SHANGHAI, China — Russia contained the speedsters. Controlled the backboards. Everything a team needs to do to beat the United States.

Except stop Kobe Bryant.

Bryant provided the offense in the U.S. Olympic team's first defensive struggle, scoring 11 of his 19 points in the third quarter of an 89-68 victory yesterday.

"They had some gaps there and I just took advantage of them. The ball found me and I was able to make them pay," Bryant said. "In that kind of situation where the game is kind of seesawing back and forth, we have so many weapons. It could be LeBron, it could be D-Wade, one of us is going to kick into high gear."

Carmelo Anthony added 17 points in what was by far the Americans' most competitive tuneup yet for the Beijing Games.

The United States had been scoring 118 points per game while winning its first three exhibitions by an average of 41 points. Russia allowed far fewer fast-break baskets than the previous U.S. opponents, successfully keeping the game in the halfcourt by grabbing 12 offensive rebounds and forcing the Americans to run more offensive sets.

Dwyane Wade continued his strong play off the bench with 16 points for the Americans, who play their final exhibition game here tomorrow against Australia.

Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko scored 18 points and American point guard J.R. Holden added 17 for the European champions.

FOWLES KEYS U.S. WIN

Sylvia Fowles scored eight of her 13 points during a late fourth-quarter run to lead the Americans to an 84-74 victory over pesky Latvia last night in the FIBA Diamond Ball tournament — a tuneup for the Olympics at Haining, China.

Unlike past U.S. women's basketball teams, this group has not had much playing time together due to injuries, overseas commitments, and the WNBA season. They were only able to start training for the first time together last Monday and are still working on developing chemistry on the court.

At times the U.S. players looked to be in total harmony, scoring at will and containing Latvia. At other times, the Americans struggled, turning the ball over and missing defensive assignments that led to easy baskets.

GYMNASTICS

MEMMEL HURTS ANKLE

American gymnast Chellsie Memmel hurt her right ankle in training yesterday but is still expected to compete in Olympic team competition next weekend.

USA Gymnastics president Steve Penny said in a statement that Memmel's status was being monitored daily. He offered no details of the injury to Memmel, the 2005 world champion. The U.S. women compete in team qualifying next Sunday.

Their three alternates, Ivana Hong, Jana Bieger and Corrie Lothrop, are training in Tokyo, available to make the 3 1/2-hour flight to Beijing if needed.

BASEBALL

KNIGHT WHIFFS 10 IN WIN

Brandon Knight struck out 10 and Matt LaPorta and Mike Hessman homered in the second inning to lead the United States to a 9-1 pre-Olympic exhibition victory over Canada yesterday at Durham, N.C.

Nate Schierholtz homered for the second straight game, a grand slam to highlight a five-run eighth for the U.S. Terry Tiffee also went deep for the Americans, who have outscored the Canadians 16-3 in winning two straight in the four-game tuneup for Beijing. The Canadians won the opener, 4-3, in 10 innings.

Knight, who at 32 is the oldest player on the U.S. roster, allowed two hits in five scoreless innings.