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US, Russia, win women's Olympic openers

Dunya News

United States and Russia registered wins to advance in Olympic women's basketball.

The United States struggled against Olympic newcomer Croatia before pulling away for a 81-56 victory Saturday to kick off its bid for a fifth straight gold medal.Earlier, American-born Becky Hammon scored eight straight points down the stretch to help her adopted nation of Russia rally for a 58-53 victory over Canada on the opening day of Olympic womens basketball.Trailing 50-40 with six minutes left, Russia closed the game with an 18-3 run led by Hammon. Anna Petrakova hit a 3-pointer and a lay-in to get the spurt started. Then Hammon took over, after struggling in the first three quarters of the Group B game.China beat the Czech Republic 66-57 and Turkey routed Angola 72-50 in the Olympic debut for both teams in the Americans Group A.The Americans won their 34th consecutive Olympic contest, but were even behind at one point against Croatia, a team that has never played a major tournament before and which missed its first 14 shots.Tina Charles and Candace Parker each had double-doubles and Angel McCoughtry provided a spark off the bench to help the Americans run away in the fourth quarter.The US, which has dominated its opponents en route to the last four gold medals, only led 53-49 early in the fourth quarter before a 16-0 run put the game out of reach.McCoughtry finished with 13 points. Charles had 14 points and 10 rebounds; Parker finished with 11 points and 13 boards.Jelena Ivezic scored 22 points and Marija Vrsaljko added 19 for Croatia.Hammon is playing in her second Olympics for Russia, the European champions. The South Dakota native became a Russian naturalized citizen before the Beijing Games and helped Russia win the bronze there. Because she hadnt played for the United States in any major FIBA-sanctioned international events, she is allowed to compete for Russia in the Olympics.And she delivered when Russia needed her most.Her layup with 2:35 left tied the game at 50. She followed 30 seconds later with a basket that gave Russia its first lead since early in the opening quarter. Hammon then scored another layup that made it 54-51 with 1:06 left. She capped her own run with another layup.Canada couldnt make another basket the rest of the way and couldnt stop Hammon.Canada returned to the Olympics for the first time in 12 years after earning the final spot in the womens field. Despite the loss, the team wasnt discouraged.Canada qualified for the Olympics for the first time since 2000 after finishing fifth in the pre-Olympic qualifier earlier this month.Russia is missing its star center Maria Stepanova, who is out with a knee injury.