US gather pace at FIBA World Cup on day of historic wins

MANILA -- The United States gathered momentum with a win over Greece at the FIBA World Cup on Monday, while there were historic first victories for debutants South Sudan and Cape Verde.

Defending champions Spain, Serbia and a Luka Doncic-inspired Slovenia picked up their second wins of the tournament, while New Zealand and Cote d'Ivoire got off the mark.

The United States faced a Greece side missing Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in their second game in Manila, and they wasted little time in showing their quality in a 109-81 win.

"Our thought process every game is to wear the opponent down," said head coach Steve Kerr.

"We're 12-deep on our roster and we're just trying to stay solid on every possession and really put pressure on the opponent."

Austin Reaves led the United States in scoring with 15 points, followed by Jalen Brunson and Anthony Edwards with 13 each.

The Americans were rewarded with impressive performances throughout the lineup, with the hard-working Josh Hart pulling down 11 rebounds.

"He has the ability to do things on the court as every other NBA player does, but he takes pride in always doing the little things on a nightly basis," Brunson said of Hart, his teammate with the New York Knicks.

"He brings that toughness, that effort, and he's a different man. He goes out there and he's relentless."

Antetokounmpo withdrew from Greece's squad on the eve of the tournament, saying he was not ready to play after undergoing knee surgery last month.

The Greeks can still advance to the next round if they win their final group game against New Zealand, who beat Jordan 95-87 in overtime earlier in the day.

"If we want to have a possibility to win the game against New Zealand, we've got to be more physical," said Greece head coach Dimitris Itoudis.

"For them and for us, it's a final."

- Historic wins -

Spain also made it two wins out of two, beating Brazil 96-78, while elsewhere in Group G, Cote d'Ivoire beat Iran 71-69.

In Group B, debutants South Sudan stunned China 89-69 for their first ever World Cup win.

The world's number 62-ranked team scored 15 three-pointers on the way to victory in Manila, putting them right in the mix for a place in the next round.

South Sudan head coach Royal Ivey said his players "stuck to the game plan from the opening tip to the closing horn".

"They were resilient, persistent, they had laser-like focus, they followed the game plan and competed at the highest level," he said.

"They played with emotion, they played with fight, they played with fire. We competed all 40 minutes and we came out with the victory."

The result left China needing to beat Puerto Rico in their final group game on Wednesday and hoping that other results go their way to avoid a first-round exit.

China head coach Aleksandar Djordjevic accused his players of lacking "aggressiveness".

"In moments of difficulty, you have to find your spirit to respond on the floor," he said.

"It cannot be everything on paper -- you have to find it. Those moments are making winning teams."

Serbia beat Puerto Rico 94-77 to stay in control at the top of Group B.

In Group F, Cape Verde also pulled off their first World Cup win, beating Venezuela 81-75.

The smallest country ever to appear at the World Cup were down by 10 points early in the fourth quarter but took the lead with 57 seconds remaining.

"This is a historical moment for us," said Cape Verde head coach Emanuel Trovoada.

"It's a small nation with a big heart."

Elsewhere in Group F, Doncic scored 34 points and had 10 rebounds and 6 assists as Slovenia beat Georgia 88-67.

Agence France-Presse

Football: Smith scores twice as holders USA ease to win in World Cup opener

AUCKLAND, New Zealand  -- Sophia Smith scored twice and set up another as a new-look United States launched their bid to win a third Women's World Cup in a row with a 3-0 victory over Vietnam on Saturday.

One of six members of the USA starting line-up making her World Cup debut, lively forward Smith finished a fine move to open the scoring in the 14th minute at Eden Park in Auckland.

Veteran Alex Morgan was then denied from the penalty spot before Smith struck again deep in stoppage time at the end of the first half in front of a crowd of just over 41,000.

She then set up the third goal for captain Lindsey Horan in the 77th minute, after veteran icon Megan Rapinoe had come off the bench to win her 200th cap.

"I think it was a good starting point for our team in this tournament. I also know that we have a lot more that we can give, a lot more to do, little things to work on," said the 22-year-old Smith.

Vlatko Andonovski's title favorites missed a hatful of chances as debutants Vietnam avoided the humiliation that befell Thailand at the 2019 World Cup, when they were thrashed 13-0 by the United States.

There is clearly room for improvement for an American side who will also play Portugal and 2019 runners-up the Netherlands in Group E, as they aim to win an unprecedented third consecutive title.

However, this was a new experience for many of their side, and for Andonovski, taking charge of a World Cup game for the first time having replaced Jill Ellis as coach not long after their triumph at France 2019.

"Unfortunately we didn't capitalize on all the great opportunities that we created and that is something we are certainly going to focus on in the lead-up to the next game, but the first one is in the books and the focus immediately shifts towards game two," said Andonovski.

That will be against the Dutch on Thursday in a re-run of the 2019 final.

With Rapinoe beginning her final World Cup before retirement on the bench, Smith and 21-year-old Trinity Rodman flanked Morgan in attack on their debuts at the finals.

Right-back Emily Fox, centre-back Naomi Girma, and midfielders Andi Sullivan and Savannah DeMelo also made their first World Cup appearances.

"I have to say I was happy with the way the team played. I think that if you look at the team it is the first time this XI have been on the field together," the coach added.

"To see some of the connections and combinations was very positive."

- Morgan squanders spot kick -

Rodman, the daughter of former NBA star Dennis Rodman, needed lengthy treatment after suffering a knock inside the first minute before going on to have an impact on proceedings.

It was Smith who got the breakthrough though, controlling and finishing off a fine move expertly after Morgan flicked on a pass by Horan.

It was one-way traffic but it remained 1-0 until Rodman was clipped by Hoang Thi Loan in the area just before the break and the Moroccan referee gave a penalty after coming over to review the images.

