RIO DE JANEIRO -- When he wakes up in the morning, Kyrie Irving first looks at the scar stretching across his left knee, an enduring symbol of his journey over the past year.Its been quite a climb.Its crazy to see how its worked out, he said.At this time last summer, Irving, the U.S. Olympic teams ankle-breaking point guard -- and kid brother to his doting teammates -- was at a personal low point.Playing in his first NBA Finals in 2015, Irving shattered his kneecap while banging into Golden States Klay Thompson in Game 1. The freakish injury not only cost the Cleveland Cavaliers a possible championship, but brought more criticism to Irving, who played in just 11 games in college because of a foot injury and has battled assorted maladies during his career.He had been knocked down before, never like this. Bedridden at first, he graduated to crutches and endured grueling hours of rehab.Once he started running again, he never stopped.Irving returned from the injury and, along with LeBron James, led the Cavs to a historic comeback championship -- Clevelands first since 1964 -- this season. And as if lifted from a Hollywood screen play, Irvings game-winning 3-pointer in Game 7 came from just a few feet from where his knee buckled the previous June.Just 24 and maybe only beginning to tap into his potential as a player, Irving is now on the verge of pulling off a rare doubleheader -- an NBA and Olympic title in the same year.It would be great, he said Tuesday following practice. I just want to get it done.It wont be easy. Nothing has been in the Rio Games for the U.S. team, which escaped three close calls while going 5-0 during pool play. The Americans, seeking their third straight gold medal, will face another tough test in Wednesdays quarterfinals against Argentina, the last team to beat them in Olympic competition and an experienced group featuring future Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili and a handful of current and former NBA players.In his first Olympics, Irving knows the stars and stripes on their jerseys are also bullseyes.All the pressure is on us every single time we take the floor, which I happily accept, said Irving, who tied a U.S. record with 12 assists in a win over France. You gotta respect those guys. They make great offensive plays as well as defensively. You gotta be well prepared.Irving has learned there are no shortcuts to greatness.Following his injury, Irving received support from family and friends. However, he realized that if he was going to make it back and be better than ever, there was only one person who could lift him.I just had to figure it out on my own, he said. I was going to be the only one who was going to get myself out of that funk. I just had to climb out of it. It really took a lot of pride, a lot of anger, built-up rage that I just had to let go. I just had to attack my rehab and attack the little things that were going to make the biggest difference when I came back.Irving has been re-united on Team USA with coach Mike Krzyzewski, who recruited him to Duke but only had him on the floor for a fraction of his freshman season. When Irving considered going pro, it was Coach K who encouraged him to take the leap.Theyve remained close and Irving has had to accept his coachs praise and wrath.I dont think we would be able to speak genuinely about each other if we didnt have a genuine relationship, Irving said. Im very fortunate to have a mentor like that and have a guy like that in my corner.His teammates have Irvings back as well.Stars in their own right, theyve watched him mature during his short stint on the national team. They also appreciate the work and sacrifice that went into his recovery.That just shows how relentless he is, U.S. center DeAndre Jordan said. Hes a warrior. I have so much respect for Kyrie. A lot of guys could feel sorry for themselves, but that wasnt him. He came back with a vengeance, had a hell of a season, led his team to an NBA Finals and ultimately to a championship.I have a lot of respect for that guy as a leader.While the past year has been richly rewarding and satisfying for Irving, theres unfinished business.Im glad, but its not over yet, he said. I still have one more thing to do and thats get a gold medal with this great team. Cheap Bengals Jerseys Authentic . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. Wholesale Bengals Jerseys . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. http://www.cheapbengalsjerseyselite.com/ . "Hes going to have hip surgery on Jan. 7, and hell be expected to rehabilitate for four to six months beyond that," Canucks general manager Mike Gillis said Friday in an interview. Cheap Bengals Jerseys . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Cheap Cincinnati Bengals Jerseys . Wilson hit Schenn from behind during Tuesday nights game in Philadelphia, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games. COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina `s defense accepted coach Will Muschamps challenge and his freshman quarterback made his coachs decision to start him look good as the Gamecocks beat East Carolina 20-15 on Saturday.After last weeks loss, Muschamp said he had to find players who could tackle. His defense did him even better, picking off a pass and recovering a fumble in its own end zone and had another interception at the Gamecocks 1. The Pirates only scored on two of six trips into the red zone and didnt have a play longer than 28 yards.All that was enough to take the pressure off Brandon McIlwain in his first start. It wont be his last. Muschamp is turning the Gamecocks (2-1) over to the freshman.Hes got a lot of poise about him, said Muschamp, who decided it was McIlwains time after the Gamecocks offense looked listless in a 27-14 loss to Mississippi State last week. Hes got a lot of the `it factor you look for at that position.McIlwain ran for 34 yards and two touchdowns and was 16-for-28 for 195 yards passing.And dont go telling Muschamp how East Carolina (2-1) gained 519 yards to South Carolinas 312 yards or how Zay Jones caught 22 passes for the Pirates, setting a school record and finishing just one reception away from the Football Bowl Subdivision record.I dont look at the stat sheet and see how many yards they have. I only care about the score, said Muschamp, emphasizing what he thought were even more important statistics for Jones -- the senior had 190 yards receiving and his longest catch was for 15 yards.The Pirates turned the ball over four times and, after committing just seven penalties in their first two games, committed eight penalties Saturday.What I saw in this game is too many penalties. What I saw was too many turnovers. I saw a team that outgained another and a defense that outplayed the other defense. We didnt pull it through at the end, East Carolina coach Scottie Montgomery said.THE TAKEAWAYEAST CAROLINA: The Pirates have no one to blame but themselves. They allowed a South Carolina team that hadnt scored a point in the first half in its first two games to jump too a 17-0 lead after an 80-yard kickoff return by A.ddddddddddddJ. Turner to set up the game-opening score and an 84-yard drive on the Gamecocks second possession. Philip Nelson was 44-for-58 for 400 yards, but South Carolina had four sacks as he sometimes stayed in the pocket too long.We dont look at moral victories. Were going back to work, said Montgomery, hired at the end of last season.SOUTH CAROLINA: McIlwain looked like a freshman at times with several underthrows and overthrows. But he put two passes in just the right spots on a key fourth-quarter drive that ended with a 39-yard field goal from Elliot Fry -- South Carolinas only points in the final 52 minutes of the game. The freshman also made a key choice, pitching to David Williams on a fourth-and-1 option that sealed the win.Muschamp isnt letting his freshman quarterback talk to the media, so we dont know what he thought about his big day.ZAYS BIG DAYEast Carolina lined Jones up all over the field and he got open wherever he was. But after the game, he said he had no idea how many catches he had or how close to the record he was. Instead, he couldnt believe all the chances his team blew.It hurts to put great drives together and you get to where the money is and you cant cash it in, Jones said.Jones came into the game needing 130 catches to break East Carolinas career record held by Justin Hardy. That seems more likely to be obtainable after Saturdays performance.UP NEXTEAST CAROLINA: The Pirates finish a run of three straight games against Power 5 opponents by traveling to Virginia Tech. East Carolina has beaten the Hokies the past two years and Montgomery expects his team to shake off this loss quickly.We dont look at moral victories. Were going back to work, said Montgomery, hired at the end of last season.SOUTH CAROLINA: The Gamecocks play at Kentucky. Its likely the loser ends up near the bottom of the Southeastern Conferences Eastern Division.---AP college football website: collegef