The U.S. will leave the World Cup with its worst finish in a major international tournament, assured of finishing no better than seventh after falling to Serbia 94-89 in a consolation playoff game Thursday night.

The previous worst finish for a U.S. men's team in 45 tournament appearances was sixth at the 2002 world championships. The Americans -- the top-ranked team in the world -- will finish either seventh or eighth in China, depending on the outcome of their consolation finale Saturday.

Harrison Barnes scored 22 points for the U.S., which got 18 from Kemba Walker and 16 from Khris Middleton.

Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 28 for Serbia, which ran out to a quick 25-point lead and handed the U.S. its second loss in two days. Vladimir Lucic scored 15 for Serbia, which will play for fifth place Saturday.

A Serbia-U.S. meeting was widely expected to be one for gold this weekend. The prospects of that were hyped plenty going into the tournament -- especially after Serbia coach Sasha Djordjevic called out the Americans in a television interview by saying "if we meet, may God help them." But all that was on the line Thursday night was bragging rights and a few world ranking points.

Serbia led 44-40 at the half, a margin that may suggest the first 20 minutes were of the back-and-forth variety.

They were not. Instead, it was just two really big runs, one by each team.

Serbia won the first quarter 32-7. The U.S. won the second quarter 33-12. Serbia shot 64% in the first quarter and the U.S. shot 19%; in the second quarter, it was the Americans shooting 72%, Serbia 31%.

TIP-INS

U.S.: Jayson Tatum (left ankle) and Marcus Smart (left hand) were out with injuries, and neither is expected to play in the team's finale Saturday. ... The last time the U.S. dropped consecutive games at the World Cup level was 2002 at the world championships in Indianapolis, losing to Argentina by seven and Yugoslavia by three. The only times the Americans lost three straight were at the 1970 world championships and at the 2005 FIBA Americas tournament.

Serbia: Vasilije Micic, whose mother died during this tournament, stayed with the team instead of going home early. He scored 10 points. ... All-NBA center Nikola Jokic was quiet offensively, scoring nine points on 3-for-4 shooting. He did make two free throws with 20.2 seconds left to put Serbia ahead by six.

NO MEDAL

The U.S. has been sending teams to major international competitions -- the Olympics, the World Cup (formerly the world championship) and FIBA Americas -- since 1936, a span of 45 tournaments in all. This is only the fifth time the Americans won't medal; they were fifth at the 1970 world championship, fifth at the 1978 world championship, sixth at the 2002 world championship and fourth at the 2005 FIBA Americas. They've medaled in all 18 Olympic competitions, winning gold 15 times.

UP NEXT

U.S.: Faces Poland or Czech Republic in seventh-place game at Beijing on Saturday.

Serbia: Faces Poland or Czech Republic in fifth-place game at Beijing on Saturday.

DONGGUAN, China -- Sometimes the worst insult can be apathy.

Wednesday night, when France beat Team USA, some French players had tears in their eyes and star Rudy Gobert said he'd fulfilled a lifelong dream. Thursday night, when Serbia jumped out to a 25-point lead in the first quarter and went on to beat the Americans for the first time, 94-89, avenging a 30-point loss in the Olympic gold-medal game in 2016, there was ... nothing.

No emotion. The Serbian players just walked off the floor.

It's true the game had no material stakes. Team USA had already qualified for the Olympics and Serbia couldn't qualify and was just playing for pride. But when Australia beat Team USA in a friendly last month in Melbourne, the victors celebrated it as one of the great achievements in the country's basketball history.

Nikola Jokic, the first team All-NBA center the USA was fretting about facing for weeks, sort of went through the game at medium speed. He scored nine points and had seven assists, but Serbia didn't need him to be great.

"It goes in the books," said Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, who crushed Team USA with 28 points. "But it's just another game."

Man.

The full report is after falling behind by 25, the U.S. battled back with spirit. Gregg Popovich kept coaching, deploying different lineups and trying different things. Khris Middleton and Myles Turner led a meaningful comeback. Harrison Barnes had his best game of the World Cup with 22 points. Kemba Walker had 18 points despite a bothersome neck injury.

But ...

"We're not here to get moral victories, we're here to win," Donovan Mitchell said. "To lose two in a row stings."

Team USA will play for seventh place Saturday in Beijing. It will be the worst finish in a World Cup for the country -- and that positioning is probably about right. That's right where the Americans belong in this event. Had they pulled off the win over France, they likely didn't have the horsepower to win two more.

FIBA's promotion of Friday's World Cup semifinals came with the tagline: "The throne is empty." Let's translate that: The king is dead. Since leaving for Australia to play a three-game exhibition tour, this group is 7-3. Had Turkey not botched several chances to beat them last week, Team USA would be 6-4.

