Uncommon Dunk in Routine U.S. Victory

With one uncommonly awesome dunk over Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan, 19-year-old Andres Nocioni gave Argentina a basketball highlight to remember.

Nocioni had the game’s most impressive moment, and Argentina even held a brief lead, but virtually everything else went the way of the United States in a 103-72 victory Saturday night in the Olympic qualifying tournament.

In the second half, Nocioni drove the baseline and went under the basket for a reverse slam over the outstretched arms of Garnett and Duncan.

The crowd went wild, giving Nocioni an extended standing ovation.

“He might make the NBA off that dunk, you never know,” Garnett said. “Everybody has moments in their life that make them, and I hope that was his moment that puts him on the map.”

Said Nocioni, who plays professionally in Argentina: “I will take this as a memory forever for my sports career. People get pleasure watching this type of basketball game, and if I did something so people can enjoy basketball, I’ll be very happy.”

The United States trailed for the first time in three tournament games when Argentina took a 5-4 lead with 17:32 left, then used runs of 8-0, 16-0 and 10-3 to take a 30-point halftime lead.

The United States’ average margin of victory in the tournament is 37 points.