Yet Morgan, playing in her 19th World Cup match, saw her poor kick saved by goalkeeper Tran Thi Kim Thanh diving to the right.

Instead Smith made it 2-0 towards the end of eight added minutes in the first half, firing through the legs of the goalkeeper and in after a Girma cross had been punched away.

The goal was initially ruled out before being given after another lengthy check confirmed there was no offside.

Rapinoe, her hair dyed blue, entered the fray to cheers just after the hour mark alongside Rose Lavelle, the two goal-scorers from the 2019 final.

Teenager Alyssa Thompson also came on for her World Cup bow just before Smith pounced on a Julie Ertz ball forward and supplied a cutback for Lyon midfielder Horan to score.

Lavelle hit the underside of the bar late on as Vietnam escaped with a creditable scoreline on their World Cup bow.

Agence France-Presse

World Cup chance to 'blow lid off' business of women's sports: Rapinoe

LOS ANGELES -- US veteran Megan Rapinoe said the upcoming Women's World Cup feels like a "paradigm shift" in the global business of women's sports even as inequities persist.

The fight for equal pay by Rapinoe and her US teammates was a backdrop to their 2019 World Cup triumph in France, eventually resulting in a collective bargaining agreement with US Soccer that included equal prize money between the men's and women's national teams and more equal benefits in areas including accommodation and travel.

FIFA has guaranteed that ever player at next month's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand will earn at least $30,000, with the winners taking home $270,000.

At a US media day on Tuesday, Rapinoe said there was still work to be done to ensure the world's best women footballers are properly compensated, but there's no doubt that the Women's World Cup has arrived as one of the top sporting events in the world.

"I think, just in general, women's sports right now feels like we're sort of out of just the dogged fight phase," Rapinoe, who played on World Cup-winning teams in 2015 and 2019, said as the team gathered in California to begin final preparations for the tournament.

"It feels like a real opportunity to blow the lid off just in terms of fanfare and media and sponsorships and the sort of larger business around this sport.

"I think everyone is sort of hip to the game now and understands that this is not somewhere that's just like, 'Oh, we should cheer for the Women's World Cup because that's the right thing to do.'

"It is actually terrible business if you are not tuning in -- you are missing out on a large cultural moment ... this is the premier women's sporting event in the world bar none and this is a paradigm shift globally, not just in the US."

- It's infuriating -

Rapinoe acknowledged that progress didn't mean there wasn't "still work to be done."

Canada's women remain locked in a labor dispute with their federation, with captain Christine Sinclair saying last week she expected at least a temporary solution to be reached before the World Cup squad departed.

Jamaica's World Cup side, meanwhile, has resorted to fund-raising campaigns as they prepared for the tournament because of a lack of resources from the federation.

"It's infuriating," Rapinoe said. "It just like doesn't have to be like this. But I do think it's getting better ... I think that there's a lot more resources that these teams can tap into."

The difference, she said, will be seen on the pitch in Australia and New Zealand.

"You're going to see the best product on the field and that's because players are going to be able to be put in a position to just focus on the game and go out there and provide the entertainment everybody wants."

Rapinoe, the 2019 Ballon d'Or winner who helped the United States claim a fourth World Cup crown in 2019, is one of three players in the squad playing in a fourth World Cup.

They're joined by a wealth of young talent that includes 18-year-old Alyssa Thompson, 21-year-old Trinity Rodman and 22-year-old Sophia Smith, the 2022 National Women's Soccer League Most Valuable Player.

The Americans kick off their World Cup campaign against Vietnam in Auckland on July 22.

Agence France-Presse

History-seeking Biles makes flawed entrance at Tokyo Games

TOKYO, Japan -- American gymnastics superstar Simone Biles got off to a shaky start in her quest for five gold medals and Olympic history in Tokyo on Sunday, as an Uzbeki mother-of-one bid a poignant farewell after a remarkable career spanning eight Games.

At 46 years old, Oksana Chusovitina, gold medallist at her debut Olympics in Barcelona in 1992, has earned the right to occupy her time in more sedate ways than exploding up a 25 metre runway and somersaulting backwards over a vault against competitors younger than her son.

Among those rivals is Biles, who kept the wheels on her bid to level Soviet great Larisa Latynina's record of nine gymnastics gold medals, but her qualifying performances were peppered with rare imperfections.

On the floor, Biles over-rotated after one series of mesmerising tumbles and went off the mat, drawing a gasp from at least one onlooker in the near-deserted Ariake Centre.

She rolled her eyes after another unsteady landing over on the vault, and her performance director Tom Forster expressed disbelief after an untidy end to her beam routine.

"Simone took three big steps on the beam dismount, I've never seen her do that before," said Forster.

Biles qualified top in the all-around and vault, and was second on the floor, with the USA occupying the same position behind the Russians for Tuesday's team final.

But in the beam standings she paid for her flawed ending to lie sixth of the eight progressing.

Biles also booked a place for the uneven bars final, though, which the 19-time world champion missed at Rio 2016, as the eighth qualifier.

While there were many moments of dazzling Biles brilliance, Forster was thankful this was only qualifying.

"We're going to be okay... this is not the finals, this is getting into the finals, this might be a great awakening for us," he said.

He said there was work to do. "Mostly fixing steps on the floor. Staying in bounds would help," he added, putting the lapses down to "nerves".

Biles later chose to focus on the USA's team title defence rather than any personal ambitions of adding to all the precious metal on her sideboard.

"I feel we did a pretty good job. Obviously there are little things we need to work on, so we'll go back and practise and work on that, just so we can do our best performance at team finals, because that's what matters."

One gold medallist from Rio out of luck on Sunday was Sanne Wevers.

- 'Tears of happiness' -

The Dutch beam outgoing champion had to wait 13 minutes for the judges to announce her score but when they did it sent her not to the final, but to the airport.

