The United States team with medals, happy
(BEIJING, August 24) -- The 2006 world champion Spanish squad brought its best effort to make sure the "Redeem Team" didn't coast through the gold medal match, but the United States still prevailed 118-107 to win back the gold medal on Sunday, August 24.
"Spain gave us our first test," said United States guard Deron Williams. Both sides racked up fouls early on, which seemed to stunt the defensive patterns of the United States more than Spain, who effectively contained the US side and even outscored in the paint 56-50.
Guard Kobe Bryant admits he got into foul trouble and had to play more cautiously. "But in the fourth quarter, Coach K (US coach Mike Krzyzewski) told me to let that momma loose," he said, "and that's what I tried to do."
High-scorer Dwayne Wade said even if star players like Bryant and Lebron James were held back by personal fouls, Team USA was not dependant on any one man. "We're very deep, one through 12," he said. "It's about the whole team."
"This feels great. We haven't won in eight years. A lot of people doubted that NBA stars could play together."
Bryant was playing against his Los Angeles Lakers teammate Pau Gasol in this game, and when the buzzer sounded he made sure to give Gasol a hug. "I love him like a brother. I truthfully wish we were playing someone else in the finals."
Spain's Alex Mumbru says his team played 100 percent and had nothing else to give. "This has been the greatest match of the last years. Everyone is saying that. It will be a historical match and we want people to remember this Spanish team for a long while," said Mumbru.
With this win, both teams have players reaching an historic mark. US captain Jason Kidd becomes the 13th Men's Basketball player to win two gold medals, and Spain's 17-year-old guard Ricky Rubio becomes the youngest player to ever win an Olympic Men's Basketball medal. Rubio had six points and six rebounds in Sunday's gold medal game.
In the bronze medal match earlier in the day, a 20-point haul from Carlos Delfino steered an Argentina to an 87-75 victory over Lithuania. Delfino pulled a game-high 10 rebounds and picked up the offensive load for the defending Olympic champions, who were minus their inspirational lead Manu Ginobili due to an ankle injury.
Argentina went into the first break ahead 24-21, but it was a succession of three-point shots midway through the second by Leonardo Martin Gutierrez, Alfredo Paolo Quinteros and Andres Nocioni that proved decisive and gave the team a 44-31 lead.
Lithuania would never recover from that moment, the deficit growing to 24 at one stage in the third. Captain Ramunas Siskauskas paced his team with 15 points while guard Rimantas Kaukenas added 14. Sarunas Jasikevicius, Lithuania's leading scorer heading into the match, was not his usual efficient self, hitting just four of 12 shots for just nine points.
For Argentina, Luis Scola tallied 16 points while Nocioni, battling tendonitis, added 14.
Posts
