Added September 1
No Canada! Hoops team and anthem slapped by U.S.
Vince Carter leads Americans with 29 in pre-Olympic tuneup
HONOLULU - First, they disrespected the country.
Then they diced up its basketball team.
An afternoon that began with the inexplicable substitution of Beethoven's ``Ode to Joy'' for ``O Canada'' ended in a fashion much expected when the American Olympic team rolled to a 99-70 victory in a pre-Olympic exhibition game here yesterday.
With Vince Carter scoring a game-high 29 points - including an inventive dunk off a lob from Jason Kidd that was one of the offensive highlights - the Americans were too good at every spot on the floor, a fact which surprised no one.
Ray Allen was draining open three-pointers, Kevin Garnett was practically unstoppable and Carter had a relatively quiet, yet effective evening.
The Canadians, on the other hand, simply couldn't stop the Americans and couldn't score enough to stay close. A team that needs to shoot the ball well missed its first seven three-point attempts and didn't get a bucket from beyond the arc until Rowan Barrett made one on the first possession of the second half.
By that time, the Americans were comfortably in command and all that was left was to see what the final score would be.
Carter, who had 13 of his points in nine first-half minutes, also kept up a running conversation with Toronto's Rowan Barrett, jawing with the Canadian at every occasion. Barrett managed to lead Canada with 22 points but he was nowhere near the factor as Carter, who played both shooting guard and small forward in equal parts, hit a couple of threes, had a nice finger roll over Todd MacCulloch and knocked down a handful of free throws.
He was also one of the biggest hits with the crowd.
The chant of 'We Want Vince' began about seven minutes into the game and his entrance drew the biggest cheers.
Carter didn't disappoint with about seven minutes to go as he snuck unimpeded along the baseline behind the Canadian big men, took a lob from Kidd just at the edge of the paint and threw down a two-handed dunk that electrified the audience.
The anthem faux pas (Ode to Joy has been turned into the Drink Milk, Love Life jingle) was explained away by officials as a volunteer hitting the wrong button on the tape machine, which apparently couldn't be stopped once it began running.
Or no one in the gym except the 25 or so Canadians and the team realized something was amiss and the organizers immediately moved on to The Star Spangled Banner.
Canada was able to stay with the Americans for about the first seven minutes yesterday, in part because the Americans took a while to playing a game for the first time and needed to work out some kinks.
However, a couple of three-pointers by Ray Allen, a couple of back to back dunks by Alonzo Mourning gave the Americans a 15-point lead by midway through the 20-minute half.
The Canadians, who'll never win games by out-shooting their opponents or getting into some kind of run-and-gun track meet, were unable to hit with any consistency from the outside.
And their defence, on which they'll have to rely heavily, was broken down repeatedly by the bigger, quicker, better American guards and forwards.
That's something that worries assistant coach Dave Pendergraft.
``Defensively, we're not where we were last year (when the team qualified for the Olympics),'' said Pendergraft, who spends his winter on the scouting staff of the Seattle Superonics. ``We've been together a long time but we really haven't played a lot of games against good teams.''
MEN AT WORK: SUMMER CAMP NO PICNIC FOR TEAM USA cWhen the 2000 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team arrived in Maui on Friday to open the pre-Olympic training, an enormous amount of expectations also came along with them.
Since 1992, when the United States started using NBA players in international Olympic competition, the U.S. has posted a 32-0 record (including Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in 1992 and 1999) and has captured two Olympic gold medals.
In overall Olympic play, the U.S. has captured gold in 11 of 13 Olympic competitions and has compiled a lofty 101-2 record for a .981 winning percentage. So to say the stakes are very high is an understatement.
This point was addressed at the team's meeting on Friday night, when head coach Rudy Tomjanovich gave an impassioned speech laying out the opportunity at hand for Team USA.
"We talked about doing this the right way and that we have an added responsibility," Tomjanovich said. "We not only represent our country but we represent the game of basketball itself. This is an American game and these are the elite from the best league in the world and everyone expects a lot from us, and they should."
Guard Ray Allen said the point was well taken. "Rudy gave us his patriotic speech. In my words, he was saying to go over there and win with humility. We are the best team and we are supposed to win the gold medal, and though there is a lot of pressure on us, we have to handle the responsibility of being the best in the world - hands down."
Gary Payton, who will participate in his second Olympics, feels there is a bulls-eye on their collective chest and there is no other way to approach these practices.
