Holds Off Puerto Rico 87-71 Earns 2004 Olympic Qualifying Berth And Advances To Gold Medal Game

With a trip to the 2004 Olympics assured to Saturday’s semifinal winners, the USA (9-0 overall) made sure it would be in Athens next August as it fought off host Puerto Rico (5-4) 87-71 at the FIBA Americas Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Four of the USA’s starting five scored in double digits, as Ray Allen (Seattle SuperSonics) scored 15 points, Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs) and Jermaine O’Neal (Indiana Pacers) each tossed in 14 points, and Tracy McGrady (Orlando Magic) added 12 points.

The USA’s leading scorer, Philadelphia 76ers All-Star guard Allen Iverson, did not play against Puerto Rico and is not expected to play against Argentina after suffering a sprained right thumb last Thursday in the first half against Puerto Rico. Iverson averaged over the first seven games a USA best 14.3 points and 3.8 assists a game.

The United States will face Argentina in Sunday’s gold medal game, while Puerto Rico and Canada will meet in the critical bronze medal game in which the winner will also earn the third and final Olympic qualifying berth for the FIBA Americas zone. The USA recorded a 94-86 win over Argentina on Aug. 26 in second round play.

“Well, I'm glad it's over and we're going to Greece (having now qualified for the 2004 Olympics),” said U.S. head coach Larry Brown. “It's a tough game, playing against (Puerto Rico) five times in the last two weeks. It's pretty tough,. but I think we all have a lot of respect for the way Puerto Rico played and the fact that they didn't give up and made it a game.”

Saturday’s USA-Puerto Rico contest marked the fifth time the two teams had met since Aug. 14. The USA and Puerto Rico went against each other twice in practice sessions in New York, then the U.S. won 101-74 in an exhibition game on Aug. 17 in Madison Square Garden. Most recently, the two squads met on Thursday in the final game of second round play and the USA took a 9165 decision.

The game was as expected - an emotional night that saw huge momentum swings.

Playing in front of another sold-out raucous crowd, the USA trailed Puerto Rico 7-4 thanks to a four point play, a three and foul shot, by Eddie Casiano, and a 3-pointer by Carlos Arroyo.

Following a dunk by Duncan off a fast break, the USA moved out to a 16-9 advantage. Puerto Rico countered with six straight points to close within one, 16-15, but Allen started a 9-2 run for the U.S. with a 3-pointer and McGrady finished it with an offensive tap-in just before the horn as the U.S. moved out to a 26-17 advantage at the end of one.

Leading 39-33, the USA finished off the second quarter’s final 3:46 with a 10-4 run that saw Kenyon Martin (New Jersey Nets) slam home a pair of hoops which were followed by three straight baskets from McGrady. McGrady’s last came when Puerto Rico held for a last shot. Reaching in to tip the ball free from Casiano, McGrady recovered the loose ball and dribbled in alone to make it 49-37. Tempers flared at the other end and the two teams had to be separated. McGrady and Casiano were assessed technical fouls.

Outscoring Puerto Rico 9-4 to start the third quarter, the U.S. kept the pressure up and steadily pushed ahead and opened a 22-point advantage, 71-49 with 1:37 to go in the third period. With Puerto Rico’s starters on the bench resting for Sunday’s bronze medal game, the USA lead reached 23 with 8:18 to play.

However, Puerto Rico was not finished and slowly pulled itself back within striking distance.

Reeling off 11 straight points to close the U.S. lead to 78-66 with 5:28 showing on the clock, Brown called a timeout and reinserted his starters.

Allen promptly hit a three to increase the USA lead to 81-66, but Puerto Rico’s reserve Roland Hourritinier countered with his own 3-pointer and when Jose Hatton added another basket, Puerto Rico had closed the lead to 10, 81-71, with 4:08 left.

That was as close as it would get as the USA starting five held Puerto Rico scoreless for the game’s final 4:08 to earn the 87-71 win.

Led by O’Neal’s 10 rebounds and Duncan’s eight, the USA grabbed 17 offensive rebounds and enjoyed a large 42-29 advantage on the glass. Both squads shot poorly, the USA finished shooting 43.6 percent from the field, while Puerto Rico made just 43.5 percent, including 29.2 percent (7-24 3pt FGs) from 3-point.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s game (against Argentina),” commented USA center O’Neal. “It’s going to be pretty much the same type of game, up and down, very physical. Hopefully we’ll have the same outcome as we had last week. They may be the most difficult team to defend because they have smalls setting screens for bigs and their bigs are very mobile. We didn’t get opportunities to see a whole lot of that, but we’re pretty familiar with them now so tomorrow hopefully we’ll be able to counter what they’re doing to us.”

“I play my heart out, do whatever I can do. This is very important to me. We’ve accomplished what we want to accomplish so far, but we want to finish this tournament 10-0,” O’Neal added.

The win increased the USA Olympic Qualifying win streak to 25 games and improved the overall record of the USA senior teams comprised of NBA players to 68-3.

The USA, gold medalists in 12 of the 14 Olympics in which it has played, including the last three when NBA players have participated (1992, 1996, 2000), have compiled in Olympic play a sensational record of 109 wins and just two losses.