USA 117 vs. Puerto Rico 78
LAS VEGAS (2007 FIBA Americas Championship) - The United States remained perfect at the FIBA Americas 2007 Championship, improving to 5-0 with a 117-78 victory over Puerto Rico on Tuesday night. Kobe Bryant's 11 first quarter points gave the USA a 24-15 lead after the opening period in the final game of ...
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LAS VEGAS (2007 FIBA Americas Championship) - The United States remained perfect at the FIBA Americas 2007 Championship, improving to 5-0 with a 117-78 victory over Puerto Rico on Tuesday night.
Kobe Bryant's 11 first quarter points gave the USA a 24-15 lead after the opening period in the final game of the day at Thomas & Mack Center.
A 10-0 run early in the second quarter extended the Americans' lead to 39-17.
With the USA pulling further and further away as the quarter progressed, it was Bryant's alley-oop to a streaking LeBron James who jammed home the basket with 1:48 remaining in the period which first pushed the USA's lead above 30 points (56-25) and effectively put the Puerto Rican hopes of an upset to bed.
James tallied a game-high 21 points while Carmelo Anthony added 17 and Michael Redd 15 for the Americans. Elias Ayuso led Puerto Rico with 13 points, but connected on just two-of-seven from the field on a night when the USA held Puerto Rico to 36 percent shooting.
At the midway point of the Second Round, only America and Argentina remain undefeated. Those two teams are set to square off on Thursday night and both are assured a berth in the semifinals.
Tim Kuck
USA Basketball