FIBA World Cup Day 2: Finland Shocks Ukraine
By Phil Watson
Group B at Sevilla
Croatia 90, Argentina 85
Croatia took a 75-63 lead into the fourth quarter and held on to beat Argentina to improve to 2-0 in group play.
Argentina (1-1) made a spirited comeback, but could never get closer than five points.
Croatia had a balanced attack, with five players in double figures. Krunoslav Simon led the way with 18 points, Bojan Bogdanovic of the Brooklyn Nets and Dario Saric added 16 apiece, Oliver Lafayette scored 11 points and dished nine assists and Luke Zoric tossed in 10 points. Saric also had nine rebounds.
Luis Scola of the Indiana Pacers scored a game-high 30 points and had nine rebounds for Argentina. Facundo Campazzo added 13 points and had six assists and Andres Nocioni scored 11 points.
Croatia shot 47.6 percent overall (30-for-63) and knocked down 13-of-33 from deep (39.4 percent). Argentina countered with 47.7 percent (31-for-65), but was 9-for-24 (37.5 percent) from long range.
Senegal 82, Puerto Rico 75
Senegal roared back from an early deficit to score a mildly surprising win over Puerto Rico, which was considered a favorite to advance to the round of 16, but is off to an 0-2 start.
Puerto Rico led 29-20 at the end of the first quarter before the Senegalese clamped down defensively. Senegal wound up leading 41-40 at halftime and never looked back.
Mouhammad Faye scored 20 points and had three steals for Senegal, while Gorgui Dieng of the Minnesota Timberwolves went for a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds and also blocked two shots. Mohamed Diop added 10 points and Hamady N’Diaye of the Delaware 87ers blocked three shots and scored six points.
Renaldo Balkman led Puerto Rico with 21 points and seven rebounds. Jose Barea of the Minnesota Timberwolves added 15 points and Carlos Arroyo tossed in 11. Daniel Santiago also had seven boards while scoring two points and Carlos Rivera dished out five assists and scored six points.
Senegal was 30-for-58 (51.7 percent) while holding Puerto Rico to 26-for-61 (42.6 percent).
Greece 82, Philippines 70
Greece improved to 2-0 in the group stage, jumping out to a 10-point lead in the first quarter and basically trading baskets with the Philippines the rest of the way.
Georgios Printezis went off for 25 points for the Greeks and Ioannis Bourousis finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots. Kostas Papanikolaou handed out four assists, blocked three shots and scored nine points for Greece.
Andray Blatche had his second straight 20-10 game for the Philippines, finishing with 21 points, 14 rebounds and three steals. But Junmar Fajardo was the only other Filipino in double figures with 10 points.
Greece was 28-for-65 (43.1 percent) from the floor while the Philippines was just 24-for-68 (35.3 percent).
Group B Standings (with point differential)
Greece 2-0 (+35)
Croatia 2-0 (+8)
Argentina 1-1 (+18)
Senegal 1-1 (-16)
Philippines 0-2 (-15)
Puerto Rico 0-2 (-30)
top four teams advance
Monday in Group B at Sevilla
Croatia vs. Senegal, 6:30 a.m.
Argentina vs. Philippines, 11:30 a.m.
Puerto Rico vs. Greece, 2 p.m.