Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Monday 2 SepteMber 2019

No surprise: USA

tops Czechs 88-67

to open World Cup

By TIM REYNOLDS 14 points, Kemba Walker
AP Basketball Writer scored 13 and Jayson Ta-
SHANGHAI (AP) — The tum finished with 10 for the
first big celebratory reac- Americans. Turner had sev-
tion from the U.S. bench in en rebounds and a pair of
this World Cup came just blocked shots.
a couple of minutes after “As long as we win, that’s
tipoff, when Myles Turner all that matters,” Tatum
blocked a shot at the rim. said.
And with that, the tone was Tomas Satoransky, the for-
set. mer Washington forward
There is an emphasis on who was traded to Chi-
defense with this U.S. team, cago over the summer, led
and it was evident from the the Czechs with 17 points.
outset of its Group E open- While the Americans’ 78-
er on Sunday. Donovan game winning streak in in- United States’ Donovan Mitchell tries to score against Czech Republic during a Group E match
Mitchell scored 16 points to ternational games with NBA for the FIBA Basketball World Cup at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai on Sunday,
lead a balanced scoring players ended last month Sept. 1, 2019. U.S. defeats Czech Republic 88-67.
night, and the Americans with a loss at Australia, their Associated Press
steadily pulled away to long winning streak in ma- a lot of things we can defi- there. scored the next 10 points,
beat the Czech Republic jor tournaments continued. nitely work on, and I think The Czechs had their high- kick-starting what became
88-67 to begin their quest It’s now at 54 games, start- this is a good start to the light run early for a quick a 29-9 run in all, and led by
for a third consecutive ing with the bronze-medal tournament.” 11-7 lead, and the couple as many as 16 before go-
World Cup title. game of the 2006 world The Czechs scored the first thousand of their fans in ing into the half with a 43-
“That’s got to be our calling championships and con- four points of the fourth Shanghai — most of them 29 edge.
card,” U.S. coach Gregg tinuing with gold-medal quarter to get within 66-52, wearing either white or And it was defense that
Popovich said. “We’re go- runs at the 2007 FIBA Ameri- but the Americans weren’t blue team jerseys, with a carried the Americans.
ing to try to execute better cas, 2008 Olympics, 2010 threatened. Walker made few Wizards jerseys for Sa- Over a 10-minute stretch of
and better as time goes on, world championships, 2012 a 3-pointer to stop the mini- toransky mixed in there — the half, the Czechs went 4
but defensively we’ve got Olympics, 2014 World Cup run, found Mitchell in the were roaring. for 20 with seven turnovers.
to put our money there. It’s and 2016 Olympics. corner for another 3-point- It didn’t last long. “The chemistry is building,”
what we have to be about “We did a lot of good er that made it 72-52 about After a 9-0 run by the Barnes said. “Looking for-
to have an opportunity.” things,” Mitchell said. “We a minute later and the out- Czechs, order was quickly ward to it continuing to
Harrison Barnes added guarded it well. We’ve got come was academic from restored. The Americans build.”q

Pogacar wins hail-hit Pyrenees stage, Quintana leads Vuelta

CORTALS D’ENCAMP, An- rides for UAE Team Emir- heavy rain and hail. The But he fell on the gravel World champion Alejan-
dorra (AP) — Tadej Po- ates, finished the short but strongest of the favorites stretch when the weather dro Valverde, a team-
gacar of Slovenia won a extremely challenging for the Grand Tour all fin- was at its worst. The Co- mate of Quintana, is fourth
stormy mountainous ninth 94.4-kilometer (58.6-mile) ished within a minute of lombian finished the stage at 20 seconds back.
stage of the Spanish Vuel- stage in 2 hours, 58 min- each other, leaving them ninth and is third overall at The racing resumes Tues-
ta on Sunday, and Nairo utes. Quintana crossed in a tight bunch ahead 17 seconds behind fellow day with an individual
Quintana took over the the line next as the rider for of the first rest day. Primoz countryman Quintana. time trial across the border
race lead. “When I saw Movistar took the red lead- Roglic overcame signs López said the stage in France. Roglic is con-
the weather yesterday, I er’s jersey from Nicolas of weakness and finished should have been stopped sidered the best suited of
was happy it was going Edet, who was dropped in third, as the Slovenian because of the weather. A the top riders to make big
to rain,” the 20-year-old early in the stage. moved to second over- mountain stage was halt- gains on the 36 kilometers
Pogacar said. “On the The highly anticipated all at six seconds behind ed in the Tour de France in (22.3 miles) from Jurancon
ground section I went full stage in the Pyrenees shat- Quintana. Fellow con- July when rain made the to Pau. “The important
gas. Today was a tricky tered the peloton with five tender Miguel Ángel López course impossible to ride. thing was to try to take
stage, a lot of technical summit climbs and a 4-ki- looked like he was going “I have my arms scraped some time on Roglic, who
areas ... and also a hail lometer (2 1/2-mile) gravel to deal a blow to his rivals up,” López said. “It was should do well on the time
storm. It was an incred- track near the end, which after he dropped them very dangerous. At least trial,” said former Vuelta
ible ride.” Pogacar, who the riders reached amid with a powerful attack. there wasn’t a descent.” winner Quintana.q