US Survives Serbia, France Stuns Germany; To Clash for Olympic Basketball Gold
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 09 Aug 2024
L-R: Durant, James and Curry carry the USA Team to victory against Serbia.
When the US started to flaunt its professional superstars in basketball with devastating effect in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, one expert said that the only way the Americans could be defeated is through the zone and accurate three points shooting.
Up to the final two minutes, Nikola Jokic and his Serbian national team looked the part of realizing the dream of being the first squad to upend an American all superstars quintet. Until Stephen Curry and LeBron James rudely shook them out of the stupor on the way to a 95-91 US win in the semifinals.
To be accurate, an NBA-led US team had earlier been beaten in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. But the team featured just one All-NBA selection (Tim Duncan) and two All-Stars (Duncan and Allen Iverson) from the prior NBA season, which are both all-time lows for a U.S. Olympic team since NBA players were first allowed in 1992. The team likewise lagged behind the oppositions in outside shooting. A very young Lebron James played on his first US Olympic team.
However, after the US Redeem Team led by Kobe Bryant regained the Olympic gold in 2008, the Americans will not be beaten again since.
Jokic and his Serbian squad therefore were faced with a very tall order and they looked like they could pull it off, even enjoying a 17 points lead in the first half and a series of ten points lead up to the third quarter.
But then, the Americans never showed signs of panic and demonstrated why no sizeable leads were safe against a team composed of veteran superstars which was the norm in the NBA.
Led by Curry who shoot a team high 36 points, including 20 in the first half, the Americans staged a furious fight back to keep the game close and eventually snatch the lead. Curry and James conspired to clinch the match for the US team leaving the Serbs to rue a wasted opportunity.
In the other semifinals, host France played its best game thus far in upending FIBA champions Germany, 73-69, to arrange a finals meeting with the US
French twin towers Rudy Gobert and Victor Wenbanyama played instrumental role in the victory over the Germans who were bannered by Fritz and Moritz Wagner and Dennis Shroader who were likewise NBA stars.
France will be meeting the US in Olympics basketball finals for the fourth time since 1936 and the first since 2000.
The basketball team representing the United States is the most successful team in international competition, winning medals in all nineteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, including sixteen golds. In the professional era, the team won the Olympic gold medal in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012, 2016, and
2020.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Press Conference Notes: Richard Torrez Jr. and Guido Vianello Ready to Trade Leather in Las Vegas Heavyweight Headliner
Fri, 04 Apr 2025Avoided Kingsley Ibeh Demands his Seat at The Heavyweight Table
Fri, 04 Apr 2025Team USA Advances Two More Boxers to Medal Rounds at World Boxing Cup: Brazil 2025
Fri, 04 Apr 2025Undefeated Super Welterweight Prospect Alex Bray Signs Promotional Agreement with Boxlab Promotions
Fri, 04 Apr 2025PRE-SALE TICKETS FOR THE 2025 US OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP AVAILABLE FROM 14 APRIL
Fri, 04 Apr 2025PSME Abu Dhabi overall champion in the PTC-WED in UAE
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 04 Apr 2025The Hard Road of Young Nationalista
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Thu, 03 Apr 20255 Pinoy boxers to fight in Japan
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 03 Apr 2025Transatlantic Clash II - "Battle at the Bridge"
Thu, 03 Apr 2025Marco “El Tiburón” Romero moving up to scheduled 6-round bout next
Thu, 03 Apr 2025Filipino chess phenom wins at Spring Blitz Chess Championship in Dubai
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 03 Apr 2025Team USA Advances Two More Boxers to Medal Rounds at World Boxing Cup: Brazil 2025
Thu, 03 Apr 2025IM Bagamasbad eyes GM title in Australian Chess Circuit
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 03 Apr 2025SAMPSON BOXING SIGNS TOP UNDEFEATED LIGHT FLYWEIGHT CONTENDER ERICK BADILLO TO CO-PROMOTIONAL CONTRACT
Thu, 03 Apr 2025TURKISH KNOCKOUT ARTIST ELIF NUR TURHAN PENS PROMOTIONAL DEAL WITH MATCHROOM
Thu, 03 Apr 2025