And then…there were four.
Australia vs. Serbia
Photo Credit: AP/Eric Gay
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary has this definition for the word “upset.”
To cause (something) to be unable to continue in the expected way.
Urban Dictionary simply has it as “to defeat a favored opponent” or “a victory over a favored opponent.”
If a picture for “upset” were to be used in either Webster’s or Urban Dictionary, one may want to use one from the quarterfinal game from Australia vs. Serbia.
Australia is the second-ranked team in the world, per FIBA. Australia lost by (only) 15 to Team USA in the USA’s final tune-up game prior to these Rio Olympics. Australia was seen by many a pundit as perhaps the biggest threat to Team USA winning another gold medal. Australia not only won Group A, but finished undefeated (5-0) in pool play.
Instead, Australia will not even appear on the medal stand—thanks to Serbia, which defeated Australia by a final of 73-71.
With 15 seconds left to play, a Liz Cambage jump shot off a Penny Taylor pass got Australia within one. Australia’s Rachel Jarry fouled Serbia’s Ana Dabovic, who after missing her first free throw, converted successfully on her second from the charity stripe, giving Serbia the two-point lead.
Australia had one shot to preserve the game—and their shot at a medal, but it was not to be.
Dabovic finished with 24 points, but went eight for 20 from the field. Jelena Milovanovic added 17 and Sonja Petrovic scored 13 and also had five assists. For Australia, Cambage led all scorers with 29 points. Jarry had 14 and Leilani Mitchell added 10.
Taylor was held to only two points for the game and went zero-for-seven from the field.
Spain vs. Turkey
Photo Credit: AP/Eric Gay
What better way to follow up one game that was decided by only two points…than with another game that would be decided by only two points. That would be the case as after Serbia completed its elimination of Australia, Spain took on Turkey.
In the third quarter, Turkey had as much as a seven-point lead. Even with under four minutes to play, Turkey led by eight over Spain. The semifinals for Turkey were within reach before Laura Nicholls and Anna Cruz (who hit an end-of-game buzzer-beater) led a late-game comeback, culminating in a two-point 64-62 win for Spain over Turkey.
Cruz played over 37 minutes and had 14 points to lead her team. In addition to the 14 points, she also had six assists. Laura Nicholls would finish with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Alba Torrens also pulled down 11 rebounds of her own.
For Turkey, they got 22 points from Lara Sanders and 13 from Nevriye Yilmaz. In addition to losing a relatively sizable lead lead, Turkey also needs to feast its eyes on one statistic that set up Spain for the big comeback—a 12 to five advantage for Spain in offensive rebounding.
Serbia will play Spain in the semifinals on Thursday.
United States vs. Japan
Photo Credit: Alex Livesey/Getty Images
The first two women’s games at the Carioca Arena in Rio were decided by a combined four points. Those are close games by evenly matched teams.
Then, there’s the United States.
Coming into this game, four out of the five games Team USA has played has resulted in them surpassing the century mark for points. To say that this has been an offensive outburst for Team USA would be an understatement.
Japan found out exactly what all of the hoop-la was about. By halftime, the game was relatively close, especially by Team USA standards. It was only a 56-46 lead over Japan at the half before Japan was outscored 54-18 in the second half as the USA cruised to another emphatic win—this time, 110-64 over Japan.
Diana Taurasi had another huge game with 19 points and hitting five of her eight three-point attempts. Maya Moore also had 19 points and Angel McCoughtry added 13.
Japan’s Ramu Tokashiki finished the game, and her Olympics, with a 14-point outing. Mika Kurihara and Sanae Motokawa also had 12 points each.
At least there’s one major thing the Japanese team can look forward to…the next Summer Olympic Games will be in 2020 in Tokyo.
France vs. Canada
Photo Credit: Jean Levao/Postmedia Network
The French language is the most common thing that of course bounds the nations of France and Canada. Their basketball teams in the quarterfinals at the Rio Olympics would only be separated by a mere five points.
Those additional five points would be five scored by France, punching its semifinal ticket after defeating Canada by a final of 68-63.
This game would end up being Sandrine Gruda’s game. Her 14 points and 10 rebounds proved to be a major catalyst in what was a France victory. Valeriane Ayayi finished with 12 and Olivia Epoupa had 10.
Ever since Team Canada’s loss to Team USA in pool play, other teams have seemingly found out the method to stopping said team—keep either Kia Nurse and/or Tamara Tatham contained. Nurse did score 11 points, but was only three for 17 from the field. Tatham had 10. Kim Gaucher’s 15 led Canada on this day.
In the opening moments of the second quarter, Canada led by as many as 13 (29-16), but France responded by closing the gap to one by way of a 12-0 run.
France, of course, was the same team that four years ago in London, lost to Team USA in the gold medal game.
Semifinals (Thursday)
Spain vs. Serbia at 2:00 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
USA vs. France at 6:00 p.m. ET (NBCSN)
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
