Washington Mystics center Stefanie Dolson will provide her take on the women’s basketball action in Rio.
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The dominant US women’s basketball team won a sixth consecutive Olympic gold medal in impressive fashion, routing Spain 101-72 on Saturday.
US coach Geno Auriemma said, “You’re around Sue (Bird) and Diana and Tamika and you know that this will be their last (Olympic Games) and you can send them out, like graduating seniors back home”. Pau Gasol, Ricky Rubio, and Nikola Mirotic headlined the squad that has given Team USA fits in past Olympics.
The U.S. didn’t have to sweat on their path to the gold after defeating their opponents by an average of 37.3 points over eight games.
“A couple of those threes, I just had to laugh and shake my head”, said Delle Donne, the 26-year-old small forward and reigning MVP in the WNBA who came off the bench throughout the Games and had 10 points against Spain. The U.S. women have won 49 consecutive Olympic basketball games dating back 24 years, all but one by double digits. They trailed for just over 11 minutes in the entire Olympics and the biggest deficit was just four points – 6-2 to France.
“I’m pretty sure we demonstrated we are one of the best teams ever”, U.S. guard Sue Bird said.
Taurasi, widely regarded as one of the best players ever, matched a five-time WNBA all-star Lindsay Whalen with a team-high 17 points on Saturday.
Maya Moore, also a standout for the US had 14 points, five rebounds and six assists. Now the talent-stacked Americans are champions once again.
Jordan and his teammates will have to double down on doing the little things defensively as they prepare for a showdown against Nikola Jokic, Bogan Bogdanovic and a Serbia team that almost knocked off Team USA in pool play earlier this week. The team has won more than 45 straight games and six straight medals since 1992.
From top to bottom, this United States team is one of the best ever, but it’s hard to say where they really rank because there have been so many great U.S. basketball teams over the years.
The US stepped up their defensive intensity and shooting percentage in the second quarter, however, and had built a half-time lead of 17 points that was extended to 29 by the end of the contest.
By the second quarter the Americans were wearing the Spanish down with breakneck pace and a roster of talent so deep that reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player holder Elena Della Donne (10 points on Saturday) came off the bench and two-time victor Candace Parker didn’t even make the team. The Spanish team, which had lost to the Americans by 40 earlier in the tournament, was playing for its first Olympic medal.
Her premise is on point, though.
By the third quarter Spain’s frontcourt – already undermanned after Sancho Lyttle’s broken foot last round – was in foul trouble and the ship was fast taking on water.
Spain never threatened in the second half. That cut the lead to a mere 81-49. “Finally, because of our depth and because of the experience that we have on our team, we separated ourselves”.
As the U.S. anthem finished, Taurasi smiled and screamed.
“People who say that will find any reason not to appreciate what we’re doing”, Moore said.
They will face the victor of Friday’s semifinal between Serbia and Australia on Sunday in the Gold medal game. “I idolized her so much growing up, and to be able to play alongside her and see some of that craziness that I saw when I was a young kid falling in love with the game, was really cool for me”.
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At the finish, Whalen dribbled out the final seconds as United States players shook hands with their rivals, then huddled on the court to celebrate.
