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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 3:59 p.m., Monday, August 11, 2008

U.S. routs China; Russia edges South Korea 77-72

By DOUG FEINBERG
Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

USA's Lisa Leslie, right, battles China's Miao Lijie during their Beijing 2008 Olympic Games matchup today.

GANNETT NEWS SERVICE, ROBERT HANASHIRO | USA TODAY

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BEIJING — The U.S. women's basketball team quickly dashed any hopes China had of an upset, avenging a loss in April with the second American drubbing of the Chinese in as many nights.

Tina Thompson scored 13 of her 27 points during a 23-0 run in the first quarter and the U.S. routed China 108-63 on Monday night.

Trailing by one midway through the first quarter, Thompson took over, hitting from everywhere. She made two 3-pointers, a jumper from the corner, two layups, and three free throws during the spurt.

By the time Kobe Bryant and the rest of the men's team settled into their seats at the end of the first quarter, the U.S. was up 33-11. They never looked back.

Bian Lan finally ended China's 6½ minute scoreless drought early in the second quarter with a jumper that rattled around the rim before dropping in. China missed 12 straight shots and turned the ball over three times during its drought.

In other games Monday, Russia edged South Korea 77-72; Belarus topped Latvia 80-57; and Spain defeated New Zealand 85-62.

The U.S. (2-0) didn't stop at its 22-point lead, extending its advantage over China to 61-27 at the half. The Americans cruised the rest of the way. Thompson finished the half with 21 points, going 8-for-9 from the field. Her only miss was a 3-pointer that was halfway through the net before it popped out.

She fell short of Lisa Leslie's Olympic record of 35 points set against Japan in 1996.

Miao Lijie scored 16 points to lead China (1-1), which suffered its worst loss to the U.S. in Olympic history, surpassing a 100-62 defeat in 2004.

Sylvia Fowles added 18 points, Candace Parker 12, and Leslie had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the U.S.

The women's team took in the electric atmosphere the night before when the men's team routed China 101-70. They were determined to take the crowd out of the game early. The Americans got off to a much better start than their first game, when they found themselves trailing 13-2 to the Czech Republic before turning the game into a rout.

The U.S. seemed focused to play the host country after losing to them in the gold medal game of the Good Luck Beijing tournament in April. However, that U.S. team only had four players from the current Olympic team on it.

China figured to be the toughest test for the Americans in their pool. Up next will be a matchup with Mali (0-2), which lost star player Hamchetou Maiga to an ankle injury in the third quarter of a 81-47 loss to the Czechs.

In Russia's win over South Korea, Tatiana Shchegoleva and Ilona Korstin each scored 13 points.

Trailing 72-70, Shchegoleva made a free throw and put back a miss to give Russia a one-point edge with 1:23 left. After Kim Yeon-gok missed two free throws, Becky Hammon converted two from the foul line to give Russia a 75-72 lead.

Jung Sun-min drove to the basket on South Korea's next possession, but Irina Osipova blocked the shot. Korstin hit two free throws to seal the victory.

Osipova added 11 points and Becky Hammon had 10 for Russia (2-0).

"I thought it was a very good game and I'm glad we were able to pull out the win," Hammon said. "All their shooters have NBA range, we had to make sure we got out on them."

Choi You-nah led South Korea (1-1) with 13, including a 10-meter (35 foot) shot at the end of the third quarter that gave them a 59-58 lead heading into the final quarter. Beon Yeon-ha added 12, hitting four 3-pointers.

Yelena Leuchanka scored 22 points to help Belarus defeat Latvia. Belarus (1-1) built a 17-point lead in the third quarter before Latvia rallied to cut the deficit to eight early in the fourth. Leuchanka then scored seven points during a 20-5 run to close the game. Gunta Basko scored 19 points to lead Latvia (0-2).

Isabel Sanchez scored 19 points and Anna Montanana added 18 for Spain (1-1), which jumped out to an 11-point first quarter lead and never let up. Trailing by 13 heading into the fourth quarter, New Zealand (1-1) rallied to cut the deficit to six behind Jillian Harmon, who had a game-high 22 points, before Spain pulled away. Former University of Hawai'i player Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe added 10 points for New Zealand.

The Czech Republic (1-1) scored the first 12 points of the game and never looked back in beating Mali (0-2). Hana Machova scored 14 points to lead the Czech's, who led by 16 at the half and saw the advantage balloon to 40 in the second half. Djenebou Sissoko had 24 points to lead Mali, which got a scare when star Hamchetou Maiga of the Houston Comets sprained her ankle in the third quarter. She scored six points and didn't return. Mali coach Jose Ruiz said the injury wasn't serious.