BEIJING—If the basketball competition is assuming an old pattern, with the United States dominating and attention shifting elsewhere, the US players, superstars all, are still the lives of this party.

Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Jason Kidd went to see Michael Phelps win the 200-meter butterfly, the race in which his goggles leaked. Monday night Phelps and about 20 members of the US swim team returned the favor, attending the 106-57 rout of Germany.

Invited to the dressing room afterward, Phelps gave the players a pair of goggles. Dwight Howard wore them to the interview room.

“I told him [Phelps] I was going to do the 100-meter medley next year,” Howard said.

Said Phelps: “When we’re swimming and we look up and see these guys, it’s awesome to see them in the stands. We were all so excited, it was like we can’t lose in front of these guys, we’re not losing a single race in front of these guys.

“Just being able to sit in here and hang out with these guys, it’s cool to sit in here. These are the guys I’m always watching on TV.”

Of course, the basketball players shared the goggles as they’ve shared the ball. LeBron James took his turn with them in the mixed zone.

“He made history as one of the best swimmers ever,” said Carmelo Anthony, like Phelps a native of Baltimore, “so for us to be a part of that and be here with him, we just felt good about it.”

Australians next

THE United States beat Germany, 106-57, Monday in men’s Olympic basketball, advancing to the medal round and a potential tough game against Australia.

Dwight Howard scored 22 points and LeBron James had 18, 16 in the first half, as the United States completed an undefeated march through pool play.

LEBRON JAMES dunks on Germany’s Chris Kaman as the Americans produced a basketball show that pleased the crowd in Beijing—which included eight-gold winner Michael Phelps (above). --AP

Dirk Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks all-star, scored 14 points for Germany (1-4), which completed a disappointing Olympics. The Germans looked like contenders in a 95-66 rout of Angola in their opener, but then dropped four straight.

The Americans, 5-0, led by only seven points midway through the fourth quarter of an 87-76 exhibition victory in Shanghai over Australia two weeks ago. And the Australians were playing without starting center Andrew Bogut of the Milwaukee Bucks, who was resting a sore right ankle.

American star Kobe Bryant is wary.

“We feel like we’re playing very well right now, but you have to keep in mind it’s single elimination,” Bryant said. “You can’t afford any slip-ups.”

Vasileios Spanoulis and Ioannis Bourousis each scored 19 points to lead Greece to a 91-77 victory over China. Antonios Fotsis added 17 points for Greece (3-2).

Yao Ming, who didn’t score a basket until late in the second quarter, led China (2-3) with 18 points.

The game completed the brackets for the medal rounds. The US, winner of Group B, would face the winner of Argentina-Greece in the semifinals if they beat Australia on Wednesday.

In the other bracket, Group A winner Lithuania meets China, and Spain faces Croatia, with the winners advancing to the semifinals.

Greece took the pro-China crowd out of the game with an 11-2 run early in the second quarter on its way to a 46-24 halftime lead. China hit a barrage of three-pointers to pull within 10 points late in the third quarter, but the Greeks withstood the rally.

Australia beat Lithuania, 106-75, and Argentina downed Russia, 91-79, in other games.

Bogut, who led the Australians on Monday with 23 points, has one game plan to beat the Americans.

“Shoot 100 percent,” he said.

Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola scored 37 points to lead defending Olympic champions Argentina past already eliminated Russia.

Chicago Bulls forward Andres Nocioni added 19 points, while Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko led Russia with 23 points.

Russia battled hard to save pride, coming to within one point of their opponents in the fourth quarter. With Argentine football great Diego Maradona looking on, however, Argentina held on to remain unbeaten for the tournament. (With AP)

Tshomlee eyes repeat over Aussie

BEIJING—The country’s eyes will all be on Tshomlee Go beginning at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday when he opens his campaign for an Olympic gold medal in taekwondo against Australian Ryan Carneli at the University of Science and Technology Gymnasium.

Left knee buckles, frustrates Torres

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Ramirez stresses ‘revolutionary’ change

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Visa benefits 22 Filipinos

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Ma Jian, now a stadium boss, remembers ‘Jawo’

BEIJING—Remember Ma Jian?

Ma was a member of the Chinese men’s national basketball team that Filipino cage stars in the late 1980s and early 1990s dreaded.

Far Eastern Games helped build up China

CHINA has definitely gone a long way in sports since it first participated in an international competition in Manila 95 years ago.

‘I HAD NO CHOICE’

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Just Another Fan

BEIJING—If the basketball competition is assuming an old pattern, with the United States dominating and attention shifting elsewhere, the US players, superstars all, are still the lives of this party.

Ask Coach E: Going international

This writer is not so much a music fan, but as a Filipino it was a joy to learn that two Filipinos attracted the American eyes, or ears, for that matter, through the cyberspace.