ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, JULY 6, 2021 SPORTS 15 Italy, Czech Republic and Germany secure Oly men’s basketball berth Doncic, Slovenia headed to Tokyo Olympics KAUNAS, Lithuania, July 5, (AP): on an 11-2 run. Lithuania eventually this.” pair of down-to-the-wire games - is Most of the members of Slovenia’s closed within 71-69, but a 14-0 run by Vlatko Cancar scored 18 for Slove- headed to the Olympics for the fi rst basketball team charged toward Luka Slovenia put Doncic’s club in control nia, which got 16 from Jaka Blazic and time after running away from Greece. Doncic moments after the fi nal buzzer for good. 13 from Mike Tobey. Jan Vesely (16), Jaromir Bohacik sounded, determined to get him onto And when the last few seconds Italy 102, Serbia 95 (15), Ondrej Balvin (14) and Tomas their shoulders and carry their best ticked away, Doncic threw his arms Italy went into Serbia and pulled off Satoransky (12) reached double digits player around the court in celebration. skyward in celebration. a stunner, eliminating the team that for the Czechs, who beat Uruguay by How fi tting. “We’re making history for our fi nished second behind the U.S. at the one point just to make the semifi nals He lifted them, so they lifted him. country,” Doncic said. “We can just go 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. and then ousted Canada by two points Doncic and Slovenia are headed to up from here.” Nico Mannion scored 24 points, in overtime to make the fi nal. the Olympics for the fi rst time, after Lithuania was one of four nations Achille Polonara scored 22 and Italy The Czech Republic will be in winning 96-85 at Lithuania on Sunday playing host to Olympic qualifi ers that reached the Olympics for the fi rst time Group A at the Tokyo Games, facing to clinch a spot in the Tokyo Games. ended Sunday, all four being winner- since the 2004 Athens Games - lead- Iran on July 25, France on July 28 and Doncic - the MVP of the tournament take-all events, one team from each the U.S. on July 31. region making the Tokyo fi eld. ing by as many as 24 before a stunned - was simply brilliant: 31 points, 11 arena in Belgrade. rebounds and 13 assists, the fi rst triple- Germany 75, Brazil 64 double by any player in any of the four Simone Fontecchio scored 21, Ste- Moritz Wagner scored 28 points and Olympic qualifying tournaments that BASKETBALL fano Tonut added 15 and Alessandro Germany is headed back to the Olym- were played in the past week to deter- Pajola added 10 for Italy. The Italians pics for the fi rst time since 2008, after mine the last four teams in the Olym- And all four home teams, which will be Group B at the Tokyo Olym- topping Brazil to win the qualifying pic fi eld. fi gured to have major advantages by pics, facing Germany - another winner tournament in Split, Croatia. “I don’t care about the MVP,” Don- being at home, fell short of the Olym- on Sunday - on July 25, Australia on Robin Benzing scored 13 points cic said. “We won here. We’re going pics. Slovenia beat Lithuania in the fi - Czech Republic’s Jaromir Boracic, (center), drives to the net against July 28 and Nigeria on July 31. and Maodo Lo scored 10 for Germa- to the Olympics, the fi rst time in our nal, Croatia and Canada lost semifi nal Greece during the first half of the FIBA men’s Olympic basketball qualifying Danilo Andjusic scored 27 for Ser- ny, which is seeking its fi rst Olympic country. It’s amazing. I think every kid games - and Serbia, the reigning Olym- final at Memorial Arena in Victoria, British Columbia, on July 4. (AP) bia, while Filip Petrusev scored 22 and men’s basketball medal. dreams about being in the Olympics. I pic silver medalists, were stunned in a Ognjen Dobric added 17. Germany will be in Group B at the did, too. So, here we are. We fought re- regional fi nal Sunday by Italy. Slovenia will be placed in Group C for pion Spain on Aug. 1. The top two teams Czech Republic 97, Greece 72 Tokyo Games, facing Italy on July 25, ally, really hard and I think we deserve “A huge disappointment,” Lithuania the Tokyo Games, one of the three four- in each group, plus two wild-cards, will Patrik Auda led a balanced effort Nigeria on July 28 and Australia on to be here.” coach Darius Maskoliunas said. “We team groups at the Olympics. Slovenia make the Olympic quarterfi nals. with 20 points on 8 for 9 shooting, July 31. Anderson Varejao scored 14 The game was tied 52-52 at half- lost at