The reigning Miss Arizona belted out a soulful version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to Wednesday night's USA-China men's Olympic basketball exhibition at America West Arena.
Given the way that the Dream Team would play in the following 40 minutes of action, perhaps it would have been fitting had she offered a reggae rendition of the national anthem instead."We be jammin', mon."
With its rasta-roster replete with NBA superstars, Team USA slammed and jammed its way to 23 dunks en route to a 119-58 triumph over an intimated-when-in-the-interior China team, which would hope that a throw-it-down driving layup by Wei-dong Hu might count as a jam.
And were it not for a number of mistimed or misthrown passes among newfound U.S. teammates or the several times that Dream Teamers opted for the finesse of an uncontested finger-roll layin over a rim-rocking jam, that lopsided number of dunks would have been even greater - as well as the margin of victory.
Let's see, the highlights included the coast-to-coast dribble and dunk by hometown favorite Charles Barkley; some high-flying aerial acrobatics by the likes of Scottie Pippen, Anfernee Hardaway and Grant Hill; and not one but several pass-off-the-glass alley-oop jams from Team USA.
It was if the Dream Team was musing: "How many different ways can we dunk on these guys?" But the ratio and varying repertoire of dunks and the Dream Team's nightmarish 61-point of victory were not the only numbers were noting and quoting:
- Seven U.S. players finished in double-digit scoring, lead by Reggie Miller's game-high 16 points and Hill's contribution of 14. Pippen, Barkley, Mitch Richmond, Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson added 10 to 12 points each.
- USA shot 69 percent from the field, as opposed to China's 33 percent.
- The Dream Team amassed 82 points in the paint; China 14.
- The United States scored 22 points on fast breaks and held China scoreless on early opportunities.
- More Dream Team domination: 42-20 in rebounds, 39-17 in assists, 21-9 in steals, 13-1 in blocked shots.
In other words, the outcome was never in doubt - just the final margin. In fact, the game itself was somewhat overshadowed by the Sir Charles sideshow of the week (see accompanying story on Barkley's demands for and expectation of being traded from the Phoenix Suns).
The Utah Jazz tandem of Karl Malone and John Stockton played key roles in Wednesday night's win, including contributions late in the opening half. Malone finished with seven points, a game-high eight rebounds and two steals, while Stockton had four points, four rebounds and five assists during his eight minutes of playing time, which all came at the end of the first half.
The U.S. jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the opening 75 seconds, but couldn't manage to extend its lead past the teens through the next 15 minutes. Although the Chinese didn't dare to venture inside against the likes of Malone, Barkley, Olajuwon and Robinson.
Instead, China relied on outside shooting - hitting 54 percent from the floor through the first 14 minutes of the half and connecting on 7-of-10 from three-point range. With 5:38 to play, China trailed by just 10 points, 41-31.
Then came the U.S. surge that would set the standard for the rest of the night, finishing the half with a 21-7 surge. Robinson started a 10-0 run with a pair of free throws, and Stockton followed with a 17-foot baseline jumper and three straight assists for dunks - one each to Malone, Pippen and Robinson.
The Dream Team added to its 62-38 halftime lead in methodical fashion - a 30-point second-half margin after four minutes, a 40- point edge after eight-plus minutes, 50 points after 11 minutes - and a 60-point cushion with more than four minutes left to play.
"This team is coming together quite well," said USA head coach Lenny Wilkens. "They're picking up well on each other and playing unselfishly."
China couldn't keep up, especially with its outside shot failing. After their 7-for-10 3-point shooting early in the first half, China managed to make just one of 12 subsequent tries for treys.
Zhi-Zhi Wang, a 7-foot-1 center from Beijing who just turned 19 this week, led China with 12 points and was one of only two players to score in double figures.
With the outcome never in doubt, the only suspense remaining was if Phoenix fans would get another look at Barkley in a Suns setting one last time. Malone had subbed in for Barkley with 10:35 remaining, and America West Arena resounded with "We want Charles" chants with two minutes to play.
With Barkley's return for the final 78 seconds of the game, Phoenix fans were so caught up in the "To Sir Charles, With Love" moment that they enthusiastically applauded his only late-game statistic - a tripping foul committed against his Chinese opponent.
The Dream Team is off today - canceling a scheduled Thursday morning practice at America West Arena - and travels to Salt Lake City later this afternoon. USA's next game is 6 p.m. Friday at the Delta Center against the Australian men's Olympic team.