The United States and Russia will clash in the world basketball championship semi-finals today after beating Italy and Lithuania in yesterday's quarter-finals.
The match will be a repeat of the 1994 final, which was won by the US Dream Team. This time, the US team has no NBA stars because of a labour dispute, but they recovered yesterday from a four-point deficit against Italy three minutes before the end to level 77-77.
They then pushed to an 80-77 victory with three free throws in the final 18 seconds.
For the Americans, point guard Michael Hawkins, who played for Greek club Olympiakos last season, clearly felt at home in the Olympic Stadium, notching 16 points while Alba Berlin centre Wendell Alexis added 14.
"Italy played very well and for the majority of the game they had us in a big hole," US coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "But it's a true sign of character that a team can be in a hole and not fall apart. We have done this a couple of times here."
Italy playmaker Carlton Myers, born in the US but now a naturalised Italian, missed a last-gasp three-point shot which would have given his side victory. But he was far and away their best player, with 32 points.
Russian playmaker Vassilij Karassev put on a show of class with 31 points in the 82-67 victory over Lithuania.
"A true leader was born for the Russian team today," Russian coach Sergei Belov said of Karassev. "I repeat that our toughest opponent is ourselves."
