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:
THE RING 6: NIGHT OF THE SAMURAI OPEN WORKOUTS COMPLETE AS UNDISPUTED KING INOUE GETS READY FOR PICASSO CLASH IN RIYADH
Thu, 25 Dec 20253-Time, 2-Division World Champion & IBF No. 1, Mandatory Bantamweight World Title Challenger Miyo Yoshida long overdue for her 8th World title fight
Thu, 25 Dec 2025Game On! 1st Paower Pickleball Cup Ignites Action in San Fernando
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 25 Dec 2025Late Replacement Tellez Ready to Shock the World Against Amanda Serrano for WBA & WBO Featherweight Titles on January 3 in Puerto Rico
Wed, 24 Dec 2025The Pryce is right again!
Wed, 24 Dec 2025Postal Stamp Honoring Muhammad Ali will be present in January 15
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 24 Dec 2025O’REILLY AUTO PARTS SIGNS LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP DEAL WITH MATCHROOM BOXING
Wed, 24 Dec 2025Isabela Chess University Wins Region 2 Chess League Title
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 24 Dec 2025Cristobal stops Beltran in the 6th round
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 23 Dec 2025VENUE/DATE CHANGE: Shinard Bunch Takes on John Paul Magalong on THURSDAY, JANUARY 15TH AT THE WAR MEMORIAL IN TRENTON
Tue, 23 Dec 2025Raquinel suffers 2nd setback in SA
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 23 Dec 2025Oakland Municipal Auditorium: Sacred Hall Where Filipino Boxing World Champions Were Crowned
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Tue, 23 Dec 2025IBA confirms Men’s World Boxing Championships results
Tue, 23 Dec 2025Jordan Launches Pro Boxing Scene Appointing Amer Abdallah as Advisor
Tue, 23 Dec 2025Fisher and Atencio Crowned Jax Mixed Doubles Open Champions
Sun, 21 Dec 2025