US faces Angola in world tournament

Associated Press

ISTANBUL

All around them, the Americans find compelling matchups for the round of 16: a rematch of the 2006 title game; a coach facing a home country he led to an Olympic gold medal; two bitter rivals to get it all started.

All the while, a fairly navigable road right to the semifinals was emerging for the United States.

Elimination games at the world championship begin today, including a surprisingly early matchup between Spain and Greece, two of the pre-tournament favorites. The Spaniards routed the Greeks for the title four years ago in Japan.

The final day of pool play began with the possibility of one those teams looming as a quarterfinal opponent for the U.S. Instead, after facing Angola, a team the U.S. traditionally just shoves out of the way, the Americans would get the winner of Russia-New Zealand, neither considered a contender.

The U.S. wasn’t sharp in its final two games of pool play, but guard Chauncey Billups compared those matchups against Iran and Tunisia to an NBA team taking it easy in its final two regular-season games before the playoffs start.

“That’s over with now, and now we can get to the meat and potatoes,” Billups said.

The main courses in the knockout stage come right away. Serbia and Croatia, who fought a war in the early 1990s, play the opening game at the Sinan Erdem Dome. Spain and Greece follow in the nightcap.

On Sunday, it’s Slovenia-Australia, followed by unbeaten host Turkey against France. The U.S.-Angola and Russia-New Zealand games are Monday.