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Bodiroga blows up European star scores 27 as Yugos take titlePosted: Sunday September 08, 2002 6:54 PMUpdated: Sunday September 08, 2002 8:19 PM
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Peja Stojakovic, Dejan Bodiroga, Vlade Divac and the team from Yugoslavia linked their arms and raised them in unison, then danced in a circle around the championship trophy. Thousands of their supporters loudly chanted "Serbia!" and sang their national anthem. The heartland of America felt a lot like downtown Belgrade after Yugoslavia came back from an eight-point deficit in the final 21/2 minutes of regulation and survived a crucial pair of missed free throws by Divac to beat Argentina 84-77 in overtime for the gold medal Sunday in the World Championships. "It's wonderful we were able to defend the gold medal and for the fifth time prove we are champions of the world," Bodiroga said. The thrilling and controversial championship game ended with Argentina's players angrily pointing their fingers and yelling at a Greek referee who failed to call a foul on the final play of regulation. Bodiroga scored 27 points, including nine straight late in the fourth quarter when Yugoslavia rallied to tie it, and Stojakovic had 26. Divac, who shot 1-for-10 in what he said would likely be his last game for the national team, missed two free throws with 5.9 seconds left to leave the score tied 75-75. Argentina rebounded and got the ball to Hugo Sconochini, who drove to the basket and went down hard as he missed a shot just before the buzzer. The entire Argentina team -- coaches, players and trainers -- ran onto the court to complain that a foul should have been called. Replays showed Marko Jaric of Yugoslavia making contact with Sconochini. "I think we suffered a shock very big, considering that we practically had the doors open for a victory," coach Ruben Magnano said. The referee, Nikos Pitsilkas, ejected a member of the Argentina delegation just a few seconds into overtime. Several players screamed and gestured at the referee during the final few seconds of overtime, then clapped their hands in mock applause as he left the court. Stojakovic hit a 3-pointer on Yugoslavia's first possession of overtime to put Yugoslavia ahead for good. Divac blocked shots on two of Argentina's next three possessions, and Bodiroga made a pair of foul shots for an 80-75 lead with 2:16 left. Argentina scored just two points the rest of the way. "We won several of the last games by showing a lot of heart," Bodiroga said. "Today was my opportunity to show the leadership that other players showed in previous games." It was the fifth gold medal at the World Championships for Yugoslavia, which became the first team to repeat as world champion since Brazil in 1963.
Center Fabricio Oberto had 28 points for Argentina, which took
control with a 14-2 run to start the second half but couldn't hold
on.
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