"They've just told me I will be on the plane home tomorrow. So, my short-term future is just about packing my bags and going home," she said, adding that she had reached the same assessment of her routine as the judges "in a lot less time!".

Another gold medallist, but from much further back than Rio, departing Tokyo was the evergreen Chusovitina.

She received a hugely affectionate ovation from her team, rivals, media and photographers when she narrowly failed to qualify for the vault at her eighth and last Olympics.

Born in 1976, Chusovitina's Olympic odyssey began in Barcelona in 1992, where she won team gold, adding silver in the vault in Beijing 2008.

"We thank her for her contributions to artistic gymnastics," the stadium announcer said as teams, officials and journalists applauded.

She said later she had been crying "tears of happiness, because so many people have supported me for such a long time.

"I'm just so grateful."

Monday sees the first gymnastics title on offer with the men's team final.

Agence France-Presse

NBA All-Stars: Team USA rallies to beat Team World in Rising Stars game

CHICAGO - Team USA found its shooting stroke in the second half and buried Team World 151-131 in the Rising Stars game on Friday to kick off All-Star Weekend festivities at United Center.

The Golden State Warriors' Eric Paschall led Team USA with 23 points, and the New York Knicks' RJ Barrett had a game-high 27 points for Team World.

As Team USA put the game away in the fourth, players stepped aside to let Team USA forward Zion Williamson try a series of spectacular dunks. The New Orleans Pelicans rookie star finished 7 of 11 for 14 points.

Team USA's Miles Bridges of the Charlotte Hornets, who had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists, was selected MVP of the game.

"Coaches were getting on the team saying, 'Are you going to play for real?'" Bridges said of his 13-point surge in the third quarter.

Bench players propelled Team USA into the lead in the third, when the World team was outscored 44-24.

Bridges connected on 3-pointers in back-to-back possessions to cut a 12-point lead in half just inside of the 5-minute mark in the third quarter. Three minutes later, Charlotte's Devonte' Graham made a pair of treys of his own on consecutive possessions, and Team USA had its first lead, 104-103, since the opening minutes of the game.

The Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic sank a shot from half-court with two seconds remaining in the second quarter that helped stake Team World to an 81-71 lead at halftime.

Team USA bailed on a perimeter attack in the second quarter in favor of a barrage of rim-bending dunks highlighted by Williamson's catch and flush of a lob from the Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant.

Team World opened a 37-24 lead with two minutes left in the first quarter, which included one foul and 24 combined 3-point attempts.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

FIBA World Cup: Americans need OT to survive Turkey scare

Khris Middleton scored 15 points, including the 2 free throws that iced the game, to lead the United States to a 93-92 win in overtime over Turkey in the 2019 FIBA World Cup on Tuesday.

The victory, their second in a row, assured the Americans of a spot in the 2nd round.

They join Australia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, France, and Lithuania.

Ahead 92-91 after a 3-point play by Cleveland Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman with 35 seconds remaining, Turkey had a chance to put the game away after the Americans were called for 2 fouls on separate plays.

But Dogus Balbay missed both his free throws badly after an unsportsmanlike foul on Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Harris, and Osman muffed his charities, too, off a foul by Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart.

In transition, Milwaukee Bucks swingman Middleton was fouled on the drive by Osman, before knocking down the game-winning free throws.

Celtics playmaker Kemba Walker added 14 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists, and Boston teammate, forward Jayson Tatum, contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds before he was carried out of the floor on the final play because of an apparent injury.

Meanwhile, Brazil advanced in Group F by beating Greece 79-78, leaving reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and co. to play New Zealand for a ticket to the next round.

Turkey and the Czech Republic, which downed Japan 89-76, dispute the last Round-2 seat in Group E.

Australia, like Serbia, touted as a threat to the US, reached the second round with a Joe Ingles-inspired 81-68 victory over Senegal.

The Boomers defeated Canada in their opener in Group H -- the so-called "Group of Death" -- and recovered from an indifferent start to grind down Senegal with Utah Jazz forward Ingles one assist away from World Cup history.

Australia, who was not at its best, was 36-33 ahead at halftime after narrowly trailing a determined Senegal at the end of the first quarter.

Ingles, who acknowledged that the Australians were "rattled" by Senegal in the first half, was instrumental in the victory with 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists -- just one assist short of the first triple-double in World Cup history.

Patty Mills, the 31-year-old San Antonio Spurs guard, was also in the thick of it for the Boomers, drilling 22 points.

Coach Andrej Lemanis called Senegal the tallest team he had faced and said that his side had been "a little clunky at times" offensively.

"Senegal present some unique challenges with their overall size," he said. — With a report from Agence France-Presse

source: news.abs-cbn.com

At FIBA World Cup, USA basketball flirts with vulnerability

Coach Gregg Popovich had his clipboard out in the final seconds to illustrate for Kemba Walker what he wanted on a potential game-tying possession for the U.S. national team. Australia’s Joe Ingles and Matthew Dellavedova sneaked up beside them to eavesdrop on the instructions.

It is difficult to imagine Ingles, playing for the Utah Jazz, or Dellavedova, with the Cleveland Cavaliers, having the gumption to try such a maneuver in an NBA game. Not with the intimidating sideline presence Popovich casts with the San Antonio Spurs.

Yet this was an exhibition game in Melbourne, Australia, on Saturday, with more than 50,000 fans in the stadium — and with Popovich presiding over the most star-shy collection of NBA players to represent the United States since professionals were granted admittance to Olympic basketball competition in 1992.

In that moment — and especially at the final buzzer after Australia held on for a 98-94 victory — it was clear: This U.S. national team inspires nothing close to its usual fear factor after all but two current NBA All-Stars declined invitations to play in the FIBA World Cup.

