News from September 4.

The LA Clippers signed 1st round draft pick Melvin Ely (#12) to a 3 year,
$4,886,280 contract with a 4th year worth $2,401,027 at the team's option.


World Championship games
Argentina 87, USA 80
Emanuel Ginobili (Arg) had 15 points.
Andres Noccioni (Arg) had 14 points including 4-5 FG.
Luis Scola (Arg) had 13 points and 5 rebounds.
Fabricio Oberto (Arg) had 11 points including 5-6 FG and 9 rebounds.
Paul Pierce (USA) had 22 points including 5-11 3-pointers and 6 assists.
Andre Miller (USA) had 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Michael Finley (USA) had 14 points.
Arg shot 50% (33-66) FG and USA shot 37.5% (27-72) FG.

Germany 103, Russia 85
Dirk Nowitzki (Ger) had 17 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals.
Misan Nikagbatse (Ger) had 17 points on a perfect 6-6 FG, 1-1 3-pointers,
and 4-4 FT.
Ademola Okulaja (Ger) had 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 turnovers.
Zakhar Pachoutine (Rus) had 28 points including 9-13 FG and 4-6 3-pointers.
Serguei Tchikalkine (Rus) had 22 points including 4-8 3-pointers.
Ger shot 55.6% (35-63) FG and Rus shot 45.3% (29-64) FG.

Yugoslavia 110, Turkey 78
Milan Gurovic (Yug) had 16 points including 6-8 FG.
Predrag Stojakovic (Yug) had 16 points and 5 rebounds.
Dejan Bodiroga (Yug) had 12 points including 4-5 FG and 7 assists.
Mehmet Okur (Tur) had 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
Hidayet Turkoglu (Tur) had 20 points including 9-10 FT.
Yug shot 59.7% (46-77) FG and Tur shot 41.9% (26-62) FG.

Spain 84, Brazil 67
Pau Gasol (Spa) had 23 points including 10-13 FG and 11 rebounds.
Jorge Garbajosa (Spa) had 12 points and 7 rebounds.
Carlos Jimenez (Spa) had 12 points and 5 rebounds.
Marcelo Machado (Bra) had 25 points and 3 steals.
Spa shot 50.9% (29-57) FG and Bra shot 36.5% (23-63) FG.
Spa out-rebounded Bra 44-18.

New Zealand 94, China 88
Kirk Penney (NZ) had 19 points including 4-7 3-pointers and 6 rebounds.
Phil Jones (NZ) had 33 points including 6-8 3-pointers and 4 steals.
Pero Cameron (NZ) had 12 points.
Li Nan (Chi) had 33 points including 8-12 3-pointers and 6 rebounds.
Yao Ming (Chi) had 27 points on a perfect 8-8 FG and 11-11 FT and 7
rebounds.

Puerto Rico 89, Angola 87 (2OT)
Jose Ortiz (PR) had 25 points on 11-14 FG and 8 rebounds.
Carlos Arroyo (PR) had 20 points and 8 assists.
Elias Ayuso (PR) had 12 points including 3-12 FG.
Miguel Lutonda (Ang) had 18 points.
Carlos Almeia (Ang) had 19 points.


Thus ends the 2nd round.  The top 4 teams in each group advance to the
Quarterfinals - which is a single-game elimination round.

Group E      W   L
Puerto Rico  5   1
Spain        5   1
Yugoslavia   4   2
Brazil       4   2
Turkey       2   4
Angola       1   5

Group F      W   L
Argentina    6   0
USA          5   1
Germany      4   2
New Zealand  3   3
Russia       2   4
China        1   5