RIO DE JANEIRO Aug 16 After a day of suspense, nail-biting finishes and a huge upset, the United States advanced to the Olympic women’s basketball semi-finals with the minimum of fuss on Tuesday, thumping Japan 110-64.
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“There were a couple timeouts and a couple huddles where we were like, ‘We got to pick this up”. “We finally played like it was now or never”.
Japan scored only 18 points the rest of the game.
American middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida) has been a steady offensive threat through the first six matches of the Olympic Games, and that was no different against Japan as she piled up 10 points with seven kills on 13 swings and a team-leading three blocks. The United States faces the victor of the France-Canada game. Celine Dumerc, who guided France to the silver medal in the 2012 Olympics, injured her ankle right before the Rio Games.
Meanwhile, a young China team that had been far from steady at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics played its best, most consistent match yet.
Japan, which beat France, Belarus and Brazil in the preliminaries, was within touching distance of the USA after the first two quarters, 56-46, and was within a single bucket at one point. The Americans were preparing at practice as if she couldnt go against France.
The U.S. has faced Japan more times than any other team since 1983.
“We are excited that we are a step closer”, said Christa Dietzen, captain of an American team that feels it is better prepared to take on Brazil this time round. She sat out the second half.
The Americans continued their torrid scoring pace and are still above the 102.4 mark set by the 1996 team that started the run of five gold medals and 47 consecutive Olympic wins. “They just know how to play through it, and we follow their lead”.
“They were making us work”. We know we have to go out and earn it rather than thinking it will happen on its own.
“Some games you’ve got to give a little bit more emotionally”. You look at the score, and you think it was an easy game.
“I just let it all hang out”, Taurasi said.
So unselfish that Auriemma said he can’t threaten players with cutting their playing time.
“I’m proud of this team”.
“We played our Japan’s game in the first half”.
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En route to scoring almost 20 points against Japan, Moore sank seven of her nine field goal attempts on Tuesday while adding three rebounds and three assists as well. Tamika Catchings’ 3-pointer made it 81-59. But once this quarterfinal knockout game at the Rio Summer Olympics started, the Japanese were actually backing the talk up against the heavily favored U.S.as if they’d cribbed every trick that prohibitive underdogs from Princeton to Chaminade, Danny & the Miracles to Jackie Stiles and Southeastern Oklahoma State used once upon a time.