“That mindset has changed,” said Andrew Bogut, Australia’s veteran center, in a telephone interview from China, where the 32-team World Cup begins Saturday.

“When I first joined the national team, we never really had that true belief of beating the USA. Whereas now we genuinely think, if we play it the right way, we have a chance to beat them.”

The Australians, to be fair, entered their recent two-game exhibition series against the Americans sporting more confidence than most opponents would likely muster. At the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, remember, Australia led at halftime and briefly reclaimed the lead in the fourth quarter against a U.S. team that featured Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and several other marquee names.

But Australia’s victory last week — even in a game that didn’t actually count — has emboldened a handful of other World Cup hopefuls. It brought a halt to the United States’ run of 78 consecutive wins in tournament and exhibition play dating to the semifinals of the 2006 world championship in Japan — and it underlined how far short this U.S. roster falls from its typical level of star power.

“They’re a relatively young and inexperienced FIBA team, which does make a difference, believe it or not,” Bogut said, referring in part to the increased physicality typically allowed by FIBA referees in a mere 40-minute (rather than 48-minute) game.

“And they haven’t played together very much. Hopefully — selfishly from our point of view — it doesn’t click for them. They’re still the clear favorites, but they are beatable.”

USA Basketball’s difficulties in assembling a 12-man roster for its first major competition in three years, and its first since Popovich succeeded Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski as coach, have been well-chronicled. The Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis, Houston’s James Harden, Portland’s Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and Washington’s Bradley Beal highlight a long list of players who initially agreed to play this summer and then withdrew.

In the end, USAB officials talked to more than 50 players before settling upon a group that features Boston’s Walker and Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton as the only All-Stars from last season. Veteran center Brook Lopez, Middleton’s Bucks teammate, is the only other player on the 12-man roster with an All-Star appearance (one) on his resume.

The best player in the tournament, for the first time in decades, will not be found on the U.S. roster: Greece (Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo) or Serbia (Denver’s Nikola Jokic) will hold that distinction.

Serbia, Spain, France, Greece and, yes, Australia are regarded as the countries most likely to threaten a U.S. team that, as USAB Managing Director Jerry Colangelo acknowledged in early August, was seen as “vulnerable” before it began to start practicing.

The issues besides continuity: Popovich’s squad lacks frontcourt depth and playmaking. Shooting was also a problem in the loss to the Australia, where the Americans shot 2-for-14 from 3-point range.

Dynamic guard play is typically the difference-maker for the United States, because it is often difficult for foreign opponents to match its backcourt speed and athleticism. But the duo of Walker and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell — two players accustomed to having the ball in their hands — is still trying to establish chemistry.

Mitchell has been one of the most upbeat and outwardly confident members of the U.S. team in the face of weeks of gloom-and-doom talk, but even he acknowledged before the Americans left the country Aug. 17: “I think a lot of teams think they see an opening.”

The United States posted a 3-1 record in exhibition play, with wins over Spain and Canada sandwiching a 16-point victory in its series opener with Australia. Although the rebounding and defensive activity at center from Indiana’s Myles Turner has been a bright spot, Popovich is clearly still searching for dependable lineup combinations after giving 10 of his 12 players at least one start so far.

Some good news: The United States would appear to have three very favorable matchups in Group E against the Czech Republic, an Enes Kanter-less Turkey squad and Japan (led by the Washington Wizards’ first-round pick Rui Hachimura.) That could help build momentum before its expected second-round encounter with Greece and Antetokounmpo. Additionally, Spain and France are teams in transition without their respective longtime stalwarts Pau Gasol and Tony Parker, contributing to the perception that overall field is weaker than it was in 2014, when the World Cup was last held.

“We were humbled a little bit,” Turner said of the Australia loss. “Just because you are Team USA doesn’t mean you are going to win every game. Teams are looking to beat us, and we understand that now.”

Said Popovich: “If you have a bad day, what do you do? Jump in a hole somewhere? You go to work the next day.”

Bogut, mind you, is also preaching Popovich-style pragmatism — even in the wake of Australia’s most momentous basketball triumph. He doesn’t hide from the fact that the Boomers, as they are known back home, have yet to win a medal of note despite being able to claim 11 active NBA players.

“People forget we lost to Canada the week before the USA game,” Bogut said. “We had an absolute stinker.

“I think we’ll have a target on our back, too, now. People will come at even us more now. The dangerous thing is to think we’ve accomplished something, when in reality we still haven’t done anything at a major tournament. We have bigger goals than just winning an exhibition game.”

source: news.abs-cbn.com

FIBA: Walker leads US to easy win over Australia in World Cup warm-up

MELBOURNE -- Boston guard Kemba Walker dazzled with 23 points as the United States ramped up preparations for the defense of their World Cup crown with an impressive 102-86 victory over Australia in a warm-up game Thursday.

Myles Turner added 15 points with 14 rebounds while Donovan Mitchell scored 13 with three assists to build on their recent victory over world number two Spain en-route to China for the tournament that tips off on August 31.

Chris Goulding led Australia with 19 points off the bench, along with San Antonio Spurs' Patty Mills, who had two rebounds and three assists in front of more than 50,000 fans at Melbourne's Marvel Stadium.

"I'm one of the leaders of this team so I just try to do my best for my teammates," said Walker, who was appointed captain for the game.

"I'm super happy to be here. I want to inspire the young kids coming up."

The five-time world champions, ranked number one in the world by international governing body FIBA, started on a 6-0 run before Mills got Australia on the board, with the Americans ending the first quarter 22-20 in front.

They raced to an 11 point advantage before Goulding drained back-to-back threes and Mills hit from deep just before the buzzer to trim the margin to just one point, 44-43, at the half-way mark.

But Team USA then went on a 10-0 spree, reeling off a trio of three-pointers, to assert their authority, finishing three-quarter time comfortably ahead 76-61 before closing it out.

