Reigning world champions Serbia and Montenegro crashed out of the Olympic basketball tournament yesterday after losing 67-66 to China, who now move in the last eight.
With the sides level on 63 points each with 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Yao Ming scored from two free throws to put China ahead and another free throw from Du Feng with 15 seconds remaining made the match safe.
SCG managed a two-pointer on the buzzer but the Balkan nation still lost by a point. Yao was top scorer for China with 27 points while Pedrag Drobnjak was top scorer for SCG with 16.
The result means SCG drop to 5-1 in Group A while the win lifts China up to third, behind Argentina and Spain. Italy lies in the fourth and final qualifying place and play Argentina in the final group game later in the day.
Spain went 5-0 with an 88-84 win over New Zealand, the other team in the group not to make the last eight. Jorge Garbajosa and Rodolfo Fernandez were top scorers for Spain with 17 and 15 points, respectively. Phillip Jones added 23 points for New Zealand.
Earlier, Group B leaders Lithuania also went 5-0 with a 100-85 win over Australia while in the other group game, the United States had no problems against Angola.
The Dream Team went 3-2 thanks to their 89-53 win over the African nation to go second but it could be overtaken if Puerto Rico beats hosts Greece later in the day. Team captain Tim Duncan was top scorer for the defending Olympic champions with 15 points while Valter Monteiro added 20 for Angola.
Lithuania built up a 52-28 by half time and although Australia managed to cut the deficit to seven in the third quarter the 2003 World championship winning team ran out an easy winner.
Robertas Javtokas was top scorer for Lithuania with 23 points while Kristof Lavrinovic scored 18. Andrew Bogut led Australia with 21 points followed by Glen Saville.
Fischer Makes Perfect Start for Eighth Gold
• Germany’s Birgit Fischer got her campaign for an eighth Olympic gold medal under way yesterday with an important win in the women’s K4 500.
Fischer, who won her first Olympic gold in 1980 in Moscow, teamed up with Maike Nollen, Katrin Wagner and Carolin Leonhardt to beat world champions Hungary and qualify directly for the final. The crew told reporters it was important to win to get a good, central lane for Friday’s race. Fischer, 42, came out of retirement to race in Athens and is also contesting the K2 500 with Leonhardt.
In the third heat, K1 500 meters world champion Nathan Baggaley was beaten by Norway’s Eirik Veraas Larsen by over four seconds and will now have to contest tomorrow’s semifinal. Australian Baggaley is also competing in the 500 sprint which starts today and a direct route through to the final would have been preferable.