It's hard to judge this team. They have indeed showed character, they haven't taken shortcuts. Their intensity to start games could've been better. And it was curious that Popovich didn't hold a full practice for nearly two weeks despite a number of players struggling with shooting; the extra work might've paid off. They never bought into the ball-movement offense Popovich tried to install in training camp and it made them easier to guard. But honestly, these are nitpicks.

This team didn't underachieve, and that is sobering. Whether it's a call to action to more talented American players remains to be seen. But that's obviously the first step. Maybe Popovich will have to do some more recruiting over the next 10 months. Maybe Jerry Colangelo, who put the team together with other USA Basketball executives, needs to evaluate process. But they'd do that anyway, even if they'd won a medal. It's not an indictment.

Looking at this fairly, it's a true accomplishment they got the Olympic berth and didn't force playing in a series of qualifying games next summer. At this point, who knows what would happen there.

They were down to 10 players Thursday because Jayson Tatum (ankle) and Marcus Smart (leg injuries) were out. Losing Tatum was a killer. At his size and the way Popovich wanted to play, with wings moving down and guarding opposing bigs, Tatum was a crucial player. There just wasn't spare talent.

Brook Lopez, a quality player for the Milwaukee Bucks, hasn't made a shot all tournament and was rendered next to unusable. Mason Plumlee has a World Cup gold medal and is a great guy to have around the team, but he's an NBA backup in Denver and was playing against Jokic, the guy ahead of Plumlee on the Nuggets' roster. It was just a tough ask.

In the locker room after the game, the Americans looked at each other and realized there is a lot of work to do for the national team going forward. And many of them might not be asked back to do it.

Say whatever you want about this group, the players have had their eyes wide open this entire time. Their understanding of the situation, like the Serbs' collective indifference, just said it all.

"For some of us, potentially all of us, Saturday will be the last chance for us to wear a Team USA jersey," Barnes said. "We have to savor that opportunity."

The New York Yankees expect Luis Severino to make his first start of the season on Tuesday, manager Aaron Boone announced Thursday.

Severino, who has been on the injured list with right shoulder rotator cuff inflammation and a lat strain, last pitched in the majors in Game 3 of the 2018 ALDS, when he gave up six runs in three innings of a 16-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

"No question we're excited to get him back," Boone said Thursday. "Feel like he's been in pretty good place physically now for a couple of months and building really good momentum. I feel like his progression has gone really smooth.

"... He could be a game-changer guy for us, there's no question."

Severino, who made his final rehab start for Double-A Trenton on Wednesday night, will rejoin the Yankees in Toronto on Friday. The team faces the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

Boone hopes Severino can make three starts during the remainder of the regular season.

"Not far off at all," Boone said of Severino's rehab outing. "Now it's just a matter of really just getting real sharp. But you can tell he feels good, the stuff is there. Now it's getting sharp with it and getting that consistency.

Severino threw 64 pitches over 3 2/3 innings, striking out four with no walks while giving up five hits and four runs -- one earned.

"I feel pretty good," Severino told reporters after the game. "Today, I was looking forward just to seeing my arm. I was letting the ball go better than the first one. I was working on my secondary pitches. My changeup was down in the zone. I left a couple up, but I think that everything went well."

Milwaukee Brewers star outfielder Christian Yelich does not need surgery on his fractured right kneecap and is not expected to suffer any long-term effects from the injury.

Brewers general manager David Stearns told reporters Thursday that Yelich's leg will be "immobilized for a while," saying the expected recovery time frame is eight to 10 weeks.

Stearns also said that Yelich would seek a second opinion either this weekend or next week.

"At this point, it looks like we've dodged a little bit of a bullet," Stearns said. "He will not need surgery."

Yelich suffered the season-ending injury when he fouled a ball off his the knee Tuesday against the Miami Marlins.

Last season's National League MVP, Yelich is second in the league in batting average (.329) and is tied for second in home runs (44). He also leads the Brewers in RBIs (97), runs scored (100), stolen bases (30) and OPS (1.100).

The Brewers (77-68) won their first game without Yelich on Wednesday and enter Thursday afternoon's contest in Miami tied with the rival Chicago Cubs (77-68) for the NL's second wild card.

Andy Murray has taken a wildcard entry for next month's Shanghai Masters as he steps up his singles comeback.

The 32-year-old former world number one, who had hip surgery in January, will return to the ATP Tour in Zhuhai, beginning on 23 September.

He will then play in the China Open and has now committed to a third consecutive week of action.

Murray is a four-time finalist and three-time winner in Shanghai, Asia's only Masters event.

He became the tournament's youngest champion when he beat Roger Federer in 2010. He also lifted the trophy in 2011 and 2016.

"I'm really looking forward to be going back to Shanghai, a tournament I have had success at in the past," said Murray.

