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USA/AUS – United States women capture fourth Olympic gold on the trot

rss-editor@fiba.com — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:18:27 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – The United States tore apart Australia 92-65 on Saturday to capture their fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal. The Americans, who settled for an uncharacteristic bronze at the 2006 FIBA World Championship, hit back with a vengeance this summer by routing all of their opponents at the Beijing Games. The USA women have now won 33 games in a row at the Olympics with gold medal wins over Australia in Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004).

RUS/CHN – Russia beat China in bronze medal game

rss-editor@fiba.com — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:22:49 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – Becky Hammon’s investment in Russian basketball, and the Russians’ investment in Becky Hammon paid a dividend on Saturday when the American guard scored a team-high 22 points to lead the European champions to a 94-81 win over China in the bronze medal game. Hammon, a CSKA Moscow playmaker who became a Russian citizen earlier this year and was then invited into the national team, poured in 11 in the first half as Russia built a 52-39 lead by the break.

USA/AUS – Aussies hope to be a third time lucky in title game against USA

rss-editor@fiba.com — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:20:02 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – Australia’s Penny Taylor won’t be at full strength with a sprained ankle when she takes on the United States in the gold medal game on Saturday, and the Americans know what that means. Lauren Jackson, the player many believe to be the best in the world, will pick up the slack. Diana Taurasi, Jackson’s close ...

AUS/CHN – No Penny, no problem as Opals beat China to reach gold medal game

rss-editor@fiba.com — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:19:28 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – Australia didn’t have injured superstar Penny Taylor for their semi-final against China but they blew out the Olympic hosts anyway 90-56. Taylor sprained her ankle in Australia’s quarter-final demolition of the Czech Republic two days ago and is still an uncertainty for the gold medal game against the United ...

USA/RUS – Americans dominate inside to beat Russia

rss-editor@fiba.com — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:44:02 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – The United States faced some tricky moments against Russia but held their nerve and won 67-52 to advance to the final of the women’s basketball tournament at the Beijing Games. The Americans trailed by as many as seven points late in the first half and were behind 38-33 three minutes into the third quarter when they went ...

FIBA – It’s official now; It’s a USA-Opals final!

rss-editor@fiba.com — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:47:24 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) - Defending Olympic champions USA and FIBA World Champions Australia set up their third successive clash for the women’s basketball gold medal on Thursday. USA have beaten Australia in the finals of both the previous Olympics. They won 73-64 at Athens 2004 and 76-54 at Sydney 2000. USA struggled initially, but brooked no ...

CHN/AUS –Australia may be Penny-less in money time against China

rss-editor@fiba.com — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:19:58 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – Australia are sweating over the fitness of Penny Taylor ahead of their semi-final clash with China on Thursday. Taylor was the most valuable player at the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women after leading the Opals to the gold medal, and she was in top form at the Beijing Games for the undefeated Aussies before spraining her ...

USA/RUS – It just had to happen! Hammon, Russia set to face USA

rss-editor@fiba.com — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:37:22 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) - The United States have moved from strength to strength at the Olympics with Spain the only team able to compete with the Americans. Even then, Spain trailed 39-34 at half-time of the Group B clash and were eventually blown out 93-55. The Americans should have a test against Russia in their semi-final on Thursday at the Wukesong ...

AUS/CZE – Taylor injured as Opals trounce Czechs

rss-editor@fiba.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:22:46 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – Australia wiped the floor with the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals of the Olympic women’s basketball tournament 79-46 but lost star forward Penny Taylor to a sprained ankle which may has put her in doubt for Thursday’s semi-final against China. Taylor, the most valuable player of the 2006 FIBA World ...

USA/AUS – Donovan believes Opals are good even without Taylor

rss-editor@fiba.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:02:12 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – The Australians rolled up another big win on Tuesday at the Olympics by thrashing the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals but it came at a cost with Opals forward Penny Taylor spraining her ankle in the second half. Taylor is now a big doubt for the Aussies’ semi-final against China and depending on the severity of the ...

