GOODWILL GAMES ROUNDUP : U.S., Without NBA, Loses to Russia

Where’s the Dream Team when the United States needs it?

With no NBA stars to help out, a group of American college players struggled again in international competition, losing to the Russians, 77-75, at the Goodwill Games on Sunday.

Collegiate-level teams have won only the 1993 World University Games since taking a gold medal in the 1986 Goodwill Games. U.S. teams have been beaten in the 1988 Olympic Games, the Pan Am Games, the World Championships and the 1990 Goodwill Games.

“Our players are now more determined than ever to get into the gold-medal round,” U.S. Coach George Raveling said.

The Russians, playing a tough defense that prevented the Americans from getting the ball inside, took the lead for good, 60-58, with less than seven minutes to play on two free throws by Andrei Fetisov, drafted by the Boston Celtics last month and then traded to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Russians held off every ensuing U.S. challenge by making their free throws. The Americans missed several key free throws.

Sergei Bazarevich led the Russians with 23 points. Sergei Babkov, who did not play in Saturday night’s 95-93 victory over China, scored 18. Fetisov had nine.

Shawn Respert of Michigan State, who hit a three-pointer just before the buzzer, led the Americans with 17 points, but was six for 16 from the field.

Reserve Michael Finley of Wisconsin provided a lift off the bench, scoring 14 points; Damon Stoudamire of Arizona had 11.

The Russians made 24 of 28 free throws, but the Americans were only 14 of 27 from the line.

“We could have gotten out of here with a win if we had made our foul shots,” Raveling said. “The game came down to which team was most successful at the foul line. The Russians made theirs in critical times, we missed ours.”

The Americans still can reach the medal round if they defeat China today and Russia beats Argentina. China is 0-2 after losing to Argentina, 74-49, Sunday night.

SWIMMING

Alexander Popov won the 50- and 100-meter freestyle races; he defeated world record-holder Tom Jager in the 50 in a slow time of 22.55 seconds. Popov, American Angel Martino and Chinese swimmer Ren Xing each won two gold medals. China won five of the 10 women’s events.

TRACK AND FIELD

Lance Deal became the first American hammer thrower to win a major international competition since Harold Connolly in the 1956 Olympics and the first American to surpass 262 feet 5 inches overseas, winning at 263-1. Britain’s Sally Gunnell, the 1992 Olympic champion and 1993 world champion, won the women’s 400-meter hurdles in 53.51 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year. Quincy Watts, the 1992 Olympic gold medalist at 400 meters, won for the first time this year, in 45.21, edging Britain’s Duane Ladejo, who had the same time. Gwen Torrence won the women’s 100 in 10.95.

BOXING

U.S. boxers won one of four matches. At 132 pounds, Larry Nicholson of Tyler, Tex., defeated Arthur Santana of the Netherlands, 17-4. Terrance Cauthen of Philadelphia lost in the same weight class, 7-6, to Bruno Wartelle of France. At 157 pounds, Jesse Aquino of Kansas City lost, 10-1, to Dirk Dzemski of Germany. At 201 pounds, Darrell Dixon of Tacoma, Wash., lost, 11-3, to Peer Mueller of Germany.