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Lithuania nearly turns the Dream into a nightmare
SYDNEY, Sept 29 (AFP) - Lithuania came within a shot of pulling off one of the great shocking upsets in Olympic history, pushing the United States Dream Team basketball stars to their limit before losing 85-83 here Friday. "If somebody told me before the Olympics we would lose to the US team by two points, nobody would have believed it," Lithuania's Tomas Masiulis said. The victory sent the US team of National Basketball Association stars into Sunday's Olympic championship game against France, which crushed Australia 76-52 in the other semi-final. But US claims of superiority were forever ended. "We weren't scared. Nervous, but not scared," US guard Steve Smith said. "We couldn't imagine what would happen if we had lost this game." Lithuania's Sarunas Jasikievicius scored 27 points but missed a three-point shot at the buzzer that would have condemned the US team to defeat. Yet the Americans still had the audacity to spout "We're No. 1" rhetoric. "Not shocked, we were concerned," US center Alonzo Mourning said. "I was confident justice would prevail. When we win the gold medal on Sunday, we will look at this as the obstacle we had to overcome to prove we were worthy of it. "Forget it. We won. It's out of our mind now." Vince Carter, who led the US team with 18 points, waved one finger in the air while the crowd booed as he walked off the court. "We didn't lose," he said. "I don't care what the world thinks. Look at the scoreboard." Jason Kidd sank 1-of-2 free throws to give the US team an 85-83 lead, but Lithuania got the ball after a US jump ball violation to set up Jasikievicius. His shot fell left of the hoop and the "Dream Team" escaped with their hearts in their throats after squandering a 14-point second-half lead. "When it got down the stretch we just couldn't get any stops," US forward Allan Houston said. "We got a little complacent without intensity and let them back into the game." Antonio McDyess fouled Ramunas Siskauskas, who made 1-of-3 free throws to put 1996 Olympic bronzers Lithuania up 81-80 with 43 seconds to go. Carter hit a jumper with 31 seconds to go to put the US back on top, but Kevin Garnett missed two free throws. The second miss was rebounded by McDyess, who made amends with a key basket for an 84-81 US edge. "I was feeling low. My heart was in my shoes," McDyess said. "I had to make a big play. When I saw the ball come off, I said nobody was stopping me. The intensity out there was very high. "That was unbelievable. My heart is pumping. Lithuania showed big heart. I would have never expected them to play so hard and with such courage." And that was the problem. Even after Lithuania came within 85-76 in a qualifying round game, the tightest Dream Team fight ever, the US still had the arrogance it showed even after the epic near-defeat. "We won. Two points, 30 points, it doesn't matter," McDyess said. "We never said we were the 1992 or 1996 teams. We're the 2000 team and we're playing for gold Sunday." But at least Kevin Garnett knows enough to be concerned. "If the French team has the same heart, the same thing could happen," he said. Carter scored the first basket of the second half to give the US team its largest lead at 50-36. But Lithuania went on a 17-2 run early in the second half, grabbing their first lead since the opening basket at 56-54 on two Saulius Stombergas free throws with 15:05 remaining. From there, it was to be a fight to the finish as a Lithuanian team effort made the "Dream Team" look pathetic, outhustled and outplayed. "Our second half was spectacular," Lithuanian coach Jonas Kazlauskas said. "Our players had recovered from the psychological tension and relaxed. we had a historic chance. But we lost that chance." Now the French have the last chance at waking the Dreamers. Laurent Sciarra had game highs of 16 points and seven assists in the rout of Australia. France reached the men's basketball final for the first time since 1948, when they settled for silver behind a US team. The French pushed the US team themselves before a 106-94 loss four days ago in a qualifying round match. "We will make them play harder and worry longer," French center Cyril Julian said. "We're fresh mentally, and we still have some reserves. Our motivation is stronger. I don't know if we can defeat them, but we're going to upset them. "We played with our hearts. Since the game with the US, we have lost our inhibitions. We can't yet know what this means for us. I'm so happy I almost can't talk." The French went only 2-3 in qualifying, level with China for the last playoff berth in their group and advancing only by virtue of an 82-70 triumph over the Asian champions. But they ousted group champion Canada in a quarter-final and then, with starter Yann Bonato sidelined with a leg injury, overwhelmed the Aussies to reach Sunday's championship game. Antoine Rigaudeau added 13 points while Stephane Risacher and Frederic Weis each scored 11. Weis also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.
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