By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In its first official game this summer against a European team, Team USA didn’t have any real problem. Led by Kevin Durant’s 22 points, the big favorite to win the gold medal beat France 98-71.
The team of goggles wearing Tony Parker managed to scare a little the Americans after trailing by just one point (22-21) at the end of the first quarter, but that was the best it could do. The absence of injured Chicago Bulls’ center Joakim Noah is crippling the French national team, as also did the horrible 9% three-point shooting percentage (2/22). On the other hand, 10 steals, 14 turnovers and 27 assists were numbers that made Coach K proud.
In the first two encounters of the day Brazil and Nigeria prevailed. The South Americans beat feisty Australia 75-71 in a game that turned out to be a duel between two Barcelona teammates. Aussie Boomer Joe Ingles cut the lead of Brazil to two points (73-71) with 29 seconds to go, but Marcelinio Huertas with two free throws sealed the deal and finished the game with 15 points and 10 assists. Ingles had also 15 points, Patty Mils was the top scorer of the winners with 20 points but only 1/9 three pointers. Nigeria won the early morning game 60-56 against Tunisia which scored just 15 points in the first half.