"We are looking to build and grow," said Australia's Mills. "The World Cup is where we want to peak and this was a good hit out for us."

Coach Gregg Popovich's USA squad -- which needs to be trimmed to 12 from the current 13 -- head to the World Cup as favorites despite missing a host of top NBA stars.

LeBron James, James Harden, Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard all opted out, while others such as Houston Rockets forward P.J. Tucker are injured, leaving a depleted, but still talented, line-up who have not had much match time together.

While Australia, widely seen as a medal contender, boasts a handful of NBA stars, including Utah Jazz's Joe Ingles and Mills, they too have had to deal with withdrawals.

Philadelphia 76s' Jonah Bolden pulled out this week, joining Ben Simmons and Thon Maker (NBA commitments), Ryan Broekhoff (birth of his child) and Dante Exum (injury) as no-shows .

The two teams play each other again in Melbourne on Saturday.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

FIBA: Tucker leaves Team USA due to ankle injury

Houston Rockets forward P.J. Tucker is the latest to leave Team USA, doing so Friday because of a minor left ankle sprain suffered in practice Thursday.

He will return to Houston and prepare for Rockets' training camp.

Tucker is the second player to leave due to injury since Team USA held its first organized scrimmage last week in Las Vegas. Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry withdrew on Monday due to his surgically repaired left thumb.

Team USA was set to test itself against Spain on Friday night in Anaheim, Calif., before heading to Australia for three more exhibition games in advance of the FIBA World Cup, which begins Aug. 31 in China.

Tucker, 34, averaged 7.3 points and 5.8 rebounds while playing in all 82 games for the Rockets for the second consecutive season.

The two withdrawals leave Team USA with 14 players competing for spots on the 12-man roster -- which doesn't have to be finalized until Aug. 29. The remaining participants:

Guards -- De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento; Joe Harris, Brooklyn; Donovan Mitchell, Utah; Marcus Smart, Boston; Kemba Walker, Boston; Derrick White, San Antonio.

Forwards -- Harrison Barnes, Sacramento; Jaylen Brown, Boston; Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers; Khris Middleton, Milwaukee; Jayson Tatum, Boston.

Centers -- Brook Lopez, Milwaukee; Mason Plumlee, Denver; Myles Turner, Indiana.

The 32-team World Cup is scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 15. Team USA plays its first game on Sept. 1 against the Czech Republic in Shanghai.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

FIBA World Cup: De'Aaron Fox to withdraw from Team USA

Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox is leaving Team USA to focus on the upcoming season, Yahoo Sports reported Saturday.

Fox is the third player to leave the roster this week. Houston Rockets forward PJ Tucker pulled out with an ankle injury Friday, and Toronto Raptors guard Kyle Lowry withdrew Monday with a thumb injury.

Fox had 2 points and 1 assist in about 6 minutes of playing time in Friday night's 90-81 victory against Spain in an exhibition game in Anaheim, a tune-up for the upcoming FIBA World Cup in Shanghai, China.

Fox, 21, averaged 17.3 points, 7.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 81 games in his second NBA season in 2018-19.

Fox's withdrawal leaves Team USA with 13 players competing for spots on the 12-man roster, which doesn't have to be finalized until Aug. 29. The remaining participants:

Guards: Joe Harris, Brooklyn; Donovan Mitchell, Utah; Marcus Smart, Boston; Kemba Walker, Boston; Derrick White, San Antonio.

Forwards: Harrison Barnes, Sacramento; Jaylen Brown, Boston; Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers; Khris Middleton, Milwaukee; Jayson Tatum, Boston.

Centers: Brook Lopez, Milwaukee; Mason Plumlee, Denver; Myles Turner, Indiana.

The U.S. squad, coached by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, is scheduled to play three games -- two against Australia, one against Canada -- and practice five times in Australia before heading to Shanghai.

The 32-team World Cup is scheduled for Aug. 31-Sept. 15. Team USA plays its first game on Sept. 1 against the Czech Republic.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Football: Ellis to step down as head coach of U.S. women's team

Jill Ellis, who became the first female coach in history to win back-to-back World Cups, will step down as boss of the U.S. women's national team in early October, she said on Tuesday.

Ellis, 52, who steered the U.S. to a record-extending fourth World Cup title in France earlier this month, called the move "bittersweet", but said her decision to walk away after the team's victory tour was in line with the timeline she envisioned when she was first appointed in May 2014.

"It has been an amazing ride," said Ellis, who added that she wanted to spend extra time with her family after more than five years at the helm of the team.

"The timing of this is not just geared toward me on a personal level but also for the program as it prepares to start a new cycle," she told reporters on a conference call.

"It just felt right, it felt good and I'm in a really good place with the decision," added Ellis who won 102 of her 127 matches in charge.

At this year's World Cup in France, Ellis guided her side to victory in each of their seven games in what was arguably the greatest achievement in the team's history, three years after they missed out on a medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

At the end of 2015, Ellis, who won eight tournaments with the U.S. including her two World Cup titles, was named the FIFA World Coach of the Year and CONCACAF Coach of the Year for Women’s Soccer.

Ellis, who was born in England and moved to the U.S. in 1981, said the team would benefit from a fresh perspective.

"I firmly believe that this is not a job that someone should sit in for 10 years. I think change is good," she said.

"A position like this shouldn't be forever."

Ellis will continue to work for U.S. Soccer for at least the next year as an ambassador, which will include representing the Federation at events.

Yet she does not have many other concrete plans.

"When you go through something that's intensive and do it for so long ... I think I just need to take a step back, take it all in and see what next intrigues me and piques my interest," she said.

U.S. Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro said the governing body and the sport of soccer in general owes Ellis a debt of gratitude for all that she has done for the game.

