Scola leads Argentina past Brazil to gain FIBA quarters

Basketball Betting Lines

09/07/2010 - Istanbul, Turkey (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Luis Scola continued a blistering scoring clip with 37 points on 14-of-20 shooting as Argentina edged Brazil, 93-89, to gain a quarterfinal berth in a thrilling South American showdown at the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

Scola of the NBA's Houston Rockets leads the tournament with 30.3 points per game and is knocking down 62 percent of his shots. He scored a dozen points in the decisive fourth quarter, including 10 of the final 12 points for Argentina.

Carlos Delfino of the Milwaukee Bucks added 20 points and hit 4-of-7 from three-point range.

Argentina will take on Lithuania in the quarterfinals after its win over China earlier Tuesday.

The Brazilians were led by Marcelo Huertas' 32 points and led at halftime, 48-46, in what was a tight game throughout. Huertas and then Delfino traded buckets at the conclusion of the third quarter with the game tied at 66 moving to the fourth.

Leandro Barbosa of the Phoenix Suns gave Brazil a lift with back-to-back three-pointers -- two of his five -- to open the final frame. Barbosa scored 20 points in all but it was Huertas who kept it close at the end.

Huertas recorded 10 points in the fourth and hit two free throws early on to keep Brazil in front after Hernan Jasen dropped a pair of threes to answer Barbosa.

The lead continued to change hands down the stretch as Jasen and Huertas knocked down shots for their respective countries as the clock wound under six minutes remaining.

The advantage was back in Brazil's hands, 81-79, on two Tiago Splitter free throws with 3:15 left before Scola took over late.

Scola dropped in consecutive buckets to swing the momentum, and poured in another two following a Brazil counter to get the margin to 89-84 with less than 30 seconds remaining.

Splitter came back with a deuce to make it a one-possession game before Delfino was able to sink two clutch free throws with under 10 seconds to play.

Huertas continued the excitement by nailing a three as time was about to expire, cutting the lead to two. Scola, though, drew the quick foul and made both at the line to wrap things up.

Linas Kleiza poured in 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Lithuania in its 78-67 win over China. Martynas Gecevicius added 14 points and Mantas Kalnietis chipped in 11 for Lithuania.

Liu Wei scored 21 points to lead China.

The Chinese opened a 22-17 lead after the first quarter, but Lithuania used a 23-10 run during the second and went to the break with a 43-40 edge. A three by Liu pulled China even at 48-48 with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter, but Gecevicius answered with a shot from beyond the arc to ignite an 11-0 run for Lithuania.

Kleiza scored four during the burst, which gave Lithuania a 59-48 lead, and the third quarter ended with a 64-51 cushion for the Lithuanians. China got as close as five with just over five minutes left on a bucket by Wang ZhiZhi, but Kleiza scored the next 10 points for Lithuania to extend the margin to 12 with just over a minute remaining.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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