Russians stun Spain to take gold
MADRID: Russia stunned host and world champion Spain 60-59 in the European championship final to secure the gold medal on Sunday.
Jon Robert Holden sank the winning two-pointer with two seconds remaining, leaving the favorite Spain with silver.
Russia earned automatic qualification to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Spain has already qualified.
Russia last won gold in 1985, when it competed as the USSR, making it its 15th gold medal in the Euros. It was Spain's sixth failure in the final and it has never won gold.
Russia's Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko scored a game-high 17 points and was voted the tournament's MVP. He was supported by Victor Khryapa with 12 rebounds and seven points.
"This was a meeting of David against Goliath, we faced the beast and knocked him down," said Russia coach David Blatt.
"Our plan was to stay in the game and make them feel the heat, the pressure of 15,000 fans, and to see how they play. Fortunately, we did that and we won."
Pepu Hernandez's side was led by Jose Manuel Calderon with 15 points and Gasol with 14, the only two to make double figures.
"I am going to think about all our errors, but I am not going to wash our dirty linen in public now. We deserved to win and nothing else is a compensation," said a downcast Hernandez.
"This is the best basketball team in Spain's history and still has an extraordinary future in front of it."
Lithuania took bronze after beating 2005 winner Greece 78-69 in the third-place playoff match. The victory also earned Lithuania automatic qualification to the Beijing Olympics.
Ksistof Lavrinovic top scored for the 2003 gold medalists with 19 points, supported by Ramunas Siskauskas and Linas Kleiza with 13 each.
Greek guard Nikolaos Zisis notched a game-high 23 points for the former champion, who trailed from midway through the second quarter.
Earlier, Germany beat Croatia 80-71 to finish fifth and Slovenia overcame France 88-74 to end up seventh.
Greece, Germany, Croatia and Slovenia enter the pre-Olympic qualifying tournament next July.
Agencies
(China Daily 09/18/2007 page24)
