Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 15, 1994 TAG: 9408150081
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: TORONTO LENGTH: Medium
``There was pressure on us to win, but it was easy because we had the talent,'' Dominique Wilkins said Sunday after the United States routed a fatigued and outmanned Russian team 137-91.
The first time at the World Championship for NBA players resulted in a clean sweep of eight games, with every victory by at least 15 points. It's the third world title for the United States, which also won in 1954 and 1986.
Dream Team II made a habit of starting slow in its first seven games of the 16-team, 11-day tournament, but the Americans put this game to bed early, making 16 of their first 17 shots and leading Russia 42-16 less than nine minutes into the game.
``We wanted to play our best early, and it was no contest,'' coach Don Nelson said.
After scoring just 40 points in the first half of Saturday night's 97-58 semifinal victory over Greece, Dream Team II matched that just 8:19 into the final and went on to its highest point total of the tournament. Dream Team I's highest production was 127 points in the 1992 Olympics.
``The U.S. has the best players in the world, regardless of whether it's Dream Team I, II, III, IV, V, VI or VII,'' said Derrick Coleman, who led a big early burst. Comparing Dream Teams means people are just trying to divide us.''
Russia, which lost to the United States 111-94 Friday night, was coming off an emotional 66-64 semifinal victory over favored Croatia, a game that ended just 15 hours before tip-off Sunday. The Russians also played without their best big man, Andrei Fetisov, who was not in uniform because of an injured right ankle.
``Last night's victory took everything out of us,'' Russia coach Sergei Belov said. ``The desire was there, but we couldn't do it.''
Coleman scored all of his 13 points during the 42-16 burst that started the game. After shooting 37 percent in the first half of the lackluster semifinal victory over Greece, the United States shot 71.8 percent (28-for-39) in the first half and led 73-40 at halftime.
Wilkins, the oldest American player at 34, led the United States with 20 points. Shaquille O'Neal, who finished as the team's leading scorer with an 18.0 average and was tournament MVP, scored 18 in the final game.
The devastating first half took any drama out of the game for the crowd of 32,616 at SkyDome, the largest ever to see a basketball game in Canada.
In other games:
Croatia 78, Greece 60: In Toronto, it wasn't the medal Croatia expected, but a victory over Greece meant bronze.
Dino Radja had 22 points and Arijan Komazec 21 to lead Croatia (7-1), which entered the tournament considered almost as sure a lock for the silver as the United States was for the gold. Croatia, however, was beaten 66-64 by Russia in the semifinals Saturday night and never got to meet Dream Team II.
Australia 96, Puerto Rico 83: In Hamilton, Ontario, Andrew Vlahov, Andrew Gaze and Shane Heal totaled 77 points, and Australia beat Puerto Rico in the fifth place game. Australia (5-3) matched its best finish ever in the World Championship. It also finished fifth in 1982.
Vlahov, who played at Stanford, had 28 points, while Gaze, who played at Seton Hall and briefly in the NBA with the Washington Bullets, had 26 and Heal had 23, all but two from 3-point range.
Canada 104, China 76: In Hamilton, Ontario, Rick Fox and Joey Vickery each scored 20 points to lead Canada over China in the game for seventh place. Canada (4-4) missed matching its best finish in a World Championship by one place.
by CNB