{"id":11031,"date":"2016-08-17T05:21:37","date_gmt":"2016-08-17T05:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=11031"},"modified":"2016-08-17T05:21:37","modified_gmt":"2016-08-17T05:21:37","slug":"usa-womens-basketball-team-overcomes-slow-start-rolls-past-japan-in-rio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/sports\/rio-olympics\/usa-womens-basketball-team-overcomes-slow-start-rolls-past-japan-in-rio.html","title":{"rendered":"USA women’s basketball team overcomes slow start, rolls past Japan in Rio"},"content":{"rendered":"

USA women’s basketball team overcomes slow start, rolls past Japan in Rio<\/span><\/p>\n

RIO DE JANEIRO \u2014 There was suspense for a fleeting few minutes Tuesday, which is saying something when you\u2019re talking about the U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team.<\/span><\/p>\n

This quarterfinal game against Japan, unlike every other one of the Americans\u2019 challenges here, was like watching your favorite movie only to somehow stumble on a new plot twist.<\/span><\/p>\n

Up by just two points late in the second quarter, this from the team that entered play having won its first five games by an average of 40.8 points? Unheard of. A\u00a0 halftime speech from coach Geno Auriemma, who chided small forward Angel McCoughtry about her porous defense after Japan\u2019s Miki Kurihara hit four circus threes that reminded him of Stephen Curry? Just flat out weird.<\/span><\/p>\n

Twenty minutes later, after adjustments were made and Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore (19 points apiece) caught fire, their one-sided world was back to normal: Team USA 110, Japan 64 at Carioca Arena.<\/span><\/p>\n

The dominance continues, with a semifinal game against either France or Canada on Thursday.<\/span><\/p>\n

(At halftime) we just said, \u2018Look, this is how we\u2019re going to play defense, this is where we\u2019re going to go with the ball, this is how we\u2019re going to attack them, ok? We\u2019re going to take away this, this and that, and then let\u2019s run with it,\u201d Auriemma said. \u201cThey did the rest. They were unbelievable in the second half. \u2026 In the last 17 minutes of the game, it was pretty amazing. That was a pretty amazing brand of basketball, against a really, really good team.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Taurasi, who had a three-pointer during an 8-0 run to end the first half with Team USA up 56-46, helped turn it all around.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just let it all hang out,\u201d Taurasi said. \u201cI just knew that if we were going to go, we were going to let it all hang out. \u2026 I\u2019m just proud of this team. You look at the score, and you think it was an easy game. But Japan (which entered 3-2 in pool play) is one of the toughest teams.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The winning streak \u2013 now 47 in the Olympics as they pursue a sixth consecutive gold medal \u2013 was safe by the fourth quarter. This team still hasn’t won a game by single digits since a four-point game against Russia in the 2004 Athens Olympics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even still, this was a game. Until Auriemma\u2019s message apparently hit home at the intermission.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe said that my (expletive) better get down and guard somebody and don\u2019t let nobody else beat me to the basket,\u201d said McCoughtry, who added 13 points and helped hold Kurihara scoreless in the second half. \u201cHe made (the comment) in a funny, kind of sarcastic way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sure, she could call it funny \u2013 because they won.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWooh,\u201d McCoughtry said about the second-half surge. \u201cWe needed it, though. The great thing about our team is that people like Diana and Sue (Bird), they don\u2019t panic. They just know how to play through it, and we follow their lead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now to wait and see if there\u2019s reason to panic as it relates to Bird.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 35-year-old point guard was removed from the action in the second quarter when she felt something disconcerting in her right knee. The decision to pull her from play was characterized by Auriemma as precautionary, but more should be known when she is reevaluated Wednesday morning. Bird \u2013 one of three Team USA players attempting to win a record-tying fourth gold medal (with Taurasi and Tamika Catchings) \u2013 did not speak to reporters in the mixed zone afterward.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source : http:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/sports\/olympics\/rio-2016\/2016\/08\/16\/usa-womens-basketball-team-japan-angel-mccoughtry\/88869366\/<\/span><\/p>\n

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