Skip to main content

Curry’s 6 3s send US to basketball worlds quarters

By WTOP Staff

BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — They have a gold medal to chase and a golden U.S. basketball legacy to protect, so the Americans knew they had to bring their best to Barcelona.

Stephen Curry sure did.

Curry made six 3-pointers and scored 20 points Saturday, leading the U.S. national team into the quarterfinals of the Basketball World Cup with an 86-63 victory over Mexico. The Americans next play on Tuesday against Slovenia, which lost to the U.S. 101-71 in an exhibition game Aug. 26 in the Canary Islands.

Curry was 7 of 10 from the field and 6 of 9 behind the arc, further evidence that one of the game’s best shooters was moving past his dismal start to the tournament. Golden State Warriors teammate Klay Thompson added 15 points.

Curry said the U.S. team is improving with every game, just as a similarly young American squad did four years ago in winning gold in Turkey.

“In 2010, we did that,” Curry said. “Every game was fun, it was energetic, just enjoying the ride and I think now we’re here in Barcelona and got our first medal game under our belt, we got the wheels going and excited to get back to work on Tuesday.”

Curry was just 4 for 17 overall in his first two games in Bilbao, though he shot better over the next three. He saved his best performance for Barcelona, where the Americans are used to them.

He made consecutive 3s early in the third quarter when the Americans put away the game, the second coming as he was knocked down by a defender who was lucky not to be called for a foul.

Gustavo Ayon scored 25 points for Mexico, which won last year’s FIBA Americas tournament to qualify and then advanced as the No. 4 team out of Group D despite a 2-3 record.

The 6-foot-9 Ayon played for the Atlanta Hawks last season but his season was cut short by right shoulder surgery in February. He is a free agent and showed enough footwork and shooting touch to warrant a look from someone else.

“I’m very happy about my own participation in this game but I know I have to keep working as a team, as a player,” Ayon said through an interpreter.

He couldn’t prevent what ended up as the usual American romp in Barcelona, where the Dream Team crushed the competition in the 1992 Olympics.

The Americans averaged 117.3 points and won by 43.8 points a game then at nearby Badalona, but expect things to be a little more difficult at the Palau Sant Jordi, where they would play through the semifinals before advancing to Madrid for the Sept. 14 championship game.

“They won, so we just have to do the same thing,” center Anthony Davis.

Davis scored only four points and power forward Kenneth Faried had eight after they were the Americans’ dominant players in the first round. The U.S. compensated by making 13 3-pointers, with their top three scorers all perimeter players.

“For a few games I think our perimeter guys were just really trying to get Anthony off because we had not looked for him and the pendulum went too far, where we’re looking at that too much,” U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “And today it’s swinging more into the middle, and if we get that balance then we’ll be a very good — we think we are a good offensive team — but we can be an outstanding offensive team if we get that balance.”

The U.S., which had some poor starts in previous games, surged to a 13-2 lead. After Mexico answered with seven straight, the Americans pushed the score to 23-13 after one period. It stayed in double digits for nearly the entire second quarter, though Ayon had a 10-point period to keep the Americans from getting too far ahead, and it was 42-27 at halftime.

Curry’s consecutive 3s made it 50-27. He had back-to-back baskets again later in the third, including a layup for his only one inside the arc, before DeMarcus Cousins’ basket made it 57-30.

Despite being bordering countries, the teams hadn’t met since the 2007 Olympic qualifying tournament. They hadn’t played in the World Cup since 1967.

James Harden finished with 12 points for the U.S. Cousins, praised by Krzyzewski for another strong performance, made all five shots and had 11 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

___

Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote