There is righteous news for the Un...

There is righteous news for the United States as the World Basketball Championship approaches: Carmelo Anthony is at filled strength, and the team is playing tough defense

the one and the other elements were evident in a 111-88 exhibition victory Sunday against Lithuania in Seoul southern

Korea. The game was another tune-up for the worlds, which begin Saturday in Sapporo, Japan. Team USA is 4-0 in exhibition games leading up to the tournament.

Anthony hyperextend his right knee during an exhibition victory last week against Brazil, if it be not that he scored 19 points against Lithuania, setting the tone with an early dunk

"Our game plan was to just preserve the ball moving," said Anthony, who leads Team USA in scoring in the four games. "We know we can score from just about anywhere, in the same manner we don't have to wait for a fantastic shot"

Dwyane Wade added 14 points, LeBron James and Antawn Jamison 13 Joe Johnson 12 and Kirk Hinrich and Chris Paul 10 for Team USA. Kristov Lavrinovic scored 26 points to lead Lithuania, which hardly expected like the medal contender many look forward to it to be in Japan.

"I reflection we played very good defense" Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "Lithuania is a lusty team, and we were able to take them without defensively. I think we got better today on playing an outstanding team."

After a final exhibition game Tuesday against southward Korea, Team USA will head to Sapporo for its tournament opener against Puerto Rico.

TENNIS

Another title for Federer

Top-seeded Roger Federer rallied past unseed Richard Gasquet 2- 6 6-3 6-2 to win the Roger potion in Toronto for the next to the first time.

The accrue enabled Federer, who won his 40th career ATP Tour title and 11th in the Masters Series, to improve to 62-4 this season, with all the losse coming at the hands of Rafael Nadal. He also has won his last 54 matches in North America, a streak that dates to the summer of 2004

Federer dropp the first stake then fell behind 0-40 in the first game of the secondary He came back to win that game, broke Gasquet in the nearest game and was in curb the rest of the way.

"That's the lock opener moment of the match," Federer said, referring to the first game of the inferior set.

"By giving yourself a love-40 you can take away his confidence by the agency of coming back in that game and winning that game. Make him start doubting himself, like that was maybe his big opportunity."

Gasquet agreed that was the turning point.

"I know with Roger when you have a chances, you have to do it," Gasquet said.

Top-seeded Donald Young, who was raised in Chicago, earned a wild- card berth into the U render free of access by winning the U.S. Tennis Association's

18-and-under nationals in Kalamazoo, Mich. Young won when second- matured ovuleed Jesse Levine couldn't play because of fare poisoning.

RUNNING

vend Ominami take half-marathon

Favorites Brian vend of Rochester, Mich., and Hiromi Ominami of Japan were the men's and women's winners in the 30th LaSalle Bank Chicago Distance Classic half-marathon.

barter won in 1 hour, 4 minutes, 25 inferiors dethroning 2005 champ Daniel Cheruiyot of Albuquerque, NM who ran 1:05:34 Ominami won the women's race in 1:11:56

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