Argentines jumped to a 19-9 lead on the Americans, w

PHILADELPHIA -- Jay Wright led Villanova on a tour around the concourse of the Palestra, the basketball shrine that has served as the hardwood home for many of the games greats.Wilt Chamberlain played high school ball here. Kobe and LeBron, too.Theres even a spot dedicated to the greatest Villanova team of all -- at least, at the time the display was installed -- the 1985 national champions. The Palestra curators might want to clear space for `Novas 2016 title team -- and maybe even prep a new wing for this years Wildcats.Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and Josh Hart had 21 to help No. 1 Villanova hold off La Salle 89-79 on Tuesday night.I just wanted to remind them of the history, remind them of the tradition, of what happens in here, Wright said.La Salle (4-3) came oh-so close to making an upset happen.Johnnie Shuler and Pookie Powell made late 3-pointers that kept the deficit at seven. La Salle, which has never defeated a No. 1 team, got more late help from long range when Jordan Price popped a 3 that made it a four-point game.La Salle fans went wild. The Wildcats seemed shaken.But the great city teams that decorated the 89-year-old walls of the ol gym nestled on Penns Ivy League campus dont really lose to unranked underdogs.And the national champs werent going down to La Salle.Donte DiVincenzos late dunk and a handful of free throws sealed the win for Villanova (9-0) in its first game of the season as the top-ranked team in the country.Powell scored 27 points. La Salle just didnt have enough to get past Villanova and earn its biggest win since it reached the 2013 Sweet 16.Brunson, whose father, Rick, starred at Temple, made 10 of 17 shots and hit a pair of big buckets down the stretch to give Villanova a 10-point cushion.Hes one of those guys that you know at any point that you need a bucket, he can go get one for you, Wright said.Brunson just might find his image stamped on the Palestra wall a decade or so from now.It gave us time to bond, Brunson said of the tour. We realized what games are played here, what teams played here, who was from the area.Mikal Bridges scored 16 points and national championship game star Kris Jenkins had 12.When the balls bouncing around, they seem to get it and make a 3, La Salle coach John Giannini said. The reason for their excellence on a national level is their intangibles. They dont let up. I dont care if theyre playing us, playing Kentucky, anybody. That is the same team every single second of every single game they play.BIG PICUTRELa Salle: The Explorers lost three times to No. 1 teams in the 1950s, once each in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2010s. La Salle last lost to a No. 1 team 90-65 to Kansas on Dec. 12, 2009. They are 0-8 vs. No. 1 foes.We just had a lot of lapses and breakdowns, Powell said.Villanova: The Wildcats went 5-1 as an AP Top 25 No. 1 last season. They were the top team in the country for three weeks and proved they were worthy of the ranking with the programs second national championship. The Wildcats are trying to become the first repeat champs since Florida in 2006-07.POLL IMPLICATIONSVillanova was 5-1 last season at No. 1 and is trying to better that mark this year to stay in the top spot.We didnt really handle it a certain way last year, Hart said.BIG 17Villanova continued to dominate the Philadelphia city series known as the Big 5. The Wildcats extended their series-record win streak to 17 against La Salle, Penn, Saint Josephs and Temple. The Wildcats go for the 4-0 sweep Dec. 13 against Temple.UP NEXTLa Salle faces another Big East team Saturday in Georgetown.Villanova gets its toughest test in weeks when it plays No. 23 Notre Dame in East Rutherford, New Jersey. China Jerseys 2020 . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. Discount China Jerseys . Datsyuk will miss Tuesdays game against New Jersey and could be sidelined longer, while Cleary will likely miss at least the next three games. Its been an injury-plagued season for Datsyuk, who has suited up for just 39 games. https://www.chinajerseysfreeshipping.com/ . Robinson finished with 17 points, all but two in the second half, and Lawson had 14 after halftime and finished with a game-high 11 assists as the Nuggets handed Dallas its first home loss in eight games this season. J.J. Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Stitched Authentic Jerseys . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. Cheap Jerseys Paypal . The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win over Edmonton on Sunday. Nolan punched Oilers forward Jesse Joensuu in the jaw in front of the Kings goal during a scrum. RIO DE JANEIRO --?Manu Ginobilis emotions were jumbled as he tried to put his Olympic journey into words.Long after his last game inside the rings ended, the balding forward who once again had done all he could in defeat returned to the floor and was handed the game ball. Ginobili tucked it under his left arm and looked like he would never let it go.The golden trip for Ginobili and Argentina is over.Its been an amazing run, he said, with his eyes watery and his voice strained.Argentinas latest run at a medal came to an end Wednesday night, as the U.S. rolled to a 105-78 win and set up a semifinal matchup with Spain while ending an era for Argentina.There would be no more magic, no improbable victory or stunning upset. Argentinas adored Golden Generation, which after a surprising second-place finish at the 2002 world championships, stunned the Americans two years later at the Athens Games. The players captured an Olympic title and the hearts of their countrymen, but their run reached the end.Ginobili, 39 wont play in the Olympics again, and after the final horn sounded, U.S. forward Carmelo Anthony wrapped his arms around a player who beat him in his first Olympics but also a man he has grown to respect.I know what he means not just to basketball in Argentina but to the country as a whole, said Anthony, a four-time Olympian. Hes put in a lot of work, and he has represented them in a great fashion. Hes put that country on his back over the years, and I just told him, Thank you, especially for me playing against him over the past four Olympics. I just wanted to say, Thank you.Ginobili was moved by Anthonys gesture and that of U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski, who offered similar sentiments.They congratulated me, and Im very proud of their words, said Ginobili, who scored 14 points Wednesday. They were very kind, very respectful, and when legends of the game showed their respect, it has an extra value. They didnt have to do it. They could have just shaken my hand and do other things and start to think about Spain. They sspared some very kind words, and I truly appreciate it.ddddddddddddFor Argentinas passionate fans, Ginobilis farewell hurts.They chanted Ole ... ole ... ole ... Man-ooh ... Man-ooh toward him, and Ginobili smiled and waved to acknowledge their cheers. All of Argentinas players are popular, but not like Ginobili.Hes numero uno.A Hall of Fame player. A Hall of Fame competitor. And as fierce a competitor that as a coach Ive had to face in my entire time in international basketball, Krzyzewski said. Really, theres been nobody completely like him. He plays all positions. And with the heart and commitment that hes had for his country, no one could have represented his country at a higher level or better than Manu Ginobili. ... Ultimate respect from all of us.The Argentines jumped to a 19-9 lead on the Americans, who then went on a 27-2 run to take control.Of course, the outcome was disappointing to Argentina, but it didnt quiet their fans, who engaged in a back-and-forth with Brazils backers throughout that game. In the final minutes, the blue-and-white clad fans poured into one end of Carioca Arena, where they shouted and danced side-by-side.When Ginobili, who plans to play one more season for the San Antonio Spurs, was replaced by coach Sergio Hernandez with 1:52 left, Argentina fans screamed one last time for a player whose impact will be felt for years. Over two decades, Ginobili gave them everything.Im proudest of that: the longevity, the way we played the game, all the things we accomplished, the friendships and the camaraderie we created, Ginobili said. This year is the 20th year since my first game with the national team, so Im very proud, and at the same time, Im sad and happy because having an opportunity to play this game at 39, its not something that happens often.Im incredibly lucky to have stayed healthy and stayed with some of the same guys for so long. Im very proud of it. ' ' '