BEIJING — Don't doubt this U.S. men's basketball team — and sure don't challenge them, either.

Especially if it's going to make Kobe Bryant flash his NBA MVP form.

Bryant scored 25 points in his best game in Beijing, and the men's U.S. Olympic team advanced to the semifinals by beating Australia, 116-85, last night.

The United States will play defending champion Argentina tomorrow night for a spot in Sunday's gold medal game. The Argentines beat Greece, 80-78, in a quarterfinal watched from behind the baseline by Bryant and members of the U.S. coaching staff.

Argentina beat the U.S. in the semifinals of the 2004 Olympics.

Locked in what looked like another tough game with Australia, the Americans sent the Aussies' upset hopes down under with a 14-0 burst to open the second half, featuring nine points from Bryant.

"Early in the game, they made a lot of tough shots," U.S. point guard Chris Paul said. "We were doing what we were supposed to be doing and they made tough shots, but sooner or later we'll impose our will. I don't know if you can keep up with us for 40 minutes."

LeBron James added 16 points for the Americans, who are guaranteed a chance to play for a medal. They need two more wins for their first gold medal in a major international competition since the 2000 Sydney Games.

"I think they're going to be very, very, very tough to beat," Australia coach Brian Goorjian said.

WALSH, MAY-TREANOR GOOD AS GOLD AGAIN

BEIJING — Americans Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor have won their second consecutive gold medal in beach volleyball, playing through a steady rain to beat Wang Jie and Tian Jia of China, 21-18, 21-18.

Walsh and May-Treanor, who did not lose a single set in Beijing, extended their winning streak to 108 matches.

"This one feels even better because we fought so hard," Walsh said. "I hope we don't stop after having babies. We are proud, honored and humbled."

Walsh put an early end to China's chances to add a gold when she quick-hit May-Treanor's pass between Wang and Tian. The Americans dropped to their knees on the wet sand, hugging each other before shaking hands with the officials and running to the stands to embrace their friends and families.

TRACK AND FIELD

BEIJING — Along with Usain Bolt's world-record victory in the 200, the Jamaican flag also waved proudly for Melaine Walker, who won the women's 400-meter hurdles. American Sheena Tosta got silver. Aksana Miankova of Belarus set an Olympic record in winning the women's hammer throw. Bernard Lagat advanced to the 5,000-meter final, moving on to Saturday night's medal race. Three Jamaicans and three Americans were among those advancing to the women's 200 finals, which will be tonight. Olga Kaniskina of Russia won the women's 20-kilometer race walk gold medal in 1 hour, 26 minutes and 31 seconds.

BASEBALL

BEIJING — The United States went to extra innings against Japan, and pulled out a win. Brian Barden singled in the go-ahead run to break a scoreless tie in the 11th inning on the way to a 4-2 victory. The Americans earned the third seed in tomorrow's medal round, with the Japanese getting fourth. The U.S. will play defending champion Cuba.

DIVING

BEIJING — China is off to a good start in the 10-meter platform, with teenagers Chen Ruolin and Wang Xin leading the women's standings in preliminaries. Attempting to avoid a second straight shutout in the diving medals for the United States, Laura Wilkinson was fifth after completing the second-best dive of the opening round. She won this event in Sydney and the Americans have not won a medal in diving since.

WRESTLING

BEIJING — Ben Askren, a former NCAA champion who promised a gold medal, lost in freestyle's 74-kilogram round of 16, ending his Olympics after two matches. The gold ended up around the same neck it has been placed at the last two Olympics — Buvaysa Saytiev of Russia. Doug Schwab, a former NCAA champion, lost in the 66-kg qualifications but made the bronze-medal bracket when the guy who beat him advanced. Schwab ended up losing again. Turkey's Ramazan Sahin won the bracket.

TAEKWONDO

BEIJING — Mexico's Guillermo Perez has a gold medal. And Afghanistan now has a medal, period. Perez won the men's under 58-kg division, beating Yulis Gabriel Mercedes of the Dominican Republic. A bronze went to Rohullah Nikpai, marking the first ever medal — in any sport — for Afghanistan. In the women's under 49-kg class, reigning world champion Wu Jingyu of China took the gold.

MEN'S WATER POLO

BEIJING — The U.S. squad knows who it will be playing in the semifinals: Serbia. Serbia beat Spain to advance. Punahou alum Brandon Brooks is a backup goalie for the U.S. team.

BOXING

BEIJING — British middleweight James Degale beat former Olympic champion Bakhtiyar Artayev of Kazakhstan to clinch Britain's third boxing medal in Beijing, while Vijender Kumar clinched the first boxing medal in India's history. Cuba's last two fighters also reached the semifinals, guaranteeing a whopping eight medals for the sport's now-unquestioned power. Flyweight Andris Laffita earned a marquee meeting with Russia's Georgy Balakshin, while middleweight Emilio Correa defeated Uzbekistan's Elshod Rasulov.

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING

BEIJING — Call them A-2. Or, Anastasia Squared. Or just say that the Russian synchronized swimming duo of Anastasia Davydova and Anastasia Ermakova have repeated as Olympic champions. The pair received all perfect 10s for technical merit on their free routine. The Americans were fifth.

OPEN WATER SWIMMING

BEIXIAOYING TOWN, China — Maarten van der Weijden of the Netherlands won the inaugural men's 10-kilometer open water swim marathon in 1 hour, 51 minutes, 51.6 seconds.