Yugoslavia Wins Gold at Tournament

Sunday, September 8th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Yugoslavia came back from an eight-point deficit in the final 2 1/2 minutes and survived a crucial pair of missed free throws by Vlade Divac to beat Argentina 84-77 Sunday for the gold medal in the World Championships.

The game ended with Argentina's players angrily pointing their fingers and yelling at a Greek referee who failed to call a foul on the final play of regulation.

Dejan Bodiroga scored 27 points, including nine straight points late in the fourth quarter when Yugoslavia rallied to tie it, and Peja Stojakovic had 26.

Divac missed two free throws with 5.9 seconds left, leaving the score tied 75-75. Argentina rebounded and got the ball to Hugo Sconochini, who drove to the basket and went down hard as he missed the shot just before the buzzer.

The entire Argentina team _ coaches, players and trainers _ ran onto the court to complain that a foul should have been called. Replays showed Marko Jaric of Yugoslavia making contact with Sconochini.

The referee, Nikos Pitsilkas, ejected a member of the Argentina delegation just a few seconds into overtime. Several players screamed and gestured at the referee during the final few seconds of overtime, then clapped their hands in mock applause as he left the court.

Stojakovic hit a 3-pointer on Yugoslavia's first possession of overtime to put Yugoslavia ahead for good. Divac blocked shots on Argentina's next two possessions, and Bodiroga made a pair of foul shots for an 80-75 lead with 2:16 left. Argentina scored just two points the rest of the way.

It was the fifth gold medal at the World Championships for Yugoslavia, which became the first team to repeat as world champion since Brazil in 1963.

Center Fabricio Oberto led Argentina with 28 points.

Divac shot just 1-for-10 from the field.