"You have to come out there and establish that you are going to work hard (on defense) and focus in on what Coach is saying," Payton said. "As days go on, it is going to get a lot easier, but we have to keep that intensity. If we don't come out here and play intense and play hard, then that is going to carry into the Olympics. A lot of teams are looking forward to playing us and trying to bump us off so we are playing with that intensity for ourselves."
| USA | REBOUNDS | |||||||||||||
| PLAYER | POS | MIN | FGM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OFF | DEF | TOT | AST | PF | ST | TO | BS | PTS |
| Houston | F | 19 | 3-7 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 |
| Garnett | F | 19 | 5-11 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Baker | C | 14 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Allen | G | 18 | 5-8 | 4-6 | 4-4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| Payton | G | 19 | 0-4 | 0-0 | 1-2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Smith | 14 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Kidd | 16 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Mourning | 13 | 5-7 | 0-0 | 3-4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 | |
| Hardaway | 16 | 1-4 | 0-3 | 0-1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Carter | 19 | 7-9 | 4-6 | 11-12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | |
| McDyess | 18 | 3-3 | 0-0 | 1-3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | |
| Abdur-Rahim | 15 | 2-4 | 0-1 | 2-2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| TOTAL | 200 | 33-64 | 10-21 | 23-32 | 16 | 26 | 42 | 23 | 22 | 16 | 17 | 3 | 99 | |
| SCORE BY PERIOD | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Canada | 25 | 45 | 70 |
| USA | 47 | 52 | 99 |
| Attendance | 7,376 |
HONOLULU, Aug. 31 -- Toronto Raptors swingman Vince Carter scored 29 points Thursday night, leading the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team to a 99-70 victory over the Canadian Men's National Team in a TNT nationally televised contest at the University of Hawaii's Stan Sheriff Center.
Playing in its first of five exhibition games leading up to the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Team USA (1-0) overcame a sluggish start to win.
Carter, 23, tallied his 29 points in only 19 minutes of action off the bench.
"I think we looked pretty good," Carter said. "Me being the youngest guy and the first time in this big event, I just wanted to adjust to what was going on and to have fun. And that's what I did. I had fun. This is for a lot of marbles, this is for the gold. They were finding me and I just happened to be open. The opportunity was there, that's all."
The United States managed to pull away from Canada midway through the first half, but only after a slow start in which the score stood knotted at 6-6 with 16:46 remaining. The game's next three minutes remained tight and after the U.S. built its lead to 11-6, Canada came back with four unanswered points to cut the U.S. lead to one, 11-10, with 13:24 remaining.
Following two free throws by Milwaukee Bucks guard Ray Allen at the 13:05 mark, Team USA reeled off 14 unanswered points to take a commanding 27-10 lead with 8:59 to go in the half. At the 7:35 mark, Carter scored the first of his 13 first-half points, and the U.S. went on to build a 47-25 halftime advantage.
"I was very satisfied with the way we played," said USA and Houston Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich. "We've only been together for five days. We really got the foundation of our offense and our defense and guys are getting to know each other. I think it is the beginning of the process of becoming a team that works together.
"I was very impressed with our movement of the ball. We got good shots and then we shot the ball really well, especially Vince. What we were looking for as a staff was intensity and being a team, finding the open man. I think we graded well in these areas."
Canada played the U.S. tough in the second half and was able to cut the Americans' lead to 16, 66-50, at the 11:55 mark. But Carter came in again in the second half and provided instant offense for the U.S. as he tallied 16 points in the game's final 9:35.
Canada outscored the U.S. 11-9 in the game's final 4:55, but it was too little, too late as the U.S. strolled in for the 99-70 win.
Three other players in addition to Carter scored in double figures for the U.S. Allen had 18 points, Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning added 13 and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett scored 10.
Miami guard Tim Hardaway and Seattle SuperSonics guard Gary Payton each had a game-high five assists.
"When we step out on the court, we have a job to do," added Carter. "And that's to win the game to the best of our ability. We don't take anyone for granted. We have to go out and earn it."
The United States dominated the boards, outrebounding Canada 42-25 behind a game-high nine rebounds from Garnett. On the defensive end, the Americans forced Canada into coughing up the ball 21 times.
Offensively, the U.S. scorched the nets from three-point range, shooting 47.6 percent for the game from beyond the arc while shooting 51.6 percent from the field overall.
The USA continues its five-game exhibition series on Saturday at 1 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET) at the University of Hawaii in a NBC televised game against a USA Basketball Select Team comprised of top collegians.
The USA then takes its exhibition tour to Saitama, Japan, where it will play two TNT televised games, one on Sept. 5 with Spain, and another on Sept. 6 versus Japan.
The final Olympic tune-up will be another NBC televised game on Sept. 9 versus Australia in Melbourne, Australia.
The 2000 Olympic men's basketball competition will take place between Sept. 17 and Oct. 1 in Sydney. The United States, the defending Olympic champions, will compete in Group A along with China, France, Italy, Lithuania and New Zealand. The men's Group B consists of Angola, Australia, Canada, Russia, Spain and 1998 World Champion Yugoslavia.