ESP/RUS – Spain cave in as Hammon leads Russia into semi-final against America

rss-editor@fiba.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:01:08 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – South Dakota’s Becky Hammon never played for the United States and now she’ll have a chance to beat them in the semi-finals at the Olympics after leading her adopted Russia to a come-from-behind win against Spain. Hammon had 10 of her 17 points in the second half and Tatiana Shchegoleva had 12 of her 19 after the ...

USA/KOR – Fowles & USA win easily over Korea to reach semi-finals

rss-editor@fiba.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:45:39 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – The United States broke open a close game in the second quarter and ended up hammering Korea 104-60 to stay on track for a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal. Sylvia Fowles scored 12 of her game-high 26 points in the first half for the Americans, who will now meet the winner of Russia’s quarter-final with Spain in the ...

CHN/BLR - Miao purrs in the points as China beat Belarus to reach semi-final

rss-editor@fiba.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:21:33 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) - Miao Lijie tore apart Belarus on Tuesday to lift China past Belarus 77-62 and into the semi-finals of the Olympics. Miao finished with a game-high 28 points as the Chinese advanced to a likely last four showdown with world champions Australia. Australia first have to win their quarter-final against the Czech Republic later on ...

FIBA – Women’s Quarterfinal Round-Up

rss-editor@fiba.com — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:54:53 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) - One fantastic rally, three lop-sided results and a serious injury to a leading player. That summed up Tuesday’s action in the Olympic women’s basketball quarter-finals. Russia staged a fantastic rally to down Spain 84-65 in a repeat result of last year’s EuroBasket final to complete the semi-final line-up after Team ...

FIBA – USA maintain focus despite easy ride so far in Beijing

rss-editor@fiba.com — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:40:58 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – The United States women blew out all five of their opponents in the preliminary round at the Olympics but Anne Donovan’s players are keeping their feet firmly on the ground ahead of Tuesday’s quarter-final against Korea. The Americans are going for a fourth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics, with world ...

AUS – Radio stars cheer for the Opals

rss-editor@fiba.com — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:47:38 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) - The stands in the Wukesong Arena has been graced by a myriad of famous people, led by US President George W Bush on the opening day. World No 1 tennis player Rafael Nadal followed suit to cheer his Spain teammates. On Sunday night, it was the turn of Australian radio stars Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. The duo, which runs a popular ...

USA/NZL – Americans go undefeated in Group B with win over Tall Ferns

rss-editor@fiba.com — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:12:32 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – The United States put the finishing touches on their undefeated run in the preliminary round at the Olympics with a 96-60 win over New Zealand in Group B on Sunday ...

CHN/CZE – China turn on the style and bounce Czechs to finish second

rss-editor@fiba.com — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:31:15 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – China led from start to finish and beat the Czech Republic 79-63 to seal a second-place finish in Group B of the Beijing Games and set up a quarter-final against Belarus. Miao Lijie scored 21 points and Chen Nan 18 for the Olympic hosts, who led by as many as 24 in the game. “It feels wonderful,” China coach Tom ...

BRA/BLR – Brazil end Group A campaign with upset of Belarus

rss-editor@fiba.com — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 11:51:06 GMT

BEIJING (Olympics) – Brazil’s women finally won a basketball game at the Olympics by defeating Belarus on Sunday on the last day of the preliminary round. Paulo Bassul’s team thrashed Belarus 68-53 in a game which had no implications on the Group A standings but did remind everyone that the Brazilians have plenty of talent and will be ...

KOR/LAT – Latvia fightback comes up short as Korea advance to quarter-finals

rss-editor@fiba.com — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:22:48 GMT

Korea nearly squandered a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter but held on to beat Latvia and advance to the quarter-finals at the Olympics. The FIBA Asia champions led 63-46 with 8:41 remaining and looked ready to deliver the knockout punch but Latvia’s Ieva Kublina and Anete Jekabsone-Zogota had other ideas. Kublina poured in 13 fourth-quarter points to fuel a comeback and Zogota, who had a game-high 22, hit a running jumper in the lane with 12 seconds left to close the gap to 70-68.