Day 16 Roundup: U.S. wins 14th men's basketball title as Kiprotich gives Uganda first gold in 40 years

By Sportswriter Gao Peng

LONDON, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Kevin Durant scored a game-high 30 points as the U.S. edged Spain 107-100 to retain its Olympic men's basketball title on Sunday as marathon runner Stephen Kiprotich claimed Uganda's first Olympic gold medal for 40 years.

The United States topped the medal standings with 46 gold and 104 overall. China was second with 38 gold, 27 silver and 22 bronze and Britain finished third with 29 gold medals and 65 in all, the best ever results for the hosts.

The Americans have won 14 gold medals in the 17 Olympic men's basketball tournaments they've entered and were unbeaten in London.

However, the Spanish pushed the star-studded defending champions to the limit, leading late in the third quarter as Pau Gasol and Juan Carlos Navarro combined for 45 points before they were forced to settle for silver. Russia beat Argentina 81-77 for the bronze medal.

LeBron James had 19 points and Kobe Bryant added 17 for the U.S. against Spain. Pau Gasol led Spain with 24 points on the final day of the London Games.

"We have an incredible team, we love when it gets tight," James said. "That's when our will and determination shows. It was the same in 2008 when we played against those guys, who are a great team and much respect to them."

Kiprotich's victory in the marathon was Uganda's first Olympic gold since John Akii-Bua's triumph in the men's 400-meter hurdles at the 1972 Games in Munich, and just its second in history.

Kiprotich, 23, finished the 42.195-kilometer race in 2 hours, 8 minutes, 1 second. Kenyans Abel Kirui, the world champion, and Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich were second and third respectively.

"All I can say is that I am happy to win a medal for my country. I love my people and in Uganda we are very happy because we had not won the gold medal in a marathon race before," said Kiprotich.