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Spain claim world basketball crown

Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro, center, puts up the ball for the basket as Greece's Theodoros Papalou, left, and Sofoklis Schortsanitis defend during the World Basketball Championships final in Saitama, Japan, yesterday. PHOTO: AP

Spain claimed their first-ever international basketball title at senior level with a dominant 70-47 victory over Greece yesterday to win the gold medal at the 2006 World Championships.

Playing without their injured superstar centre Pau Gasol, Spain put together an inspired performance to defeat reigning European champions Greece.

Juan Carlos Navarro and Jorge Garbajosa each scored 20 points -- including a combined 10 three-pointers -- to lead Spain to the crown.

Felipe Reyes chipped in with 10 points as the replacement for Gasol in the starting line-up. And the star's younger brother, Marc Gasol, added two points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Half of the team's roster -- Pau Gasol, Reyes, Navarro, Jose Manuel Calderon, Benna Rodriguez, Carlos Cabezas -- were on the Spain team which captured the junior world championship title in 1999 in Portugal.

The Greeks were held to the second fewest points in the tournament's 56-year history. Only Brazil scored fewer in a 62-41 loss to the US in 1954.

Greece's Sofoklis Schortsanitis, left, and a teammate react during the World Basketball Championships final in Saitama, Japan, yesterday. PHOTO: AP

Mihalis Kakiouzis led the Greeks with 17 points while Theodoros Papaloukas added 10 points.

Before the game even started, the Spaniards made a very public display of unity, entering the arena wearing "Pau tambien juega" ("Pau plays with us") T-shirts -- a show of support for their injured center who suffered a foot injury in the semi-final victory against Argentina.

The Greeks started the game continually passing down to Lazaros Papadopolous in the blocks, trying to take advantage of Reyes. But the Spaniard held his own, with doubling defensive help from Garbajosa. And Reyes scored three of Spain's first four baskets.

Calderon and Navarro followed with back-to-back three-pointers to give Spain a 16-10 lead with two minutes to go in the first.

The Spanish led 18-12 after the first period.

Garbajosa knocked down consecutive three-balls and Navarro hit two jumpers as Spain opened the second quarter with a 10-0 run for a 16-point advantage.

Spain's Jose Manuel Calderon bites the ball during the World Basketball Championships final against Greece in Saitama, Japan, yesterday. PHOTO: AP

A Papaloukas three-pointer was Greece's first basket in more than four minutes and trimmed the deficit to 28-16.

Jimenez answered with three baskets to push the lead to 19 points, at 35-16, 3:27 before the interval.

Spain coach Pepu Hernandez rested his starters but Greece were unable to cut into the lead.

Instead, Reyes got an offensive rebound and was fouled. He missed the foul shot, but grabbed the rebound and scored on a lay-up.

Spain increased their lead to 20 points at half-time -- 43-23.

Greece tried all they could to get back into the game, but they could pull no closer than 17 points adrift in the second half.
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