"Thanks to the tournament for a wildcard, it's great to be able to continue my comeback and play more tennis in China. Shanghai is a great city - I feel comfortable there and the fans are always supportive."

Having started his journey back in doubles, Murray played his first singles match since surgery in Cincinnati last month, losing to Richard Gasquet - ranked 41 in the world - in the first round.

He then fell to Tennys Sandgren - ranked 68 - at the first hurdle in Winston-Salem before progressing through two rounds when he dropped down to Challenger level in Majorca.

Murray has also signed up for the European Open in Antwerp the week after Shanghai.

I woke up to the headline ‘Greg Marches on’
By JAMES ROBERTS – Squash Mad Roving Reporter

With five days of clothing, toiletries, playing gear, rackets, shoes, numerous World Squash Day shirts, several bottles of craft beer and two giant bars of Cadbury’s chocolate (gifts for French friends), I never thought you could pack so much into a single racket bag!

Off to Oakham station for the train ride to Stansted Airport I go, not yet realising just how heavy this will prove to be.

Once relieved of this heavy weight on my shoulders, I sail through Stansted security but have to put a bit of a rush on to get to the gate to board. Funny how it is gate 44 for Nantes – anyone who knows this area will realise the significance of that number.

The flight is uneventful and I am rewarded with extra legroom seats for free – on a Ryanair flight too! This is only because the two seats next to me are vacant. A welcome bonus for someone 1m 90cm (6ft 2in) tall.

Baggage retrieval is quick and easy and I am reunited with the ton weight of a racket bag. It is then a quick bus and tram ride into the city centre, followed by a 700m walk to the Chateau, which felt like seven miles with that racket bag!

I catch a first glimpse of the Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne, which looked stunning with a lovely blue sky backdrop. I am greeted there by Matt Coles, the main PSA guy for this tournament. I am there to deliver a few World Squash Day shirts that will be used to help promote the event.

We are then let into the specially constructed arena in the courtyard, which is rather warm from the heat of the day. Once again, the Nantes team have done a fantastic job, with the court end made clear so you can see the backdrop of the chateau.

I am greeted there by Romain Suire, a key member of the organising team and of course the tournament MC. It is great to finally meet him at last, having hooked up on Facebook and exchanged numerous messages.

On the all- court, two of the main pretenders to the French Open Crown are undertaking a drop drive practice session – The Marksman, James Willstop and Superman, Paul Coll, so I stop briefly to admire and take a few photos.

After taking a few external shots of the venue, I am picked up outside the Chateau by Gilles, one of my French friends who I have not seen in 32 years since we were at Angers University together during my year out in France. A rather scenic drive along the banks of the River Loire ensues to La Varenne, where Gilles lives.

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It is an all too short catch-up but after a few beers and a nice omelette made from the vegetables Gilles grows in his garden, I then catch the last train from nearby Ancenis to the lovely city of Angers, where my other friends live. I have to say, French trains make me realise how poor our rail system in the UK truly is.

They have constructed a rather nice log cabin in their garden since my last visit, just for visitors, so I now have this to myself for the next two nights. My head hits the pillow and I am out light a light.

I woke to the news that “Gregoire Marches on” (I bet that headline has never been used before!) at the expense of top seed Simon Rösner. I have no doubt that the amazing crowd at Nantes had something to do with that victory. Can the French Warrior feed off the crowd in the same way in his quarter-final clash today with Superman I wonder?

Today, I am returning once again to Squash du Lac de Maine (pictured), where I played squash during my year out in the mid-80s and am looking forward to meeting Florian and Philippe Pouffer again, the father and son management team.

Tomorrow it will be back to Nantes to first take in some of the action at the inaugural French Amateur Open at La Maison du Squash, before hooking up with the crew from Lings Squash Club who will have arrived by then. We are having a hit at D’Sport and Co in Nantes, before then heading to the Chateau for the French Open Semi-finals.

A bientôt!
 

Bristol Bears number eight and four-time Premiership winner Jordan Crane is to retire at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old - who won the last of three England caps in 2009 - will play alongside a new academy transition coach role for the 2019-20 campaign.

Crane joined Bristol from Leicester in 2016, leading them to promotion and a ninth-placed finish last term.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to begin my coaching journey in a world-class coaching set up," he said.

"When I reflect back on the last 16 years, I've been so fortunate to meet many great friends and share the field with some of the most talented players to play the game."

Crane started his 16-year professional career with Yorkshire Carnegie before being part of a dominant Leicester side, helping them to four league titles between 2006 and 2016.

Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said: "Jordan has enjoyed a fantastic career at the very top of the game and it's a testament to his dedication and professionalism that he has been a key player for so many years.

"Jordan has all the ingredients to be a world class English coach and we are excited about the value he will add to our under-18s and academy programme."

