implored fans in NSW to get behind his team, Smith wasnt buying | Forum
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Jan 11 '19
RIO DE JANEIRO -- There was no question coming into the Olympics that the U. Wholesale Air Max 97 .S. womens basketball team could score.With the offense struggling at points Friday for the first time, the Americans turned up their defensive effort to dispatch Canada.Maya Moore scored 12 points and the U.S. clinched the top seed in the group with an 81-51 win over its northern neighbors.I think we played really hard today on defense, guard Sue Bird said. Everyones been talking about our offense, but its been our defense that has been the most consistent. Tonight was a good example of that. It wasnt that we couldnt score, but we just werent scoring at the rate you saw in the first three games. It was our defense that was there for us to rely on.The Americans (4-0) had been scoring at a record pace, topping 100 points in each of their first three contests -- the first time a teams done that at the Olympics. But they couldnt get into an offensive rhythm for the first 20 minutes against Canada.The U.S. was out of sync, throwing the ball away on fast breaks and missing open shots. Canada, which already had sealed a berth in the quarterfinals for the second consecutive Olympics, wasnt intimidated. The teams had played an exhibition game before the Olympics started and Canada lost by 40, never recovering from a slow start.It was the U.S. that struggled early in this one. The Americans only scored 18 points in the first quarter, their lowest scoring output in any period in Rio. Canada only trailed 18-16. Thats when the U.S. turned up its defense. For nearly 10 minutes, the Americans held Canada without a basket and slowly extended their advantage.Canada got its only bucket in the second quarter on a three-point play by Nirra Fields with 39 seconds left in the period and the U.S. led 36-22 at the half. Coach Geno Auriemma said the team did nothing special during that stretch other than just play hard defensively.Our defensive effort was great, said Moore, who scored all of her points in the first half.Diana Taurasi helped the U.S. get some separation against Canada. She hit two 3-pointers in a row to start an 8-0 run that gave the Americans their first 20-point lead of the contest. She now has 18 in the Olympics, breaking her own team record of 15 set in 2012.Canada could only get within 15 the rest of the way. Miranda Ayim scored eight to lead the Canadians.Despite the loss, Canada (3-1) has already won more games than in any other Olympics. The Canadians hope to win the countrys first medal in the sport. They finish pool play Sunday against Spain, trying to secure second place in the group.Its huge, were here to make history, Fields said. We already made history and our goal is to really just medal. Finish the highest we can. Playing against Spain is a very important game and well be ready for it.The victory was the Americans 45th straight in the Olympics. They are halfway to a sixth consecutive gold medal.While the U.S. roster is stacked with some of the greatest players in UConns storied history, including Moore, Canada has its own Husky in Nurse, who will begin her junior year at Connecticut this fall. Nurse came into the game leading the team in scoring, but had a rough contest against the U.S. and her college coach Auriemma. She scored just three points, missing eight of her nine shots.Nurses game probably could be summed up in one play: She had the ball stripped by Moore near the top of the key and then chased the former UConn great down the court as Moore converted a layup.We all have those moments, kind of welcome to the next level moments. I had them, shell have them, Moore said. And then when shes in my position, shell be giving it to the next generation. So, its one play. We all have to get our pockets picked. But I was trying to be aggressive. Im sure itll be something she uses for the next game.In other games on Friday, Serbia won its first contest ever in the Olympics, beating China 80-72. A victory over Senegal on Sunday would advance Serbia to the knockout round. Spain routed Senegal 97-43 in the late game Friday, setting up a pivotal game against Canada on Sunday. Nike Air Max 2018 Discount . Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Black 2018 Air Max Online . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. http://www.airmaxchina.com/ . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith says theres no stopping Sharks enforcer Andrew Fifita.So all the Storm can plan to do in Sundays grand final at ANZ Stadium is limit his damage.Fifita was at his fighting best in the Sharks preliminary final win over North Queensland last Friday night.He was narrowly second in his teams all run metres for the match, and has averaged 3.2 offloads per game this season, prompting Test great Darren Lockyer to name him as the grand final game-breaker.With his ability to draw defenders, Lockyer said Fifita would test the Storms very structured defence.Smith agreed that Fifita would likely be a handful.I think for players like that, its not about trying to take them out of the game its about trying to minimise the impact that they have, Smith said.Youre never going to be able to take a good footballer, the quality of Fifita, out of the game.Smith said while his team would study footage of Fifita, it was hard to fine-tune preparation for the polarising prop.Its hard to preepare to play against Andrew because he is quite unpredictable in what hes going to do, Smith said. Air Max 97 China. Hes a big guy, hes got great skill for a big man and hes got great feet.Thats what makes him so good; hes got a lot of tricks up his sleeve.Sundays decider has a State of Origin flavour with Smith the Queensland skipper and Cronulla captain Paul Gallen the NSW leader.Melbournes Cooper Cronk and Will Chambers are also current Maroons while Cronullas Fifita, James Maloney, Wade Graham and Jack Bird all played for NSW in the last Origin clash.While Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan has implored fans in NSW to get behind his team, Smith wasnt buying the Origin angle.Its Melbourne and Victoria, theyre not part of Origin, Smith said.For us its a grand final and State of Origin is a different beast to the premiership.Its not a state versus state thing, its a team thing. 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