"Jill was always extremely passionate about this team, analytical, tremendously focused and not afraid to make tough decisions while giving her players the freedom to play to their strengths," Cordeiro said in a statement.

"She helped raise the bar for women's soccer in the USA and the world, and given the history of this program, the level of success she achieved is even more remarkable."

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto and Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Graff and Toby Davis)

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USA basketball women expand pre-Olympic training plans

WASHINGTON -- Reigning world and Olympic champion United States unveiled an expanded training program Saturday ahead of next year's Tokyo Olympics featuring eight core players from the women's basketball team's long-running dynasty squad.

Four-time Olympic champion guards Diana Taurasi, 36, and Sue Bird, 37, are among eight players who will take part in five of seven sessions from November to April with other US national team players taking part as schedules allow during the off-season for the Women's NBA.

The US women, who won their third consecutive women's world crown last year, seek a seventh consecutive Olympic gold medal and ninth in their past 10 attempts.

That would match the American men's gold run from 1936-1968 as the longest by any team in all Olympic sports.

"It's not only about trying to win another gold medal. It's about trying to win our seventh in a row," Bird said. "That's the story. But above all it gives us a chance to get together as potential Olympians and play."

Starting with a home-court title at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, the US women are 63-1 in Olympic play, losing only a 1992 semi-final to the Commonwealth of Independent States collection of former Soviet Union talent.

The Americans clinched their spot in Tokyo by taking their seventh world crown in nine attempts last year.

"I'm very excited about this program. It's the right amount of training so we can gear up and get ready for the Olympics," Bird said. "It gives us the right amount of exposure where we can really create some momentum heading into the Olympics."

"Every year it gets tougher," said Taurasi. "Every competition gets a little bit harder. So this is a great opportunity to train, play, be in competitive situations with a team that hopefully is going to Tokyo to win a gold medal.

"We know how important it is to have a good last hurrah. We brainstormed with a couple other players and put together a plan. It's just something that came together literally at dinner on a piece of paper with some crayons."

Three-time Olympic champion Sylvia Fowles, 2016 Olympic and 2018 world champion Elena Delle Donne, two-time world champion Nneka Ogwumike, 2018 world champion A'ja Wilson, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Chelsea Gray will also take part.

US coach Dawn Staley was glad to see extra resources for her team in the wake of a second consecutive title by the US Women's World Cup football side and the 2018 US Women's Olympic ice hockey team.

"I'm happy about it because it gives us more opportunity to prep," Staley said. "This program gives us an opportunity to keep a core group of players together and to build chemistry and cohesion while some of our other players are overseas playing."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Team USA wins Women's World Cup

Players of the United States women’s soccer team celebrate after defeating Netherlands for the Women's World Cup on Monday in Lyon, France. The team has won the FIFA Women’s World Cup a record four teams even as it recently sued the US Soccer Federation for alleged discrimination as they get paid less than half of their male counterparts. 

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Football: Rapinoe and Lavelle give U.S. fourth World Cup title

LYON, France - The United States won a record-extending fourth women's World Cup with a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands on Sunday as second-half goals from Megan Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle confirmed their status as the leading power in the women's game.

The defending champions struggled to gain dominance for an hour before a Rapinoe penalty, her sixth goal of the tournament, broke the deadlock and a fine individual effort from Lavelle in the 69th minute put the outcome beyond doubt.

The Dutch, who are the European champions, ran out of steam after Rapinoe opened the scoring in the 61st minute, having done more than any team to frustrate the Americans.

A perfect occasion for Rapinoe, whose outspoken views have been most prominent on the pay disparity between men and women players, was capped when FIFA chief Gianni Infantino was booed amid chants of "equal pay, equal pay" by U.S. fans.

At 34, Rapinoe is unlikely to be back on this stage in four years' time, but it is hard to imagine her walking away from the battles she has led with the U.S. Soccer Federation and world governing body FIFA over fairer terms for the women's game.

However, amidst the firework celebrations after the final whistle, Rapinoe's thoughts were on her team's triumph -- their second in a row after the 2015 victory in Canada.

"It's like history. I don't know how to feel right now. It is ridiculous," said Rapinoe.

"We're crazy that's what makes us special. We just have no quit in us. We are so tight. We will do anything to win."

Rapinoe's earlier comments, regarding a rejection of any eventual invite to the White House, brought her into the centre of political debate but the side's win was greeted positively by President Donald Trump.

"Congratulations to the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team on winning the World Cup! Great and exciting play. America is proud of you all!" tweeted Trump.

New York city mayor Bill de Blasio said the team would receive a "ticker tape parade" down the 'Canyon of Heroes" in Manhattan on Wednesday.

RAPINOE RETURNS

The purple-haired Rapinoe was back in the starting lineup after sitting out the 2-1 semi-final win over England with a slight muscle strain.

Her place in the side came at the expense of Christen Press while Netherlands left-winger Lieke Martens was fit to play after overcoming a toe injury.

The Dutch made an aggressive start, with some strong challenges, and midfielder Sherida Spitse picked up a booking in the 10th minute for a lunging challenge on Lavelle.

The U.S, who had scored in the opening 12 minutes of every previous game at this tournament, were struggling to settle as their opponents harried and closed them down quickly.

The Netherlands looked to hit the Americans on the counter-attack and that approach almost bore fruit in the 26th minute when Vivianne Miedema released Lineth Beerensteyn through the middle but U.S. keeper Alyssa Naeher was alert.

However, as the half wore on, the U.S. gradually gained the upper hand and Dutch keeper Sari van Veenendaal did well to parry a fierce first-time drive by Julie Ertz in the 28th.

Then Alex Morgan turned a low cross from Rapinoe goalwards and Van Veenendaal tipped the ball against the post before safely gathering it.

