Kobe Bryant leads U.S. into semifinals

Overmatched as they were, the Australians, who named themselves after a species of kangaroos, stayed in the first half of Wednesday night's game on sheer grit.

Unfortunately for the Aussies, there were two halves and not enough grit in the world to make up the talent gap between the teams.

With Kobe Bryant scoring 11 of his 25 points in the first 4 minutes 24 seconds of the second half, the U.S. went on a 14-0 run, turning it into the usual rout in a 116-85 victory, advancing to the semifinals of the Olympic men's basketball competition.

The U.S. will play the winner of Wednesday night's late quarterfinal between Argentina and Greece.

In the other semifinal Spain, which beat Croatia, 72-59, will face Lithuania, which ended host China's first trip to the medal round in a 94-68 rout.

The Aussies came in with their usual esprit, if not with the three-foot-high blow-up kangaroo they call Boomer who usually sits by their bench -- maybe Boomer didn't make it through security this time -- putting their arms around each others' shoulders during the national anthems.

Of course, with 12 guys who talk like Crocodile Dundee saying they would "take a crack at it" and "give it a good go," you would have liked their chances better in a survival contest in the outback rather than a basketball game

So would they.

Andrew Bogut, the Aussie center from the Milwaukee Bucks, asked after beating Lithuania Saturday what they'd have do to beat the U.S., replied: "Shoot 100%.

"Win or lose, if we go out there and battle and play as hard as we did tonight, we'll be happy with ourselves," said Bogut. "Obviously we want to win the game and we respect them greatly. We go in as underdogs and if we go out there and give it a good go, everyone will be proud of themselves."

Even Patrick Mills, the cat-quick little point guard who repeatedly burned the U.S guards in their exhibition in Shanghai said it had been "very scary because they're the guys who you have posters of up on your wall."

Missing their first three shots Wednesday night, the Aussies blew their chances of shooting 100% or even 90% right off the bat.

However, if their talent wasn't going to do it, their heart kept them in it. Trailing 14-3, they tied it, 21-21, and chased the U.S. through the rest of the first half.

Even with the U.S. players knowing he was coming this time, Mills was sensational once more.

Showing he's for real, Mills, who'll be a sophomore at St. Mary's, came off the bench to score eight points in the first half. If Deron Williams hadn't hit a three-pointer the buzzer, the Aussies would have become the first team here to be within single figures of the U.S. at halftime.

As it was, the Americans led, 55-43.

Of course, when Bryant knocked down a three-pointer to start the second half and Carmelo Anthony hit another the next time down, the lead was suddenly 18 and about to get a lot bigger.

mark.heisler@latimes.com