United States on top of medal count, men's basketball advances in London

By Associated Press

CREATED Aug. 8, 2012

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LONDON (AP) It's Team USA vs. Argentina and Spain vs. Russia in the Olympic men's basketball semifinals on Friday.

The Americans roared into the semis by dismantling Argentina 119-86 behind a triple-double by LeBron James - 11 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Kobe Bryant, held scoreless in the first half, picked it up big time in the second half and finished with 20. Bryant broke open a close game with six straight 3-pointers. 

More notes from the London 2012 Olympics: 

  • The success at the Olympic Stadium in track and field propelled the U.S. back on top of the medal count. The Americans now have 81 medals to 77 for China. In gold, the U.S. trails China by two, 36-34.
  • After winning the silver medal in 2004 and 2008, Allyson Felix of the United States has won the Olympic gold medal in the women's 200 meters. She earned the prize by overtaking two-time 100 champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica down the stretch to win in 21.88 seconds.
  • Aries Merritt led a 1-2 finish for the United States in the Olympic 110-meter hurdles, winning in 12.92 seconds. Jason Richardson, the world champion, was second in 13.04.
  • Brittney Reese of the U.S. won the gold in the women's long jump. She is just the second U.S. woman to win the event at the Olympics. The two-time world champion went into the competition with the best jump of the season and put down the best mark in the final with 7.12 meters on her second attempt. 
  • In beach volleyball, Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty-May Treanor of the U.S. won their third Olympic gold. They defeated fellow Americans April Ross and Jennifer Kessy, 21-16, 21-16.
  • U.S. middleweight Claressa Shields dominated her opponent from Kazakhstan in the semifinals of the first Olympic women's boxing tournament. The 17-year-old will fight a Russian for the gold medal. Shields is the last American boxer left in London after flyweight Marlen Esparza lost an hour earlier.