AUS/USA - Opals ride strong fourth quarter to win over USA
BEIJING (Olympic Test Event) - Australia blew out the United States in the fourth quarter and claimed a 74-60 victory at the 2008 Beijing Basketball Test Event on Saturday. Anne Donovan’s Americans, who will be seeking a fourth straight gold medal at the Olympics this summer in Beijing, led 50-48 at the end of the third quarter but the Opals ...
BEIJING (Olympic Test Event) - Australia blew out the United States in the fourth quarter and claimed a 74-60 victory at the 2008 Beijing Basketball Test Event on Saturday.
Anne Donovan’s Americans, who will be seeking a fourth straight gold medal at the Olympics this summer in Beijing, led 50-48 at the end of the third quarter but the Opals outscored them 26-10 over of the final 10 minutes.
Rohanee Cox had 16 points, Hollie Grima 13, Erin Phillips 12 and Suzy Batkovic 10 for Australia, who will try to claim an Olympic title following their gold medal success at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Brazil.
The USA did not have superstar Lisa Leslie in Brazil two years ago but she has returned to the squad and is in Beijing with another USA star, Katie Smith – a member of the last two gold-medal winning sides.
Otherwise, the majority of the American stars are unavailable, including Spartak Moscow Region trio Tina Thompson, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi.
However, Australia’s fabulous four are missing with Lauren Jackson – also of Spartak – Belinda Snell (Bourges), Penny Taylor and Kristi Harrower (both UMMC Ekaterinburg) now in post-season play.
Leslie had 17 points to lead all scorers and she added eight rebounds. Smith scored 14 and Sylvia Fowles, who has an excellent chance of making the Olympic squad, weighed in with nine.
FIBA