The USA men open preliminary play in the 2000 Olympics on Sept. 17 against China, then play Italy on Sept. 19, Lithuania on Sept. 21, New Zealand on Sept. 23 and the U.S. concludes its preliminary play facing France on Sept. 25. Quarterfinals play is slated for Sept. 28, with semifinals action being held on Sept. 29 and the gold and bronze medal games are slated to be played on Oct. 1.
Compiled by Gregg Klayman and Mark Popadick
MAUI, August 29 -- Team USA was finally able to scrimmage against a team other than themselves on Tuesday. The Olympic 12 took on Mike Jarvis' USA Basketball Select Team, a squad comprised of a dozen top college players. The two teams battled it out in a quartet of six-minute games.
The USA's best came out flying in the first scrimmage, scoring 12 straight points and holding the collegians scoreless for the first 5:03. Vince Carter netted six points and Tim Hardaway added four as Team USA won handily, 13-2.
Kevin Garnett and Alonzo Mourning owned the second six minutes, as both big men powered their way inside against the smaller college defenders. KG notched six points and Zo chipped in with four during a 13-6 victory. North Carolina's Joe Forte scored four points for the Select Team.
A reverse alley-oop from Hardaway to Carter highlighted the third contest as Team USA prevailed 15-7. Oohs and ahhs came from the likes of Gary Payton, Kevin Garnett and the rest of the USA bench. Hardaway also hit Antonio McDyess with length of the court pass that resulted in an easy jam.
The final six minutes saw KG continue to dominate the Select defenders. Garnett converted on a series of monster slams and led his club with eight points. Smooth shooting Allan Houston poured in six points as Team USA topped the young stars, 18-7.
Head Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said the fresh faces served his team well.
"It was good to play against a team that isn't running our offense. We don't know what is coming and to go against a team that doesn't know our plays (is beneficial)," he said. "That is how it is going to be in the games."
Garnett agreed.
"It was nice to get to play against somebody else, we can play against each other all day. It was good to see different kind of styles. We are pushing ourselves very hard and committing ourselves in practice everyday to get better."
So how did the Select Team hold up against the likes of Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton and Kevin Garnett?
"My young guy, Joe Forte, he was shell shocked. I warned him ahead of time," said Vince Carter of his fellow North Carolina Tar Heel.
"That one guy, (Michigan State's Jason) Richardson, he better watch it. He hit a jump shot and looked at Gary (Payton). It is going to come back to haunt him really soon. It is fun though and after it was all over Gary was down there laughing and joking with all of those guys."
The trash-talking continued after practice as well, when Garnett and Carter spent a few minutes after today's scrimmage jawing at each other in jest over which team was better, Toronto or Minnesota. KG pointed out that Minnesota downed Toronto twice this season, and Carter's only defense was that the Raptors took the Wolves to OT in Minnesota. KG was glad to point out that Minny's first 'W' was by 22 points.
Ray Allen wowed fellow Olympic mate Gary Payton by draining a basket while sitting down on the team bench. Allen attempted two shots and almost sent Payton into shock when the second ball fell through the twine.
"I shoot that all the time," said Allen. "I can't even say that it was luck. Gary doesn't know that. I get everybody during shootaround with that shot, but Gary doesn't know that I usually take those shots. I think if I shoot 10, I can make three of them. As a shooter you need to use your legs, and that is hard to do sitting down."
Center Alonzo Mourning will make the long trek from Sydney to Miami on September 22 to be with his wife as the couple prepares for the birth of their second child. Though it is right in the heart of the Olympic basketball competition, and he will make the same gruelling journey back to Sydney two days later, the decision was a no-brainer for Zo.
"My family comes first," said Zo. "You've got to know where your priorities lie."
Tomjanovich knows that this will add a twist to the upcoming preparations.
"He'll probably miss two (games). We only have four big guys so we have to stay healthy, wealthy and wise. We are probably going to have to work one of our smaller guys, maybe Vince (Carter) or Steve (Smith), to know some of the plays for the four position."
After starting the Maui portion of training camp under cloudy skies and periods of rain, the sun returned on Monday and Tuesday and several players were seen around the pool or the beach.
Not Vince Carter.
"They spotted a 15-foot shark, so that wiped out my
jet skiing. I'm done. I walked out to the beach and saw a couple of dolphins but still, I want to be the only mammal in the water! I don't care, dolphins or not, the sharks) killed that (jet skiing)."
So how has Vince been spending his free time?
"I brought my PlayStation and my Dreamcast, and that takes precedent over everything."
