Indiana University Athletics
U.S. GOODWILL GAMES TEAM DEFEATS LITHUANIA TO GET INTO GOLD MEDAL GAME
7/23/1998 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
U.S. GOODWILL GAMES TEAM DEFEATS LITHUANIA TO GET INTO GOLD MEDAL GAME
NEW YORK, N.Y. (July 23, 1998) -- On a night in which world heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holyfield sat courtside, the 1998 USA Basketball Goodwill Games Team (3-1) delivered a medal-clinching knockout with its 89-76 semifinal victory over Lithuania (2-2) Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. The win secures the USA's unprecedented fourth medal in as many Goodwill Games appearances, as it now advances to face Australia (3-1) in the Goodwill Games gold medal game Friday at 9 p.m. (EDT). In its past two games, the United States has won by an average of 22.0 points and led Thursday by as many as 25 points in the second half.
Forward Wally Szczerbiak (Miami, Ohio / Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) continued his outstanding play, scoring a team high 20 points (4-6 3FGs), including 11 points in the game's first six minutes that helped the U.S. assemble a lead it did not relinquish. Additionally, Elton Brand (Duke / Peekskill, N.Y.) checked in with 15 points and a team high six rebounds to pace the win. Four of the team's starters scored in double figures, including guard Andre Miller (Utah / Los Angeles, Calif.) and forward Jumaine Jones (Georgia / Camilla, Ga.) scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.
"I'm very, very proud and excited to be here playing for the gold," said USA head coach and University of Minnesota head mentor Clem Haskins. " I started on Monday and I was really down, but the guys have bounced back and played extremely well. They're playing good basketball and doing everything I've asked them to do. We beat a fine ball club tonight because we've continued to shoot the ball well.
"We're motivated to win. Every team that's playing here, all eight of us, we all want to win. We just happen to be playing better than most teams at this time. We're executing on both ends of the floor," Haskins added.
Now 18-6 (.750) all-time in Goodwill Games play, the USA won a gold medal in 1986, a silver medal in 1990, and a bronze medal in 1994. The U.S. will be attempting to win its first Goodwill Games gold medal in 12 years Friday night, and is guaranteed of its highest finish since winning the silver in 1990.
Over the past two games, the USA has been red hot from the floor, shooting a combined 57.3 percent (71-124 FGs) from the floor, a combined 55.3 percent (21-38 3FGs) from behind the arc, and has outscored its foes in fast break scoring by an average of 13.5 ppg. (36-9) in its wins over Brazil and Lithuania.
The Americans used a pair of 10-0 runs during the first half to build and maintain their lead. On the first 10-0 spurt, Brand opened the run with a layup. Quincy Lewis made a 3-pointer, Calvin Booth netted two and Khalid El-Amin ended the run with a 3-pointer, putting the U.S. ahead 30-18 with 10:16 to play.
From that point on, the stingy U.S. defense never allowed Lithuania to get closer than seven points, as the U.S. assembled another 10-0 run late in the half that was keyed by four fast-break points by Miller and enabled the United States to jump ahead, 40-23, with 4:43 remaining in the opening stanza.
"We had the same situation against Puerto Rico. We might have thought about that tonight, but we've been there before and we knew what to do to bury this team. That's how far we've come. Sunday when we had that lead, we didn't do the things it took to bury them. Now we're playing with some poise and a little experience," said guard Keith Carter (Mississippi / Perryville, Ark.).
In the second half, the USA opened up a game high 25-point, 76-51 lead with 9:09 to play, as Carter scored seven of his 12 points (4-5 FGs) off the bench during a 3:07 stretch.
"Sunday we played well and we got a 19 point lead but had some offensive and defensive lapses," Brand said. "Monday during practice we went and banded together and coach had us going over our offenses and all of the defenses so they're running smoothly. Now our plays are running smoothly and we're just playing a lot better now."
Lithuania will take on defending Goodwill Games gold medalist Puerto Rico (2-2) in the 1998 Goodwill Games bronze medal game, which will be played Friday at 7 p.m. Australia defeated Puerto Rico, 86-74, in the other semifinals matchup.
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