Yugoslavia wins world basketball title

Yugoslavia won its second consecutive World Basketball Championship in thrilling fashion on Sunday, downing previously unbeaten Argentina 84-77 in the overtime gold medal game.

In the bronze medal game, Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points to lead Germany to a 117-94 win over New Zealand, giving Germany (6-3) its first world championship medal.

Yugoslavia (7-2) claimed its fifth world championship, with previous wins coming in 1970, 1978, 1990 and 1998.

It was also the country's 10th medal at the competition, pulling Yugoslavia one ahead of the United States for most total medals.

That they won their fifth title by beating the Americans and winning the title on U.S. soil made this year's win all that much sweeter, said coach Svetislav Pesic.

"I think it's wonderful we won here in the United States, where basketball is from," Pesic said.

"I think we showed today that Europe is coming on in basketball too."

Of that there can be no doubt after the 11-day tournament's final results and especially its final game.

Yugoslavia had to overcome an eight-point deficit with just two and-a-half minutes to play in regulation time before finally defeating Argentina, which also beat the U.S. this week, in overtime.

The U.S. wound up in sixth place, its worst showing ever.

But the Americans were long forgotten by the final game, played in front of a large and predominately pro-Yugoslavian crowd in America's heartland.

"It was a great final game, we played against an outstanding team," Pesic said. "I think we had more heart and more experience."

It was the first medal for Argentina (8-1) at the tournament since a gold medal win in 1950 at the inaugural championships in Buenos Aires and their lack of recent championship game experience probably was a factor in the loss.

"I think we suffered a very big shock," Argentina coach Ruben Magnano said.

"We had the winning doors opened for us... but we just couldn't make it to the end and achieve our goal."

SIX CHANGES

Yugoslavia led the tightly-contested game 41-39 at the half, with six lead changes and another nine ties in the opening 20 minutes.

But Argentina held Yugoslavia to just 11 points in the third quarter to lead 57-52 heading to the fourth quarter.

Yugoslavia rallied, however, and tied the game on a pair of free throws by Dejan Bodiroga with 17.4 seconds to go.

Bodiroja earlier scored nine consecutive points in regulation time to rally his team back from a 74-66 deficit.

Vlade Divac had a chance to win the game when he went to the free throw line with 5.9 seconds remaining, but he missed both throws, sending the game into overtime tied 75-75.

Yugoslavia then out-scored Argentina 9-2 in the extra period, breaking the tie on a 3-point jumper from Predrag Stojakovic 1:15 into the overtime.

The world champions never relinquished that lead, with the rest of the points in the extra period coming on foul shots.

"We played our best when it was the most important," Stojakovic said.

"It was wonderful to defend the world championship and show the world for the fifth time that we are the world champions.

"We showed a lot of heart coming back earlier in the tournament and today happened to be my chance."

"I feel so bad for Argentina, they played so well and deserved to win," said Divac, who had just three points and made just one field goal.

"It's a big day for us, for me especially, because it's my last game for the national team.

"I couldn't be happier."

Bodiroja had 27 points for Yugoslavia, while Stojakovic had 26.

Fabricio Oberto led Argentina with 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Ruben Wolkowyski and Luis Scola both added 11 points.

EASY GERMANY

Germany led 74-48 at the half and had little difficulty with the upstart Kiwis, who were playing in just their second world championship.

"The third and fourth placed teams here certainly didn't have the talent level of some of the other teams here, but we worked together and that's what made the difference," German coach Henrik Dettmann said.

"I tip my hat to New Zealand especially, it is remarkable what they accomplished."

Ademola Okulaja added 21 points for Germany. Marko Pesic had 11 points, while Mithat Demirel and Robert Maras both had 10.

The Germans wound up shooting 65 percent from the field, compared to just 44 percent for New Zealand.

Phil Jones had 26 points for the losers, with 16 of those coming in the first quarter.

Kirk Penney added 19 points and Pero Cameron had 13.

Nowitzki, the leading scorer at the tournament, was selected as the Most Valuable Player.

Joining the German forward on the All-Tournament Team were guards Emanuel Ginobili of Argentina and Stojakovic, forward Cameron of New Zealand and center Yao Ming of China.

Final standings (with win-loss record)

1. Yugoslavia 7-2
2. Argentina 8-1
3. Germany 6-3
4. New Zealand 4-5
5. Spain 7-2
6. United States 6-3
7. Puerto Rico 6-3
8. Brazil 4-5
9. Turkey 4-4
10. Russia 3-5
11. Angola 2-6
12. China 1-7
13. Canada 2-3
14. Venezuela 1-4
15. Algeria 1-4
16. Lebanon 0-5