Johnette Howard is an award-winning writer and author who previously worked for Sports Illustrated, The Washington Post, and Newsday.
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United States’ Sue Bird watches her team warm up before a semifinal round basketball game against France at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. It was more like the basketball equivalent of having a rock in your shoe, or having a painting that’s hung crooked on the wall.
USA’s forward Maya Moore (R) and Japan’s point guard Asami Yoshida collide during a Women’s quarterfinal basketball match between U.S. and Japan at the Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro on August 16, 2016 during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. “Everybody is going to give you their best game, so you just have to be prepared”.
While the United States and Spain have struggled to reach their full potential at times on the Rio hardwood, Australia and Serbia have delivered much more than expected in also reaching the last four. “There’s a big difference in our team the way we played [Thursday] and the way we played the other six games”.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Team USA took on France in a heated match to qualify for the Final round of Olympic play.
Helen Maroulis of the United States defeated Japan’s Saori Yoshida 4-1 in the 53-kilogram freestyle final to win the first-ever gold medal for an American women’s wrestler. A 25-8 run in the third quarter put France away to stay.
Megan Rapinoe, one of US women’s most senior soccer players, has criticized Hope Solo’s disparaging comments about Sweden following the Americans’ early departure from the Rio Olympics.
TEAMMATE DISSES SOLO – American soccer player Megan Rapinoe is criticizing teammate Hope Solo’s comments after the USA team lost to Sweden in the Rio Games.
“I can not explain how we won with such a big margin after suffering so much in quarter-finals”, said Spain’s Laura Quevedo. It was the second for Auriemma as head coach, and the fourth for Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi.
“I can’t give you an answer for tomorrow”, Bird said smiling. “We signed up to do difficult things with U.S. and we’re going to come back harder the next 48 hours to fight for the bronze medal”. “I think that’s a sign of a true champion, someone who loves the game and plays for the right reasons”.
Catchings was first off the US bench at that moment, up cheering for Taurasi and imploring her teammates to maintain the intensity.
The U.S. dominated Spain in the preliminary round, beating the Spaniards by 40 points.
“It’s going to take a little bit of everyone to fill her shoes”.
Taurasi is used to filling in.
“We have so many scorers and she finds a way to get everyone in their spots, to get everyone touches and obviously she sacrifices for that”.
“I think it’s about to be a great matchup”, Stevenson said. “But it was still hard”.
Diana Taurasi led the way again with a a team-high 17 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals.
“It has been tough and it hasn’t been an easy road”, Angel McCoughtry said.
In the end, US coach Geno Auriemma got Catchings in her final Team USA game with 2:17 to play in the third quarter and the Americans up 74-46.
Auriemma, who embraced Taurasi after the game, had Bird, Taurasi and Catchings on the floor to start the fourth quarter and he removed the trio together with 5 minutes, 44 seconds left in the game.
“What was watching like? Now?”
“During the game, pretty hard”.
Just as impressive as the amount of points this team is putting up, is how efficiently they’re getting the job done.
“I mean I’m not just saying talent-wise”. So it’s really hard. “It cuts deep. It’s very painful, and that’s OK”, U.S. coach Karch Kiraly said. The other one involved Lithuania finally overcoming the US team’s advantage in talent to win by five. But Auriemma said he doesn’t want to hear remarks like, “What time is the gold medal ceremony?” as if Saturday’s win is a given.
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But no one believes him.
