U.S. Men Edge Canada for Basketball Gold

Led by the men’s basketball team, which finally was tested, the United States grabbed lots of gold Saturday at the World University Games at Buffalo, N.Y.

After storming through the tournament with a 42-point average victory margin, the Americans had all they could handle in the final against Canada, coming back from a 12-point halftime deficit to win, 95-90.

Other than the performance by the Dream Team at the Barcelona Games, it was the biggest success for a U.S. men’s basketball squad since the last University Games in 1991 and only the second significant gold medal since 1986.

Shawn Respert of Michigan State and Michael Finley of Wisconsin each had 16 points for the United States. Ed O’Bannon of UCLA had 15 and Arizona’s Damon Stoudamire added 13 points, six assists and five steals.

Jeff Foreman led Canada with 30 points.

The disappointing showings by Americans at the track ended swiftly Saturday.

Michelle Collins of Houston won the first event of the day, the women’s 400 meters, with roommate Youlanda Warren of Louisiana State second. Flirtisha Harris of Seton Hall then took the women’s 200 and, at night, Clare Eichner of Wisconsin won the 3,000.

Not to be outdone, the men went 1-2 in the 200, with Bryan Bridgewater of Cal State Los Angeles edging NCAA champion Chris Nelloms of Ohio State in a wind-aided 20.14.

Tony Barton of George Mason won the high jump at 7 feet 6 1/2 inches.

The U.S. water polo team, sparked by three goals from Mike Burke of Cal State Long Beach, won gold, beating Hungary, 13-12. A goal by Alex Asta of Pepperdine clinched it with 1:10 remaining.

After blowing a 19-point second-half lead, the American women’s basketball squad went on a 14-2 run to clinch the bronze medal with an 83-73 decision against Lithuania. It was the third consecutive international event in which the U.S. women got bronze, beginning with the 1991 Pan American Games and extending through last year’s Olympics.

The first loss for the U.S. women’s soccer team cost it the gold medal. It lost to China, 2-1.

Football

A crowd of 20,082 at Sacramento’s Hughes Stadium watched Doug Flutie throw three touchdown passes and run for the winning touchdown as the Calgary Stampeders defeated the Sacramento Gold Miners, 38-36, in the first Canadian Football League game played in the United States. Sacramento, with the only roster in the league filled exclusively with American players, is 0-3. Calgary is 2-0.

Auto Racing

Emerson Fittipaldi waited until the final lap of final qualifying to win the pole position for today’s Molson Indy race at Toronto.

Fittipaldi, 46, of Brazil, shattered the lap record with a speed of 109.998 m.p.h., bumping teammate Paul Tracy into second place.

Darrell Waltrip led second-round qualifying for the NASCAR Miller Genuine Draft 500 at Pocono International Raceway at Long Pond, Pa.

Waltrip earned the 27th starting position for today’s race with a 159.453-m.p.h. lap in a Chevrolet. Waltrip, a four-time winner at Pocono, has not won a race since the Southern 500 last Sept. 6.

Steve Robertson’s record speed on Friday proved to be fast enough to retain the pole position for today’s Firestone Indy Lights race on the streets of Toronto. On Friday, Robertson, of England, drove a lap around the 1.78-mile, 11-turn temporary road course at 100.501 m.p.h. In Saturday’s qualifying session, no driver could reach that figure.

Track and Field

A mental lapse led to an embarrassing defeat for Olympic champion Linford Christie, who slowed at the finish and lost his heat in the 200 meters at the AAA Championships at Birmingham, England.

Christie, who berated his rivals for their lack of competitiveness after he won the 100 Friday, was caught at the line by unheralded Solomon Wariso and failed to qualify for the final.

Bowling

Bob Benoit won his fourth Professional Bowlers Assn. title in the $130,000 El Paso Open. Benoit defeated top-seeded Robert Lawrence in the title match, 216-191.