SHENZHEN, China (CIS) – For the first time in 14 years, Canada is one win away from a gold medal in mens basketball at the Summer Universiade.www.authenticdolphinsshop.com/Walt-Aikens-Dolphins-Jersey . Leaving nothing to chance, the Canadians never trailed on Sunday in their semifinal against Lithuania, winning 83-68 to advance to their first world university games final since 1997 in Sicily, Italy. Canada (5-1) will face defending champion Serbia (5-1) on Monday at 9:30 p.m. local time (9:30 a.m. ET) in its fifth final in 20 appearances at the FISU tournament. The Serbians defeated Russia 81-61 in the other semifinal. The Canadians beat Serbia 70-67 in their second Pool B outing on Aug. 14. “Its fabulous,” said Team Canada bench boss Kevin Hanson of making the gold medal final. “These guys are all very focused, this is a mature group and we have been following that old cliché of ‘one game at a time.” Ottawa native Tyson Hinz continued to be Canadas go-to scorer and left the court with 21 points before fouling out late in the fourth, marking his third 20-plus point performance of the tournament. “The guy is a winner, the fact that we are running everything through him isnt a surprise to anybody,” said Hanson of his star forward. “Hes a bit undersized in the post, and a lot of people back home were questioning whether he can play internationally, and I think he is proving that he can right now.” Hinz started slow, Lithuania keyed defensively on the reigning Canadian Interuniversity Sport player of the year, and he had only five points at the half. The Carleton University forward finished the game 6-for-14 from the field, including two three-pointers, and is averaging a team-best 16.2 points per game through six FISU contests. “We are playing really well as a team and in particular we are defending well as a team,” said Hinz, who has led Canada in scoring in four of six games. “If they are going to key in on me, someone always steps up, whether its Boris [Bakovic], Warren [Ward], or someone else, we find a way.” Lithuania (5-2) was perhaps suffering from an emotional and physical letdown after their 76-74 quarter-final upset of the United States on Saturday night and it showed in the first half, as the Canadians came out gunning. Torontos Bakovic scored the first eight points of the game for Canada, including two three-pointers, to open the quarter on an 8-to-2 run. The Canucks led 24-18 at the end of the first, and went into halftime up 39-29. Bakovic and Ward each finished the game with 16 points, while Gediminas Zyle led Lithuania with 15. In womens soccer, Canada (4-2) matched its best Universiade finish in history, earning fifth place thanks to a 1-0 shutout of Russia (1-2-2). Gillian Baggott of Ottawa scored the games lone goal in the 52nd minute, while keeper Rachel Bedek of St. Thomas, Ont., earned her third whitewash of the tournament. Canada had previously finished fifth in 1993 in Buffalo when womens soccer made its world university games debut, and in 2005 in Izmir, Turkey. The womens basketball tournament also came to an end on Sunday, with Canada (3-3) dropping a 71-52 decision to Russia (5-1) to finish the competition in sixth position, its best result since the 2001 games in Beijing. Kendel Ross had 17 points in the losing cause. The native of Sarnia, Ont., was the top Canadian scorer in every contest in Shenzhen. On the final day of athletics, only one Canadian was in action, in the womens 1,500m final. Kate Van Buskirk, Brampton, Ont., crossed the finish line in 10th place thanks to a personal best time of 4:12.28. After capturing eight medals at the last world university games in 2009, Canadas track and field team was kept off the podium at the Universiade Center Stadium. In taekwondo, Vadim Korotchenko of Vancouver was no match for Irans Mehran Askari in the round of 32 at -80kg, losing a lopsided affair 12-0. In rhythmic gymnastics, on the second and last day of the individual all-around final, Jessica Ho of Vancouver upped her total to 90.625 points to finish in 26th place, while Kelsey Anderson of Vernon, B.C., was 29th with 87.925 points. Russias Evgeniya Kanaeva (115.350) ran away with the gold medal. JaWuan James Green Jersey . The Red Sox got their way. The Rays got the last laugh. Yunel Escobar homered off Boston closer Koji Uehara leading off the ninth inning to propel Tampa Bay to a 6-5 win and a day-night doubleheader sweep on Thursday night. Jarvis Landry Womens Jersey . -- Ernie Els hardly ever catches a break at the Match Play Championship.CLEVELAND -- The Cavaliers coaching search is progressing -- and aging. For the second straight day, the team met with a Los Angeles Clippers assistant about its head coaching job. Alvin Gentry is the third known candidate to interview this week with the Cavs, who this month fired Mike Brown for the second time. Cleveland executives met Tuesday with Chicago assistant Adrian Griffin, and the Cavs interviewed Clippers assistant Tyronn Lue on Thursday. Both the 39-year-old Griffin and 37-year-old Lue represent the new breed of NBA coaches: young, former players who are highly regarded but lack head-coaching experience. On Saturday, the Cavs are to meet with former Memphis coach Lionel Hollins. Like Gentry, the 60-year-old Hollins has an extensive head coaching resume and now the Cavs must decide whether to go with an unproven candidate or one who has been through the grind. Gentry, 59, could be considered a favourite because of his background with new Cavs general manager David Griffin. They worked together in Phoenix and have remained close. Griffin has said he wants to find a coach who is more offensive-minded than Brown, who improved Cleveland substantially last season but failed to develop the teams offence. Gentry is also reportedly a candidate for the Lakers opening. Its unclear if David Griffin will expand his search to find Clevelands third coach in three years. The Cavs initially dipped into the college ranks to gauge interest in high-profile coaches like Kentuckys John Calipari and Floridas Billy Donovan, and they may circle back if theyre not sold on any of the four candidates brought in this week. Arthur Lynch Jersey. Gentry went 335-370 during stints with Miami, the Clippers, Detroit and Suns. He spent last season -- along with Lue -- on Doc Rivers staff. Hollins guided Memphis to a 56-26 record in 2012-13, but the club decided not to renew his contract despite him leading the Grizzlies to the Western Conference finals for the first time. He won an NBA title as a player with Portland in 1977 and had been with the Memphis franchise since 1999, when the team was in Vancouver and he became interim coach after Brian Hill was fired. Hollins is 214-201 overall and 18-17 in the playoffs. His departure in Memphis has been followed with upheaval in the front office. David Griffin understands the Cavs job could be a tough sell, given the team has changed coaches in each of the past two offseasons. However, Clevelands opening recently became more appealing when the Cavs won the draft lottery for the second consecutive year and will have the No. 1 overall pick for the third time in four years. The Cavs have a young, talented roster and salary-cap space. And owner Dan Gilbert is determined to move his club back among the leagues elite. He just needs someone to lead it -- young or old. ' ' '
