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Argentina edge out Brazil

Argentina edge out Brazil

09/07/2010 10:01:40 PM

A thrilling four-point win over Brazil has helped Argentina move through to the quarter-finals of the FIBA World Championships in Turkey.

The South American giants fought out one of the most exciting games of the tournament so far in Istanbul, with Argentine forward Luis Scola producing a late run of points to help get his side across the line and set up a quarter-final clash Lithuania.

The two great rivals had never met in the World Championships, and got off to a fiery start on Tuesday.

Marcelo Huertas and Leandrinho Barbosa were damaging for Brazil in the first term and combined for 20 of their team's 25 points, but impressive long-range shooting from Carlos Delfino kept the scores level at quarter-time.

Argentina controlled most of the second term to lead by six points, but Huertas added six late points as Brazil took a slender lead into half-time.

It was Brazil's turn to take the lead in the third term, but Scola and Delfino erased a seven-point deficit to tie the match heading into the final term.

The fourth quarter went point for point until Scola reeled off six points in a row to put Argentina into the lead in the dying minutes to hold on for a 93-89 win.

Scola finished with a game-high 37 points, while Huertas netted 32 for Brazil.

"It was a great game. I wish we would have faced them later in the tournament. It was real close," Scola said.

"Either team could have won. It came down to the little things."

In Tuesday's other match, Lithuania sealed their quarter-final spot with a 78-67 win over China.

The Europeans had to hold off a late fightback from China before Linas Kleiza hit some steadying baskets to seal the win.

China made a great start jumping to a 16-5 lead in the first term, but Lithuania regrouped and worked their way back into the contest.

By three-quarter time they had established a 13-point lead, but China managed to reduce that to 67-62 before Kleiza stepped in.

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images


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