The Spanish men’s basketball avoided elimination with a 92-73 win against Argentina on Monday, climbing out of a 0-2 hole to start the Olympics and advance to the quarterfinal round of the Rio Games. With Spain’s win, Brazil was eliminated.
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The United States Men’s National Basketball Team will be facing their toughest opponent to the date at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the Boomers of.
Argentina and Spain produced their greatest generations at the same time, icons who were capable of beating the mighty Americans.
The U.S. moves onto play the victor of Serbia and Russian Federation on Friday.
Team USA will face their old friends from Argentina on Wednesday in the men’s basketball quarterfinals at the Rio Olympics. “Last 15 years, I would say”.
The United States women’s volleyball team is within one win of another gold medal match. They are 89-1 since then, losing only to Greece in a 2006 World Championships semi-final.
“It was kind of awkward but I am disappointed we couldn’t help them out and at the same time (help) us trying to finish one or two”. “You’re always saying, “Oh that’s it, this is the last tournament” and they play again”. You see it. They just read each other so well.
They meet in a game with huge implications. But they looked like one of the better teams in Group B despite going 3-2 (like the rest of the teams that advanced from Group B).
Two all-European affairs round out the quarters as France faces Spain and Croatia and Serbia lock horns in what could prove quite a tasty Balkan derby.
Guard Vitor Benite said he would be able to put aside the rivalry and cheer for Argentina. “And obviously we’re going to have to play better defense, there’s no question about that”. “They’ve got a team full of talent and I think they were, we all were expecting them to fight for medals, which I think that they can still do”.
The U.S remain prohibitive favorites to capture a third straight gold medal but the feeling of invincibility that surrounded the Americans when the Olympics began is now gone. Nocioni carried the Argentines through much of their 111-107, double-overtime victory over Brazil on Saturday with 37 points. If Paul George and Kyle Lowry can get it going, things could take an upturn, but they need to use their athleticism to get out in transition by forcing turnovers. They’re just not accustomed to playing with one another.
All four teams from Group B finished with three wins and two losses – a remarkably even outcome – and it’s bad news for Boomers fans: they’ve ended up with world no3 Lithuania.
The Knicks have Carmelo Anthony (US), Mindaugas Kuzminskas (Lithuania) and Guillermo Hernangomez (Spain). But in the past three games, the Americans are hardly responding: They’ve allowed opponents to shoot 52.8% overall, and 61.9% from two-point range. We know every year passes by and it’s more hard, but we know each other and we know what we can do together. Was not a good day for us to play a team like Spain.
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Same with the Argentines, who may have to readjust their goals for their final run – unless this really isn’t the end. “We weren’t there, we couldn’t compete”, Scola said. “The tournament is closer than what I thought”. Dellavedova will probably be trusted to try and slow up Lithuania PG Mantas Kalnietis.
