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Tuesday, September 19
U.S. unbeatable, says Yugoslav coach


MELBOURNE, Australia -- Defending world basketball champion and 1996 Atlanta Olympic silver medalists Yugoslavia said on Sunday the star-studded United States team was unbeatable and favourites for the gold medal.

"They are unbeatable," head coach Zelimir Obradovic told reporters through an interpreter after Yugoslavia defeated a composite Australian professional league team in a warm-up match before the Games.

Obradovic, who is one of the top European league coaches, said he agreed with the assessment of Australian head coach Barry Barnes that the NBA professionals were too good.

"We agree with that," Obradovic said.

"They are the one and only favorites and all the other teams will be fighting to get into the finals."

The likely silver and bronze medal contenders are Yugoslavia, European champion Italy, and Australia, who recently scored a 78-71 victory over Yugoslavia at a Hong Kong tournament.

Russia and Canada are also seen as medal chances.

The U.S. team includes NBA stars Gary Payton of the Seattle Supersonics, Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway of the Miami Heat, Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors, Steve Smith of the Portland Trail Blazers and Jason Kidd of the Phoenix Suns.

Obradovic also said that his players, including injured Sacramento Kings forward Predrag Stojakovic, needed to improve their second half performance as they tended to be complacent.

The team have two more pre-Olympic games against Lithuania and France at Wollongong, about an hour's drive south of Sydney, on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

Stojakovic, a forward who averaged 11.9 points a game and 3.7 rebounds a game in 1999-2000, rolled his left ankle at training on Saturday.

"It's nothing serious," he told Reuters. "It just happened last night in practice. The floor was a little slippery. I hope it will be better the day after tomorrow."


 



   
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