The pressure was mounting as Morgan brought the Dutch keeper into action again with a fine shot on the turn in the 40th.

U.S defender Kelley O'Hara had to be substituted at halftime, following a clash of heads with Martens, and Ali Krieger came on at right-back.

VAR PENALTY

Encouraged by their first half resilience, the Dutch stuck with the same tenacious approach after the break but their aggression proved to be their downfall.

Stefanie van der Gragt's foot caught Morgan's upper arm after a high challenge in the box and the American fell to the ground. After initially awarding a corner, the French referee turned to the video review and then gave a penalty.

Rapinoe took the responsibility and coolly slotted the ball past the almost stationary Van Veenendaal to bring to life the large American contingent in the capacity crowd of 57,900.

Suddenly the U.S. were more relaxed and the Dutch appeared to lose not only their cohesion but also their energy.

Perhaps sensing that dip, Lavelle took the game directly to the Dutch - bursting out of midfield towards the heart of the defense and dropping her shoulder to the left before unleashing a sweet shot into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.

The Americans were suddenly swarming all over the Dutch, Tobin Heath, Morgan and Crystal Dunn all threatened to add a third goal.

If the Dutch were going to get back into the game a set-piece looked the most likely route and Spitse went close with a free-kick in the 80th minute that flashed just wide.

But that was their last attempt at making a comeback that, in truth, never looked likely.

The Americans had outlasted the Dutch and a fourth World Cup crown was theirs to celebrate with their adoring fans.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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Football: Morgan delight after stepping up for USA in Rapinoe absence

LYON, France -- She was determined to give the credit to other members of her team, but Alex Morgan stepped up on the big occasion with the winning goal against England to take the United States through to the final of another women's World Cup on Tuesday.

The holders were without Megan Rapinoe for the semi-final in Lyon, the scorer of all her team's goals in the wins over Spain and France in the previous two rounds missing out with a hamstring injury.

That meant Christen Press came in and duly scored the opener, and it meant Morgan wore the captain's armband on her 30th birthday as she headed home Lindsey Horan's cross in the 31st minute for the deciding goal in a 2-1 victory watched by more than 53,000.

It was Morgan's sixth goal of the World Cup, putting her level with Ellen White -- who had earlier scored England's equaliser -- at the top of the scorers' chart.

However, it was a much-needed goal for the striker, who had not found the net since scoring five in the record-breaking 13-0 humiliation of Thailand with which the USA opened their defence of the trophy.

"I wouldn't say it was important but for me obviously it felt good to get on the scoresheet and to get the game-winning goal. We had the goals early and we had to hold on," said Morgan, who is back in Lyon having had a spell with Europe's leading club side in 2017.

Morgan celebrated her goal by miming sipping a cup of tea, which some saw as an attempt at a wind-up towards the English.

"'Pino' has so many celebrations and nobody asks her about them. I have only one and everyone wants to know," Morgan said, referring to her fellow co-captain Rapinoe.

"Obviously we have fun with celebrations and we had to keep it interesting."

- 'Saved our asses' -

That goal was not the end of it, however, as the USA were grateful to the VAR for disallowing another White goal midway through the second half and to goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher for saving Steph Houghton's 84th-minute penalty, awarded after another VAR review.

"She saved our asses in that moment and we knew after that moment that the momentum was shifting and that we had to put in a huge amount of defensive work to close out the game," said Morgan of Naeher.

Press also earned praise for having a "tremendous game", and Morgan can now look forward to appearing in a third straight World Cup final.

"Yeah, it's pretty incredible. Each tournament for me has given me something different and I've looked at it through a different lens," she said.

Morgan was 22 when she came off the bench to score in the 2011 final against Japan in Frankfurt, which her team ended up losing on penalties.

In 2015 she was in the starting line-up for the 5-2 win over the Japanese in which skipper Carli Lloyd netted a hat-trick.

"Obviously I have a greater role being a captain on this team and leading this team in a different way so for me it's just so great," she added.

"I just saw all my teammates being so emotional after the game. We have put so much into this journey together and now we have one more game to close it out."

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Team USA rules U17 World Cup, Fil-Am Jalen Green is MVP

For the fifth time in a row, the United States ruled the FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup.

The Americans dominated the 2018 edition of the event, crushing France, 95-52, in the gold medal game held in Santa Fe, Argentina.

Team USA has won 37 straight games in the FIBA U-17 World Cup since the competition first started in 2010.

France managed to stay in the game in the first half, even trailing by just five points, 20-25, with six minutes left. But the Americans dominated the rest of the way, eventually pulling ahead by 20 points, 45-25, at the halftime break.

They went on to lead by as much as 43 points.

Earning tournament Most Valuable Player honors was forward Jalen Green, a Filipino-American standout who competed in the 2018 National Basketball Training Center National League just last March in Manila.

The 16-year-old Green, who traces his roots to Ilocos Sur, averaged 15.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game in seven contests for the US.

Joining Green in the all-tournament team were Team USA's Vernon Carey Jr., France's Killian Hayes, Puerto Rico's Andre Curbelo, and Mali's Oumar Ballo.

For silver medalists France, this was also their best finish in the tournament. Puerto Rico, meanwhile, made the podium for the first time after routing Canada, 90-77, in the third-place game.

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Olympics: Triumph after tears as Nagasu makes skating history

GANGNEUNG, South Korea -- Four years ago, American figure skater Mirai Nagasu was heartbroken after being left off the U.S. team for the Sochi Olympics in favor of a woman who ranked lower than she had at a key qualifying event.

But on Monday, the woman whose Japanese immigrant parents run a sushi restaurant, made skating history by becoming the first American woman -- and only the third woman overall -- to land the fiendishly difficult triple Axel jump at an Olympics.


