BASKETBALL Duncan watches U.S. control Virgin Islands

The Americans bounced back after a sub-par performance.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Tim Duncan decided not to play Saturday against the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he spent the first 18 years of his life, and the American Olympic qualifying team did not need him in a 113-55 victory.
Duncan was in uniform but did not start for the U.S. team in its final game of the first round at the Tournament of the Americas. Elton Brand replaced him in the lineup, and the U.S. team broke the game open with a 20-0 run in the second quarter.
Duncan had been struggling with the idea of playing against his homeland.
By the rules
Under international eligibility rules, a player cannot represent a second country after he has competed for a different nation above junior level. In Duncan's case, he became ineligible to represent the Virgin Islands after he played for the United States at the 1994 Goodwill Games.
Duncan also played on U.S. teams at the 1995 World University Games, the 1996 22-and-under World Championship qualifying team and the 1999 Tournament of the Americas. He was unable to compete in the 2000 Olympics because of an injury.
Duncan has been the third-leading scorer for the U.S. team, averaging 12.0 points and a team-leading 7-3 rebounds.
The Americans bounced back after a sub-par performance against Venezuela, dominating the game in the second quarter after the U.S. Virgin Islands trailed just 26-19 following the first period.
Jason Kidd delivered another off-the-backboard alley-oop pass, feeding Vince Carter for a dunk that gave the U.S. team a 57-26 lead with 1:36 remaining before halftime. Allen Iverson tried to duplicate the pass on the Americans' next trip downcourt, but Richard Jefferson was unable to convert the shot. Iverson grabbed the rebound to get the lead above 30.
Tracy McGrady sat out the second half with a sore back, and he was not missed either. A free throw by Nick Collison with 1:24 to go got the lead up to 58, and the Americans finished with their highest point total of their four first-round games.
Statistical leaders
Iverson led seven Americans in double figures with 17 points, Kidd had 10 assists and Mike Bibby had nine points, six assists and five steals. The Americans shot 73 percent (33-for-45) from 2-point range.
The U.S. Virgin Islands lost its first two games of the Olympic qualifying tournament to Brazil and the Dominican Republic, but was hoping to have a chance to advance to the second round with a victory Sunday against Venezuela, which was 0-2 going into its game Saturday night against Brazil.