Famous first: Slovenia or Australia are going to win their first medal on Saturday

TOKYO (Japan) - Australia and Slovenia were both so close to the Final, to only then suffered heartbreaking Semi-Final defeats. But they need to bounce back as soon as possible, the first Olympic medal is within reach.

Just how hard is it to win a medal in your first appearance at the Olympics? USA, Canada and Mexico climbed the podium on their first tries back in 1936, because that was the first basketball tournament as a full-time part of the Olympics. The Soviet Union finished second in 1952, and 40 years later Croatia and Lithuania were added to the list of medal-winning teams.

Finally, 2016 saw the name Serbia appear in the Olympic tournament for the first time, picking up a silver medal straight away. Slovenia can join the list on Saturday. Luka Doncic knows how unique of an opportunity that awaits.

"I can say I am really proud of this team," the wunderkind said. "Everyone gave 100 percent in the Semi-Finals. We worked hard for two months to be here. I think we might have surprised a lot of people but I am proud of each of the guys but we have one more Final to go and we will not give up yet."

Slovenia could become the 17th different name in the list of countries that won a basketball medal in the history of the Olympic Games. Trouble is, so could Australia.

The Boomers were in this position four times previously. They lost the third-place game in 1988, the USA won 78-49. In 1996, Lithuania won in the same phase, 80-74. Four years later, the two nations met again, with the Baltic boys silencing the home crowd in Sydney 89-71.

In Rio five years ago, Australia were playing impressive basketball, but then ran out of gas in their last two games. Fourth final four appearance, fourth fourth-place for the Boomers, after an 89-88 loss to the hands of Spain in Brazil.

Add to the mix another fourth place finish - this time at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China - and it's easy to see why the Moneyball movie reference - the one about nobody caring about you when you don't win the last game of the season - comes to mind when the talk is about Australian basketball.

Coach Brian Goorjian knows it's time to win the last game of the season.

"These guys have put 12 years into this. I have come in and out of this," the Australia head coach said, pointing the stage lights towards his players, who are probably sick of winning sympathy across the globe while losing the opportunities to bring some silverware back home.

"The more you are willing to commit to something, the harder it is to retreat," Goorjian added. "When I walked out of that locker room (after the Semi-Finals), the message is loud and clear. Head back, head straight, walk out of here proud, proud of who you are, proud of what you do, proud of what you are displaying. We have got something right in front of us now that has never happened for this country and so let's get excited about that."

Goorjian can feel optimistic because he has the defensive weapons to test Luka Doncic. Joe Ingles and Matthew Dellavedova are two completely different versions of defense in the starting lineup, and once the playcaller turns to the bench unit, he has one of the best NBA defenders at his disposal in Matisse Thybulle and his neverending wingspan, plus the energy of high-flying Dante Exum.

Australia can play with two bigs, but also with assemble a small-ball lineup with Ingles in the frontcourt, which sounds similar to what France did against the FIBA EuroBasket 2017 winners a day ago.

However, coach Aleksander Sekulic also has numerous options to counter whatever Australia throw at him. Knowing the mental toughness of this team, nobody should be surprised if Klemen Prepelic makes up for the blocked layup from the Semi-Finals with another monster game in the battle for third.

Prepelic already knows what it's like to defeat Australia. He was part of the Slovenia squad that played the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2014, along with Aleksej Nikolic, Jaka Blazic and Zoran Dragic, and they defeated Australia 90-80 in Gran Canaria.

Dellavedova and Ingles were on the other side, with Chris Goulding, Dante Exum and Aron Baynes. Baynes and Ingles have an even older memory of Slovenia, as they also lost the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2010 matchup 87-58 in Istanbul. Patty Mills was also there, leading the scoring with 13 points for the Boomers.

Slovenia are up 2-0 in head-to-head battles. The matchup on Saturday will be the first time they see each other at the Olympics. 

FIBA