Skating a stellar routine in the women's free skate portion of the team competition, Nagasu began with a clean triple Axel and then went on to nail eight other triple jumps, including a triple flip and triple Salchow combination as she helped America claim bronze.

Clearly overjoyed, the 24-year-old Nagasu, who was skating at her second Olympics, pumped her fists and grinned as she skated off the ice.

"I feel really great," she said after her performance. "Going into it, I was like a train, get on those tracks and get some speed. To nail it the way I did - and even out of the corner of my eye, I could see my team mates standing in excitement."

The only other women to land the jump in the Olympics were Japanese skaters Midori Ito and Mao Asada, and Nagasu joked that perhaps her ancestry had played a part.

"Maybe it's the Japanese genetics -- but lucky for me I'm American, so I'll be the first U.S. lady," she said after her performance.

She was snubbed for Sochi in 2014 despite finishing third in the U.S. nationals as the selectors handed the Olympic berth to Ashley Wagner, who finished fourth.

"Four years ago I was crying with Adam Rippon because we both didn't make the team," she said, referring to the men's singles skater. "So for both of us to be on the team... is super exciting."

Nagasu was born to Japanese immigrant parents who run a sushi restaurant in California, where she grew up. Her first name means 'future' in Japanese and she reportedly speaks a mixture of Japanese and English at home with her parents.

She began skating at the age of five and idolized two-time Olympic medalist and skater Michelle Kwan. As her career took off, she said it was sometimes difficult to keep going on the income from a restaurant.

HAND-SEWN COSTUMES 

"My mom also made a lot of my skating costumes," Nagasu said on a conference call in January. "She also, like Michelle's mom, sewed sequins on one by one and I would complain that they were not as shiny as the rocky crystals because we got ours at Target and Michael's."

Nagasu says that while in general she turns to comedy and laughter to reduce pressure at big events like the Olympics, overcoming the heartbreak of missing the Sochi team was tough.

"I was very upset for a very long time. But I changed myself and became a better skater," she told the conference call. "I honestly don't think that I would have worked as hard on the triple Axel if I didn't have that time to really contemplate."

Unfortunately, her parents weren't there to see her make history. Nagasu has said that her sushi chef father rarely had the chance to see her skate because he almost never closed his restaurant, and now is no different.

"Three weeks is a long time, especially to leave work," she said. "They're only coming for the last week but I'm sure they're home now watching it. I can't wait to see them." 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Furyk named U.S. captain for 2018 Ryder Cup

Former U.S. Open winner Jim Furyk will captain the defending champion United States in the 2018 Ryder Cup against Europe at Le Golf National in Paris, the PGA of America said on Wednesday.

Furyk, nine times a player in the biennial competition, served as a vice-captain under Davis Love III at Hazeltine last October for the U.S. team that won golf's top team event for the first time since 2008.

"This is such an honor, I'm actually feeling a little overwhelmed," Furyk told a news conference at PGA headquarters in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

"It's been my favorite event in my entire career. In my opinion, the Ryder Cup embodies everything special about golf."

   
The 46-year-old Furyk was hailed as a "natural leader and great communicator" by PGA of America President Paul Levy in introducing him as the 28th U.S. Ryder Cup captain.

Furyk, a 17-times winner on the PGA Tour who last August recorded the lowest ever PGA Tour round when he shot a 12-under-par 58, was widely considered the frontrunner for the job.

According to multiple reports the selection committee, which included Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Love, whittled down their list for captain to either Furyk or Fred Couples.

Furyk, who is ranked 34th in the world and missed a large chunk of last season after wrist surgery, was part of the Ryder Cup task force created after the U.S. team he played on suffered a humbling defeat at Gleneagles in 2014.

Among the changes that came from that task force, whose aim was to help improve U.S. fortunes in an event they dominated until the mid 1980s, came a plan to groom future captains that would ascend from vice-captaincy roles.

Furyk, who will by trying to register the first U.S. Ryder victory on foreign soil in 25 years, said Love would serve as a vice-captain.

Denmark's Thomas Bjorn was named as Europe's captain for 2018 last month.

Furyk has had his share of Ryder Cup disappointments, compiling a 10-20-4 record as a player with his teams losing seven of nine competitions. Yet his love for the event burns strong.

"It has the teamwork, the camaraderie, the competition, the passion. It brings fans together from worldwide," said Furyk, whose nine Ryder Cup appearances as a player are second behind only Phil Mickelson's 11.

"I get chills thinking about all the events I have been able to participate in and how fortunate I've been."

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Frank Pingue)

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Team USA thrashes Dominican Republic

NEW YORK - The United States hammered the Dominican Republic 105-62 on Wednesday in a basketball World Cup tune-up at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The lopsided contest gave US coach Mike Krzyzewski a prime opportunity to tinker with his star-studded lineup.

He was without Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose, who was a late scratch after returning to the game for the first time in eight months on Saturday in an exhibition win over Brazil in Chicago.

Rose had missed most of the last NBA season after suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee on November 22. He had previously been sidelined by a torn ligament in his left knee.

Krzyzewski started much the same lineup as in the win over Brazil, with Stephen Curry, James Harden, Anthony Davis and Kenneth Faried all getting the starting nod, and Kyrie Irving in for Rose.

The United States were quick out of the gate, taking a 53-21 halftime lead. Harden scored 10 points while Curry delivered three assists and two three-pointers.

Off the bench, Klay Thompson also contributed 10 points with two three-pointers.

DeMarcus Cousins, nursing a bruised knee, also saw limited action but looked back to full mobility after taking a knock in practice last Thursday.

The United States was playing without stars Kevin Durant, who withdrew from the team recently saying he was too mentally drained for a World Cup campaign, and Paul George, who suffered a horrific broken leg in a training game in Las Vegas.

The FIBA World Cup -- previously known as the World Championships -- will be held August 30-September 14 in Spain.

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