U.S. beats Venezuela in a slam dunk

LAS VEGAS -- Today Venezuela, tomorrow the world?

Be the finish line ever so far away, the U.S. team, seeking to regain its lost glory in international basketball, took its first step back Wednesday night, overwhelming Venezuela, 112-69, in the opener of the Tournament of the Americas.

It was never close. With Carmelo Anthony scoring 17 points and six more players in double figures, the U.S. scored the game’s first nine points and led by 25 midway through the second quarter.

Nor was maintaining their intensity a problem for the mighty NBA players. The U.S. lead grew to as many as 44 points in the third period and 46 in the fourth.

The tone was set from the opening tap by, who else, the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant. Coach Mike Krzyzewski put him on the Venezuela point guard, Greivis Vasquez, a Maryland sophomore, who was challenged even in trying to complete an entry pass.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” said Vasquez after the game. “That was amazing.”

“I grew up watching the NBA. I was in College Park, watching his highlights. All of a sudden, he was guarding me like it was the last game of his life. . . .

“I’m 20 years old. . . . It was tough. I’m not going to lie to you guys. I lost the ball on a couple of possessions. . . .

“But tomorrow’s another day. It’s all good. I’m glad it happened.”

Krzyzewski’s team, which was upset in last summer’s World Games, is supposed to pressure the ball. This time, it did.

Venezuela didn’t score for the first 3 minutes 30 seconds.

It took another 1:15 for Venezuela to get its first basket, which the U.S. center, Dwight Howard, tipped in by accident.

Bryant scored 14 points in his debut in international basketball, in his usual style. On Venezuela’s second possession, he dived onto the court, trying to get a steal. When the Venezuelans got the ball back, Bryant picked up Vasquez again and hounded him into a turnover that turned into a U.S. fastbreak.

“He wants to play defense and really wants to play defense,” said Krzyzewski of Bryant.

“He has had a lot of 50-point games in the league and he wants to play defense. That’s a pretty nice thing.”

With form going out the window right away, as it often does in international play, underdog Mexico, under former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson, upended favored Puerto Rico, which saw its star, Jose Barea, ejected for arguing, then suspended for two games.

Brazil, one of the pre-tournament favorites for second place with Leandro Barbosa and Nene, beat Canada, 75-67, which lost Andy Rautins, a Syracuse junior, who suffered a knee injury.

“It’s tough,” said Canada Coach Leo Rautins, his father. “He’s actually an important part of our team. He’s been a facilitator. He’s one of our best shooters. He was with that second group [of reserves] who got us back in the game.

“Not to mention that he’s my kid, so it wasn’t a pleasant experience.”

On the other hand, form held up just fine in the U.S. game.

The Americans led, 21-8, after one quarter, then ran it up to 44-19 midway through the second, starting a long night’s journey into garbage time.

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mark.heisler@latimes.com