Basketball: Yugoslavia win world title in overtime thriller

11.00am

INDIANAPOLIS - Yugoslavia won their second consecutive world basketball championship gold medal with a thrilling 84-77 overtime victory over previously unbeaten Argentina this morning.

Yugoslavia (7-2) claimed their fifth world title, after wins in 1970, 1978, 1990 and 1998, and 10th medal at the competition, taking the country one ahead of the United States.

The US wound up in sixth place, their worst showing ever.

Argentina (8-1) won their first medal at the tournament since taking gold in 1950 at the inaugural event in Buenos Aires.

Yugoslavia led Sunday's closely-contested game 41-39 at the half, with six lead changes and another nine ties in the opening 20 minutes.

But Argentina, despite playing in front of a large partisan pro-Yugoslavia crowd, held their opponents to just 11 points in the third quarter to lead 57-52 heading into the fourth quarter.

Yugoslavia rallied, however, and tied the game on a pair of free throws by Dejan Bodiroga with 17.4 seconds to go.

Vlade Divac had a chance to win the game when he went to the free throw line with 5.9 seconds remaining, but he missed both throws, sending the game into overtime.

Yugoslavia outscored Argentina 9-2 in the extra period, sending the crowd into hysterics.

Fabricio Oberto led Argentina with 28 points.

Dejan Bodiroga had 27 points for Yugoslavia, while Predrag Stojakovic had 26.

- REUTERS

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