US wins gold, beats Spain 107-100 in men's hoops

Olympics Day 16 - Basketball
Kevin Durant #5 of the United States and team mate LeBron James #6 of the United States celebrate in the men's basketball gold medal game between the United States and Spain on Day 16 of the London 2012 Olympics Games at North Greenwich Arena on Aug. 12, 2012 in London.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images

LONDON (AP) -- Kevin Durant scored 30 points, LeBron James added 19 and the U.S. men's basketball team defended its Olympic title, holding off stubborn Spain 107-100 on Sunday for the gold medal -- just as the Americans did in 2008.

Kobe Bryant added 17 for the U.S., which only led by one point after three quarters and was ahead just 97-91 when James drove the lane for a thunderous dunk and followed a miss by Spain with a 3-pointer.

In the final minute, U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski, in his final international game, took out his top stars who came to London determined to keep American basketball on top. When the final horn sounded, Krzyzewski locked James in a tight embrace as Bruce Springsteen's "Born In the USA" rocked the arena.

Pau Gasol scored 24 and Juan-Carlos Navarro had 21 for Spain, which had to settle for silver in the second straight Olympics.

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Wrestling

LONDON (AP) -- Jake Varner of the United States won the Olympic wrestling gold in men's 96-kilogram freestyle, beating Valerii Andriitsev of Ukraine 1-0, 1-0 Sunday.

The win gave the U.S. team multiple Olympic gold-medal winners in men's wrestling for the first time since 1996. Varner joins Jordan Burroughs, who won the 74-kilogram freestyle on Friday night, as Olympic champions.

Varner will also collect a $250,000 bonus from the Living the Dream Medal Fund that supports American wrestling.

Rhythmic gymnastics

By NANCY ARMOUR, AP National Writer

LONDON (AP) -- It's a clean sweep for Russia in rhythmic gymnastics, just as it's been at the last three Olympics.

The Russians won their fourth straight Olympic gold meal in the group event Sunday, easily beating Belarus. With Evgeniya Kanaeva winning the individual all-around Saturday, Russia has now won both rhythmic titles at every Olympics since the 2000 Sydney Games.

The Russians finished with 57 points, 1.5 ahead of Belarus. Italy, which had hoped to break Russia's stranglehold on the Olympic gold after winning the last three world titles, was third after appearing to make mistakes on both of its routines.