OS Beijing 2008 Paralympics Olympics Pekin

Australia survived for 18 minutes, disallowing the basketball jerseys of America from flying with the game in their pockets. A good and organized defense was crowned by a strong finishing under the basket, with 20 year old Mills on the play making! Opals were magnificent on the ball movement and determined to walk along with the States in scoring. In a pre-game interview, Australians declared that they will the smiles off the Dream team’s faces, a betting that almost came true, but …. It was Kobe Bryant’s show time to start, saving the states from the stress that Uncle Sam was facing with the 2^nd quarter coming to an end.

After the break, Kobe and friends were already warm to start the show, cherishing the crowds is a must, leaving no space for Australians to breath. After missing a lot of free throws and 3 pointers in 1^st part of the match, luck was starting to smile to the Eagles. Kobe leading his Dream team with 25 points was performing the true displays of an MVP sending angry Aussies back home.

US out-rebounded the Opals 57 to 28 of which 9 “second chance” scored from 13 offensive boards.

Australia’s primary bet of embarrassing the States was whooshed far, and so did their plan B, which consisted on keeping the score divergence under the 30 points; a bid that they struggled to achieve: actually it’s too good to be true, and they had 2 losing bets in 1 night!!!

USA’s points’ average for winning is still over 30 points after today’s game

USA will face the winner of the game joining Argentina and Greece in semi-finals, and still has 2 more games to wear gold medals. Basketball tickets are definitely sold out with a Dream team that puts on the flame to the game. For the 1^st time since Athens 2000, bidding on Basketball games hadn’t been that easy!

Who saw that coming? Not even those who bet on Australia’s victory imagined this! Lithuania have already beaten the Opals many times lately, especially during the games of Athens and Sydney… these are definitely infos to affect the sports betting, betting sites and bet panels.

Boiling Lithuania, who had won all of its preliminary matches, got a clashing slap while facing the Opals. 106-75, 360 degrees in Beijing’s basketball games expectations!

Kangaroos that have already set 3 victories in face of Iran, Russia and now Lithuania, were having a pleasant game and a score that exceeded the 100 points in a festival of scoring! A Festive that was led by Andrew Bogut’s 24 points (4 of 5 field goals) and a team average of 62% from long range. This is definitely a rate that would stimulate the awareness of USA’s defense in the next clash between the Dream Team and the Kangaroos; it’s already the quarter finals in Beijing and sports news are making the basketball look like the “VIP” of games.

1 thing that Australia can bet on is their well organized defense that made Lithuania consigns 21 turnovers!

Despite the loss, Lithuanians are still hanged on to the leadership of the group, and will be facing China that had earlier lost against Greece.

This time, loser goes home, unless Aussies are hiding the best for the rest!!

19^th of August

China Vs Belarus

Australia Vs Czech Republic

USA Vs Korea

Russia Vs Spain

Finally, a clean confession! After a series of denials from Australia’s coach about looking ahead to the finals, team member Jackson who scored 16 points in the game, spelt it out later after winning “It was a crucial win because we want to meet Team USA in the final”.

Opals, who were trailing by 16 points during the game’s half, were clicked on in the 3^rd part, out-scoring the Russians 30 to 10, and regaining the lead in a match which identification card was: experience and coolness.

Aussies, who pushed away the Russian train off the scoring banister via crucial defending, knew that despite the game’s significance, a win against Russia was an emotional click, and an internal need. The world champions once again prove domination, and are clearly betting to meet the US women in a final game here in Beijing!

Spaniards were playing to win! They wanted to show the world that it’s not always about the States and Australia. Spain’s women team influenced by the men’s world championship title, made out of the 1^st half a fierce battle with a strategy of “follow the leader”. At half time ESPANIA was only 5 points behind, 39-34.

3^rd quarter was a turning point, as US coach Donovan put a winning bet on her team’s defensive strength, keeping Spain scoreless for 2 minutes and 19 seconds. Latinas were looking tensed, unable to break the eagles net, followed by a suspicious foul on Montanana who couldn’t help sending a protest towards the referee. And as if it wasn’t enough, Spanish trouble was going together with 2 turnovers, which the Yankees transformed into valuable points, creating a comfortable lead.

At the end it was 93-55, with a huge Spanish disappointment and a happy American coach, who considered that her team was tested for the 1^st time in these Olympics and came out of it TALL.

From the other side, Spain’s coach gave no excuses and agreed along with her players, that playing against USA calls for 40 minutes of focus; we played for only 20 minutes.

Just like the men’s game, basketball tickets are out of being sold…. Sports news and TV gave a gigantic push for women basketball, that’s turning into a very popular sport.

America’s victory today, is a reply to the kangaroo’s smashing triumph against Latvia. Bets and odds are all circling around an Anglophonic final that joins Aussies and Yankees!

After trailing all along the game, Russian girls finally decided to change what was going to be a 1^st samba victory in Beijing.

They waited till the 4^th quarter of the game, to put in action what they really are capable of doing, starting by out-rebounding Brazil’s devoted jerseys 47-28, tracked by a 20-8 out-scores to leave their South American opponents late by 10 points at the final whistle: 74-64.

Russia will be facing Australia, in a fierce fight of leadership in their group, while Brazil’s women have lost any hope of qualifying, after 3 streak loosed games.

Russia has beaten Lithuania in last year’s Euro-basket, will history repeat itself? Or will unbeaten Lithuanians continue their path towards Beijing’s gold?

Lithuania was leading the game in score all along the 3 quarters of the game, but the 4^th quarter set the game on fire after Russia’s comeback to score, and leading the game for instance. Unfortunately, Kirilenko’s missed free shots would’ve made a huge impact on the score 86-79, despite his 17 points.

This is Russia’s 2^nd loss in 3 games, and will be facing Australia in the next game, both of them a 1-2 record.

On the Lithuanian side, Rimantas Kaukenas who’s coming back from a knee injury contributed with 20 points, as his colleague Ramunas Siskauskas scored 16 points and 7 rebounds; both leading their team to revenge against the Russians who banged them out in the euro-basket semi-finals.

Knowing that they were semi finalists in Athens 2004, and taking a gasp into their achievements until now in the Beijing Olympics, I believe that the Baltic team is starting to look like a good bet to stand on podium and earn a medal.

After all, they have just beaten Europe’s champions!!!

Champion Australia is on the road to the finals, as declared Australian coach after the game against Korea. As for ausie girls’ captain, she was enthusiastic about moving to the quarter finals, giving credit to her team mates who gave everything in the game. She couldn’t avoid coming around evaluating her performance of only 16 points, saying that she’s not up to her usual level yet.

Penny Taylor and Suzy Batkovic contributed in increasing the score difference against Korea, with 18 points each.

Jut like Anne Donovan (USA coach), Australian trainer made a statement confirming that expectations of playing the USA in the finals, is too soon to think about.

Australians and Americans are both aware that they are the favorites in Beijing, and each coach is betting on the performance and experience of her team.

What are the odds that a 3^rd team joins the rivalry?

Tango boys were clearly better in the game, controlling the whole football field and showing a very charismatic team understanding through the quick passes and strategies, mainly at the last 20 minutes of the game that was held without scoring till the 78^th minute.

Australians were embracing all the “blue and white jerseys”, keeping Argentineans away from getting the 1^st goal of the game. Good defense joint by some luck saved the ausie goal keeper several times. After a good offensive set up and a very well sketched collective work of passing the ball, Angel Di Maria ended the job by scoring, 12 minutes from the final whistle.

Argentina is easily leading its group, as the qualifying seems closer and easier, game after game.