Serbia’s women won their first Olympic basketball medal in a hard-fought 70-63 victory over France, a conquest their coach Marina Maljkovic likened to climbing Mount Everest without oxygen. This roster isn’t exactly the worldbeaters some expected after Team USA coasted through its tune-up games before arriving in Rio.
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Team USA took Spain’s best punches early behind a flurry from Alba Torrens, who scored or assisted on all but four of her team’s first-quarter points while the Americans made up for off-target shooting with a heavy advantage on the boards. “We were close, but it’s a team like it’s a dream team”, Silvia Dominguez said. “From the very first game that we played to today, with very few exceptions, I thought we played basketball at a really high level”. This is what I watched way back when, and now I’m suited up next to her, ‘ ” she said.
“The biggest moment will be when we come to Serbia”.
“It wasn’t as easy as sometimes it looked”, Auriemma said, but it looked so easy so often. “I think we know how to play against them”. “We were too much happy that we reached the final and we had that experience and we can not allow that to repeat”.
This U.S. team, less talented and experienced then the last two gold medalists, has already had four games decided by 10 points or less, including its 82-76 victory over Spain in the semifinals.
“Tonight was a good game”, Whalen said. “And they play very well together”. “Why do we have to take the hardest way?'”
“I still feel like we can compete and beat anybody”.
Follow along for live scores and updates from Australia-Spain below. Against Spain, Thompson again stepped up with 17 points in the first half en route to a team-high 22 points. It has won 49 straight Olympic games.
Maya Moore, also a standout for the USA had 14 points, five rebounds and six assists. It was his missed wide-open three that cost Serbia overtime in the first meeting.
The USA was a red-hot 77.8 percent from the field (14-18 FGs) while it raced to 32 points in the third quarter, and it held Spain to 33.3 percent from the field (6-18 FGs) and just 17 points in the period to all but seal the win.
The hot favourites have looked like a Daydream Team after sleepwalking their way through the tournament – with the Serbs putting the A-Listers on the ropes in the group stages before losing out by 97-91.
“You don’t want to let down the ones that came and set the bar”, she said. One thing I’ve talked about is how wonderful this group of ladies has been. They have great camaraderie; they’re an outstanding passing team; an outstanding defensive team as was shown in the Australia game (an 87-61 win in the semifinal); and they’re led by one of the all-time great players internationally in (Milos) Teodosic. And that takes a certain character of team and individuals. “This team had a mindset that I’ve never been on before”.
Australia is chasing its first Olympic medal, but it’s only bronze after blowing their chance to play for gold. Charles finished with eight points and seven rebounds for Team USA. After Angel McCoughtry hit a layup and connected on two free throw attempts, the USA never trailed again.
“Doing my victory lap, I literally kept screaming to everyone I know ‘Are you kidding me?'” he said.
Where to begin in a recount of Team USA’s supremacy in Rio, a dominance that’s been demonstrated to an nearly numbing effect under iconic University of CT coach Geno Auriemma? I’m proud I’m part of this group. “I learned a lot on the court, off the court and just having fun with them”.
The USA’s assistant coaches were Doug Bruno, Cheryl Reeve and Dawn Staley.
The U.S. wrapped another lopsided game for their 48 straight Olympic wins since the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Three US players – Sue Bird, Taurasi and Tamika Catchings – equalled the Olympic record of four gold medals in basketball. Though they have struggled at times, they should be able to find something today to win handily over Serbia.
Sue Bird, now with eight medals in major worldwide competition ties with Edwards for the most medals in major global play.
The gold medal was the first for Stewart, Brittney Griner, and Elena Delle Donne.
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As part of the rump of former Yugoslavia, consisting of Serbia and Montenegro, they beat the United States in the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Championships on the way to the gold, and were beaten for a silver by the U.S. at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
