Anthony shines in scrimmage with 28

By Marc J. Spears

Las Vegas - Carmelo Anthony continued with USA Basketball where he left off last year.

The Nuggets forward scored a game-high 28 points for the Blue team in a 105-104 victory over the White team in an intrasquad scrimmage before 15,132 fans Sunday at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center.

Anthony was the leading scorer for Team USA at the 2006 world championships with a 19.9 average. He made 11-of-23 shots, grabbed six rebounds and had four assists in 33 minutes Sunday. The scrimmage completed Team USA's three-day mini-camp to prepare for the FIBA Americas Championship tournament in Las Vegas.

"I came out here just wanting to play hard," Anthony said. "It was a very competitive game. We can tell already the difference (in improved talent). I've been working (out) for a long time."

Despite Anthony's scoring, the crowd chanted for teammate Kobe Bryant (26 points) to shoot in the clutch when the Blue team trailed 104-103 with 21.3 seconds left. With 6.6 seconds left, Bryant gave the fans what they wanted, hitting a game-winning jumper over Tayshaun Prince. The White team's LeBron James (18 points, five assists) missed a shot in the lane that was contested by Bryant at the buzzer.

While Anthony started in the scrimmage for the Blue team, Chauncey Billups came off the bench for the White team behind point guard Jason Kidd (two points, eight assists). Billups, a former Colorado and George Washington High School star, finished with three points, seven assists and four rebounds in 18 minutes.

"My role on this team is to lead and get the ball to all the great players we have," said Billups, who added that he needed to improve his conditioning.

Team USA will return Aug. 14 for training camp. The team's Americas Championship opener is Aug. 22 against Venezuela. The top two teams in the 10- team tournament win berths in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Team USA, which had 17 players in the mini-camp, must set its roster at 12 players by Aug. 21. Team USA managing director Jerry Colangelo said all 17 players would be brought back for training camp as well as others, including Greg Oden and Nick Collison, to help in practices. Colangelo said Shane Bat- tier, who played Sunday, might not play in the tournament because of family reasons.

NBA rookie Kevin Durant isn't expected to make the team, but hopes his 22 points Sunday will help change that.

"I want to be a part of a great team and try to be a part of winning a gold medal," Durant said.

Team USA was the bronze medalist at the world championships last year with a talented but young group. Colangelo said he is happier now with a team of more veterans and better perimeter shooting on a roster that includes newcomers Billups, Bryant, Kidd, Michael Redd and Mike Miller.

"All the new guys have done a heck of a job," Colangelo said.