PLACERVILLE, Calif. — Doubt has filled Shane Golobic’s mind for the last six years.

His first and only World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series win came in 2013. Since then he’s questioned if he would win one again.

There was a clear answer Wednesday night during the 49er Gold Rush Classic presented by Riebes NAPA Auto Parts at Placerville Speedway.

“I feel like two gives you a little more credibility than one,” said Golobic, who runs a part-time schedule with the series. “I got the first one at a little short track, Antioch (Speedway). It was a non-stop feature, it counts as an Outlaws win one hundred percent, but there’s always that little bit of doubt. I’m not so much worried about other people, what they think, but just in me. You know, it’s been a few years since we done it. You just wonder if it is ever going to happen again. Tonight, we had the race car to do it.”

The Fremont, Calif., native started the night by qualifying fifth. He then went on to fight his way to a second-place finish in heat and then to a fourth-place finish in the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash.

The night was mostly ruled by Californians, winning everything but one heat race which was won by Daryn Pittman, who drivers for the California-based Roth Motorsports team. Brad Sweet was the top Golden State driver for most of the night by winning his Drydene Heat race and winning the DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash. He also pulled double duty as promoter and driver for the race.

When the 40-lap feature went green at the quarter-mile track in El Dorado County, Sweet jumped to the lead, leaving outside polesitter, and fellow California-native, Carson Macedo to battle with Kraig Kinser for second. Golobic ran fourth.

The field got five laps into the race before the first caution came out for Kyle Larson spinning in turn four. When the race resumed, Sweet marched back to the lead. Macedo stayed close by, though. Behind the front two, Golobic found his rhythm around the high side of the track and worked his way around Kinser to take third-place. He tried to contend with Macedo by sneaking to his outside, but the Kyle Larson Racing driver closed the door and focused on his trek to Sweet’s bumper.

Less than a car length’s distance separated Sweet and Macedo for the next 10 laps. Sweet ran the low line. Macedo hammered the outside of the speedway. The two Californians ran their lines with precision, neither gaining nor losing ground on the other.

However, on lap 14 Sweet sailed his NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 car to the high side in turn three. The precision was lost. He bounced off the cushion, hindering his speed. Macedo had already reacted to Sweet’s lane change by diving to the bottom. Once Sweet bobbled, Macedo powered by him for the lead. Sweet charged back underneath him the next circuit around and nosed the rookie to the line to reclaim the lead on lap 16.

Macedo was too strong up high, though. He easily worked his way back around the outside of Sweet for the lead. While the “Big Cat” kept Macedo in striking distance for the next eight laps, Golobic continued to run third.

The third caution of the night came out on lap 24 for Jessie Attard coming to a stop in turn four. On the restart, Golobic and Sweet raced side by side down the front stretch and into the first corner. Sweet lost grip on the exit of turn two and entered the backstretch at a 45-degree angle. With a clean exit by Golobic, he hammered the throttle and cleared Sweet for second before turn three.

Sweet tried to fight back but couldn’t. The handling went away on his car and he faded through the field.

With 10 laps to go, Golobic was about a second behind Macedo. He could still see the white No. 2 car in front of him, though. He could see a potential second World of Outlaws win still within reach. To get to it meant making more aggressive moves and using his knowledge as a local racer of the track to his advantage.

“With 26 to go, or whatever it was, on that restart I knew I needed to get a good drive down the straightaway and get to the top and click laps away and be there right behind Carson as close as I could when he did catch traffic,” Golobic said. “Took a peek at the board each time I went down the back straightaway. That’s probably something I have an advantage of over other guys who don’t race here every week. They don’t have that in the back of their mind during the race. Saw thirty-seven laps were down and started turning it on.”

With three laps to go Macedo bounced off the cushion in turn three, allowing Golobic to close to his bumper and stay on him like a magnet the next lap. In their return to turn three, Golobic shot underneath Macedo and slid up in front of him on the exit of turn four to take the lead.

Macedo threw two unsuccessful slide jobs at Golobic the next two corners. When the checkered flag hung over the track, Golobic was the first to see it – his first World of Outlaws win at Placerville Speedway and second career series win.

“It’s my favorite race track in the world and now it’s even more of my favorite race track with this memory,” said Golobic.

Macedo had to settle for second, while Justin Sanders worked his way to his first World of Outlaws podium finish of the year.

“I feel pretty bad for my team,” Macedo said. “I feel like I let that one go. I knew it was getting super technical up there (on the high side). I could catch lap traffic and they were kind of making the racetrack dirty under the cushion. I was struggling to get through there. Shane just did a really good job.”

Sweet fell to sixth-place but still took home a victory, reclaiming the point lead over 10-time series champion Donny Schatz, who finished 10th – now leading him by two points. And as a promoter, he saw a sellout crowd.

To see full results, turn to the next page.