Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 18, 1993                   TAG: 9307180201
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: D7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BUFFALO, N.Y.                                LENGTH: Medium

U.S. MEN HOLD OFF CANADA FOR BASKETBALL GOLD

After storming through the tournament with a 42-point average victory margin, the Americans had all they could handle in the final against Canada. They came back from a 12-point halftime deficit to beat Canada 95-90.

Other than the performance by the "Dream Team" at the Barcelona Games, it was the biggest success for a U.S. men's basketball squad since the last WUG in 1991 and only the second significant gold medal since 1986.

Shawn Respert of Michigan State and Michael Finley of Wisconsin each had 16 points for the United States, Ed O'Bannon of UCLA had 15 and Arizona's Damon Stoudamire added 13 points, six assists and five steals.

Jeff Foreman led Canada with 30 points.

The disappointing showings by Americans at the track ended swiftly Saturday.

Michelle Collins of Houston won the first event of the day, the women's 400 meters, with roommate Youlanda Warren of Louisiana State second. Flirtisha Harris of Seton Hall then won the women's 200 and, at night, Clare Eichner of Wisconsin won the 3,000.

Not to be outdone, the men went 1-2 in the 200, with Bryan Bridgewater of Cal State-Los Angeles edging NCAA champion Chris Nelloms of Ohio State.

Then Tony Barton of George Mason won the high jump at 7 feet, 6 1/2 inches. Barton tied with Stevan Zoric, an independent participant from what was Yugoslavia, but the American won on fewer misses. Barton failed to clear 7-7 3/4.

The U.S. water polo team, sparked by three goals from Mike Burke of Long Beach State, won gold, beating Hungary 13-12. Todd Hosmer of Pacific scored with 2:29 left, and Alex Asta of Pepperdine clinched it with 1:10 remaining.

After blowing a 19-point second-half lead, the American women's basketball squad went on a 14-2 run to clinch the bronze medal with an 83-73 victory over Lithuania. It was the third straight international event in which the U.S. women got bronze, beginning with the 1991 Pan American Games and extending through last year's Olympics.

Tari Phillips of Central Florida led the United States with 19 points and eight rebounds. She had WUG averages of 18.8 points and 11 rebounds, both team highs.

China beat Cuba 84-81 for the women's basketball gold.

The first loss for the U.S. women in soccer cost them the gold medal. They fell 2-1 to China. Russia won the bronze, 2-0 over Taiwan.

Japan won the men's volleyball crown, beating Poland 15-1, 8-15, 15-7, 15-9.