ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, August 4, 1996 TAG: 9608050150
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: ATLANTA
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
IT WAS CLOSE UNTIL the U.S. men's basketball team turned the second half into a dunkathon and won 95-69.
The world moved a little closer to finding a solution for the America's Dream Team on Saturday night.
But when things got too close, the United States kicked into another gear and ran away to another Olympic gold medal, beating Yugoslavia in the men's basketball final 95-69 at the Georgia Dome.
Despite a poor performance by star center Vlade Divac, recently acquired by the Charlotte Hornets, Yugoslavia stayed with the NBA all-star lineup until midway through the second half. But David Robinson scored three straight baskets to give the United States a 63-55 lead, then Penny Hardaway scored on a pair of dunks and it was 67-55 and the threat that had the Dome crowd anxious was gone.
Then as the game began to wind down, the Dream Team turned it into a highlight film with some spectacular fast breaks and slam dunks. Yugoslavia's offense, crisp and efficient in the early going, disappeared and so did hope. (Box score in Olympic scoreboard. C4)
This was the 11th gold medal in men's basketball in 13 Olympics for the United States, which has an all-time 101-2 won-lost record.
The Dream Team struggled early, missing shots, throwing away the ball, looking flatfooted on defense and generally playing like some of the teams they've been trouncing in this tournament.
But Yugoslavia got virtually nothing from Divac except some defensive presence. Divac had a horrible game offensively, capping off an unimpressive tournament. He was 0-for-6 before halftime and quickly got his fourth and fifth fouls early in the second half. In international play, five is all you get. He left with four points, no field goals, three rebounds.
Robinson hit nine of 11 field-goal attempts and led the U.S. with 28 points. Reggie Miller had 20, Hardaway 17.
Although it won all eight of its games, this team never had the luster that the first Dream Team did in the 1992 Barcelona Games. That team, led by Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, not only blew out all opponents but commanded the attention of a worldwide audience.
In almost every game of this tournament, the U.S. team struggled early and needed a second-half surge to put away less talented opponents.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. U.S. forward Charles Barkley (center) tries toby CNBmuscle past Yugoslavia's Vlade Divac (left) and Zarko Paspalj.
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