home. We expected a better re- will play Argentina on July 26, Japan on “It’s just one of the best feelings,” and the Czech Republic - which stayed points and Alex Garcia fi nished with time, and Slovenia opened the third sult.” July 29 and reigning World Cup cham- Doncic said. “We worked hard for alive in the tournament by winning a 10 for Brazil. Stewart, Storm beat Sparks Aces set franchise record Ohtani homers again as points in win over Dream LAS VEGAS, July 5, (AP): Kelsey Vegas, which shot nearly 60% from Plum had 23 points and passed 1,000 the fi eld. for her career, and the Las Vegas Courtney Williams led the Dream Aces set a franchise record for points (6-11) with 19 points. Cheyenne Angels ‘hold off’ Orioles with a 118-95 victory over the Atlan- Parker scored 18 points, and Odys- ta Dream. sey Sims had 10 points and 13 as- Plum reached the milestone on sists. a 3-pointer that made it 90-77 with Storm 84, Sparks 74 Pirates stop Brewers’ 11-game win streak 8:47 left in the fourth quarter and In Los Angeles, Breanna Stewart added 11 more before the end of the had 21 points and Sue Bird moved game. into sixth place on the WNBA career ANAHEIM, California, scoring list in Seattle’s victory over July 5, (AP): Shohei Ohtani BASEBALL Los Angeles, hit his major league-lead- Bird passed Katie Smith (6,452) ing 31st homer in the third, A’ja Wilson added 19 points and with the fi rst points of the game, a nine rebounds and Liz Cambage 3-pointer, and fi nished with 13 for and Juan Lagares ended it had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the game and 6,464 overall. with a two-run double in the Aces (14-4). They remained tied Ezi Magbegor added 20 points for the ninth inning of the Los with Seattle for the WNBA lead af- the Storm (14-4). Brittney Sykes and Angeles Angels’ 6-5 come- ter the Storm beat Los Angeles later Erica Wheeler had 19 points each for Sunday. the Sparks (6-11). back victory over the Balti- Dearica Hamby chipped in 18 The Samuelson sisters - Karlie more Orioles. points, Jackie Young scored 16 and of the Sparks and Katie Lou of the Cedric Mullins hit a tiebreaking Riquna Williams added 13 for Las Storm - played against each other for the fi rst time. homer for Baltimore in the ninth in his first game after making his first All-Star team, but the Angels jumped all over Cole Sulser (2-1) without making an out in the bot- tom half. BASEBALL After Los Angeles loaded the bases on a walk and two short singles, Lagar- es doubled to the gap in right-center, extending the Angels’ winning streak to fi ve games. Raisel Iglesias (6-3) got the win. Pirates 2, Brewers 0 In Pittsburgh, Tyler Anderson Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a home run during the third inning of a baseball game pitched seven sparkling innings, and against the Baltimore Orioles, on July 4, in Anaheim, California. (AP) Pittsburgh snapped Milwaukee’s 11- game winning streak. threw 8 2/3 effective innings, Austin Wander Franco hit his second hom- Dodgers improved to a season-best 22 Kevin Newman homered and Wilm- Slater and Darin Ruf both homered and er for Tampa Bay, which had dropped games over .500 at 53-31 following a er Difo had an RBI double as the Pi- San Francisco won its third straight. fi ve in a row overall. Yandy Díaz had sweep of the four-game series. rates stopped a six-game slide. Giants All-Star catcher Buster Posey two hits and scored twice. Padres 11, Phillies 1 Mets 10, Yankees 5, Game 1 left the game with a left thumb contu- In Philadelphia, Manny Machado In this Oct. 31, 2020 file photo, Australia’s Noah Lolesio, (left), runs past sion after taking a foul tip off his glove Dodgers 5, Nationals 1 New Zealand’s Richie Mo’unga, to score his team’s first try during their Yankees 4, Mets 2, Game 2 In Washington, Albert Pujols hit a drove in fi ve runs with a pair of hom- Bledisloe rugby test at Stadium Australia, in Sydney. (AP) hand. He tried to stay in the game but ers, leading San Diego to the victory. In New York, Gio Urshela hit a left after just one more pitch. go-ahead single as a pinch hitter in the three-run homer and the New York seventh inning, and the Dodgers com- The Padres stopped a three-game Yankees saved a little face by beat- Braves 8, Marlins 7, 10 Innings pleted a seven-game season sweep of losing streak with their 50th win of the New-look England pummel rusty ing the Mets to avoid a Subway Series In Atlanta, pinch-hitting pitcher the Nationals.