Basketball: U.S. women win opener against Czech Republic

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BEIJING -- There’s not much to say about the U.S. women’s first game in the Olympic tournament Saturday. The Czech Republic led after the first five minutes, 13-4, but it was a rout from that point on as the United States won, 97-57.

Diana Taurasi of Chino, who plays for the Phoenix Mercury, led the United States with 17 points, 13 in the first half before giving way to the bench. The Sparks’ Lisa Leslie scored only four points but added 10 rebounds. Her Sparks’ teammates, Candace Parker and DeLisha Milton-Jones, scored nine and two points, respectively.

The United States plays China on Monday.

-- Randy Harvey