DARIO SARIC blocked Pau Gasol’s shot just before time expired, preserving Croatia’s 72-70 upset of Spain in an Olympic men’s basketball Sunday night.

    Croatia scored seven straight points to take the lead down the stretch, then held on when Saric, who was still limping a bit after banging his leg on a pick shortly before the play, rose high to block Gasol’s shot under the basket.

    Bojan Bogdanovic of the Brooklyn Nets scored 23 points for the Croatians, who got the tiebreaking basket from Krunoslav Simon with about 90 seconds left. Saric, the former lottery pick bound for the Philadelphia 76ers, have five points, seven rebounds and five assists.

    Gasol had 26 points for Spain, the silver medalists in the last two Olympics, while Nikola Mirotic added 19.

    (SD-Agencies)