Basketball; Harlem's run ended

The Harlem Globetrotters' 24-year, 8,829-game winning streak finally came to an end when they were beaten 91-85 by a team led by the National Basketball Association legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in Vienna.

Abdul-Jabbar, who scored 34 points in the game, is leading his own team in an 11-game series against the Globetrotters throughout Europe. Harlem won the first two encounters of the series, but Wednesday's loss was their first defeat in a competitive game since they were beaten 100-99 by New Jersey in January 1971.

"The guys are really upset about the loss," said Reggie "Regulator" Phillips. "After being part of the team for over 300 straight wins, it is a strange feeling to lose a game. But I give credit to Kareem's team."

Mannie Jackson, chairman and owner of the Globetrotters, said the loss reflected the quality of the competition. "We know as we continue to seek strong opponents there is always a chance we can lose. But if it makes us a better basketball team, we must take the good with the bad," Jackson said.

"The Globetrotters can't wait to get back out on the court to start a new winning streak," added Jackson, who played for the team in the 1960s.

"We know as we continue to seek strong opponents there is always a chance we can lose. But if it makes us a better basketball team, we must take the good with the bad," Jackson said. "The great thing about this tour though is that every fan attending these games is seeing something special."

"The Globetrotters are a very good basketball team and define sportsmanship. They impressed the fans and they impressed our team with their poise in this defeat," Abdul- Jabbar said.