RIO DE JANEIRO – For the first time in 24 years, going back to Barcelona Olympics in 1992, there will be no Australia in the medal round after being stunned in the women’s basketball quarterfinals of the 2016 Rio Olympics by Serbia 73-71 at the Carioca Arena 1.
It was epic in nature as Australia entered this event as the favorite in Pool A and the expected final game opponent against the mighty Team USA dozen on Saturday morning. The other side of epic was Serbia with lost its first three games in Pool B play to Spain (59-65), Canada (67-71) and the Americans (84-110) and finished 4th to make the medal round with a 2-3 record.
Serbia earned their trip to the 2016 Olympics by winning the 2015 FIBA qualifier, the EuroCup as did Australia which won the FIBA Oceania crown. Going into the medal round the records don’t count and it’s win or go home.
As noted across the post-interview mix-zone by multiple Serbian players, this was a 40-minute game.
“Our coach told us all before the game it would take 40-minutes to win the game,” said 6-0 Serbian wing Ana Dabovic who scored 24 points. “We showed we weren’t the European Champions for nothing. Five years in a row trying to represent our country. We won and that’s the most important thing for me.”
The Aussies looked to punch their ticket to the semifinal round getting up on Serbia by eight points at 5:33 left in the 3rd quarter 45-37 but could not hold the lead going, losing it 51-50 at the 2:38 mark. The game was tied five times going into the last minutes of the game with Dabovic getting a big jumper for a 72-69 lead after multiple missed opportunities by both teams with :27 left. The Aussies came right back with 6-7 Elizabeth Cambage (29 points) inside to cut it to one with 0:15 left but Dabovic hit her second foul shot at 0:10 for the final margin. Australia had enough time for a shot but missed an outside three and rebound to end the game.
“I thought we’d get through this and we’d get to the medal round,” mentioned Australian women’s head coach Brendan Joyce. “If we were strong we would’ve should’ve been able to do that tonight.”
Australia fails on last second shot to tie the game as time runs out to end 24-year Olympic Women’s Basketball medal round appearances
“Give a bit of credit to Serbia, they played well,” he continued. “We were concerned about their bigs hitting the perimeter shot and taking our bigs out, we tried to make adjustments but they still took us off the dribble.”
Australia star Penny Taylor, who picked up two quick fouls, shot 0 for 7 and finished with just two point, noted Joyce, was probably her last game. Taylor was drafted into WNBA in 2001, was MVP of the 2006 FIBA Women’s World Championships in Brazil and played on the 2004 and 2008 Silver Medal Opals Olympic teams. She missed 2012 in London due to an injury.
“It’s been awesome hasn’t it (Taylor’s career and impact),” said Joyce. “She’s battled to be at this Olympics. Four years ago she was injured she didn’t get to play. She’s announced her retirement for the WNBA and with the Opals as well. “
With all teams, especially after a tough loss, Joyce was asked about the future of the Australia Women’s basketball program.
“This team needs change, the transition is already happening,” said Joyce who welcomed eight new players to this Olympic roster. “Obviously we’ve hope that the three and a half years of work we just put in would have given the opportunity to medal. In reality, it should have, no excuses. It would have been awesome to take those players to the next round. We lost one game unfortunately it’s a very important one.”
The same could be said the outcome of the next Rio Olympics Women’s semifinal game as Spain used two big last minute shots by guard Ana Cruz to outlast Euro foe Turkey 64-62 to advance to the semifinals against Serbia on Thursday.
Both teams did not face each other at the 2015 EuroCup zone qualifier in Budapest, Hungary nor at the Women’s Olympic qualifier tournament in June in Reze, France. But, both teams were familiar with each other styles and it showed with each team grabbing a lead throughout the first half with Turkey holding edge 29-25. Spain took back a six point lead in the third only to give it away again to tie the game at 60 each with 1:10 left to play.
Ana Cruz launches shot into the air at the clock runs out for buzzer beater to push Serbia into the RIO Olympic Women’s Basketball semifinals against Spain
It was Cruz (game high 14 points) who took over hitting a big jumper with 0:36 left and then the game winner at the buzzer on a semi-running jumper to move Spain into the semifinals against Serbia a team they defeated in Pool B play on the first day of competition 65-59. Spain also beat Serbia in the EuroCup competition 90-81.
“I know for sure everyone will talk about the last two shots she made, were the shots that put us in the (semifinal) game,” said star forward Alba Torrens. “Our goal was to get to the semifinals. Today, Serbia got the semifinals because they deserved it. They showed they are a great team, they won the Eurobasket. It should be a really tough game.
