Australia vs USA - 9/30/18

[VAMike23]

let's get Plum a bucket! Morgan just got hers

 

[BigBird]

This has been a relatively easy game for team USA. I expected that they would win, but I didn’t expect a quasi-blowout performance.

 

[huskeynut]

USA has too much depth and talent.

 

[VAMike23]

Plum gets hers!

 

[BigBird]

Jewell has given a nice contrib today...

 

[Shades]

 

[Hayven]

I wonder who Penny was rooting for?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Griner easily outplayed Cambage today, given that Australia had no chance at all.

 

[nwhoopfan]

U.S. didn't even play very well, only 35% shooting, still cruised to the victory.

 

[Hayven]

Stewie wins MVP of the tournament!!

 

[Shorty Dee]

Congratulations USA!! USA 73 Australia 56. Congratulations Stewie!! Stewie was the MVP.

 

[Shades]

All Tournament
Cambage
Meesseman
Ndour
Stewart
Taurasi

 

[Shades]

 

[JordyG]

Stewie!

 

[nickp91]

MVP is Stewie. Her third MVP honor in the last two months

 

[RockyMTblue2]

OMG! Well, that worked out all right.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

“The coaches were great, Geno, Chris Daley and the players were amazing and I didn’t have a bad thing to say about them - there was no wrong decision and that’s what made it so hard.”
So Magbegor reflected on what she wanted to do in her basketball career.
Whether it was having her shots blocked at training by Cambage, the worldly words of Boomers captain Jenna O’Hea or a detailed development plan from Boomers coach Guy Molloy, Magbegor turned down the UCONN offer.
She said turning professional was a big part of her decision as she could play against elite women immediately and she hopes to be good enough to enter the WNBA draft in coming years.

“Something that stuck with me, I think it was Jenna who said it, was that developing against women would be good, especially against professionals and that really stuck with me,” Magbegor said."

 

[UcMiami]

Congrats to Dawn and the team. I thought Dawn would struggle a bit more in this first outing and especially with so many new faces, but USA just rolled along as usual.

We talked about guard selection and I don't think anyone really stood up and said 'the future is ME!' No one proved they didn't belong either, just nothing that really stood out to me.

 

[MilfordHusky]

We were a second-half team this weekend. If it worked for Notre Dame in March, it can work for Team USA in September. Some of it was our depth and the pace, but Spain wore out the Aussies last night. Liz was gassed early. Gracias, Espana!

I saw 10 games in 3 days. I'm exhausted. More info and pics to come.

 

[donalddoowop]

U.S. didn't even play very well, only 35% shooting, still cruised to the victory.

The USA is not good for FIBA basketball.

 

[UcMiami]

I just watched the finals press conference and I have to say that Staley gave really good answers - very impressive. Have not always been a fan of Dawn's but it was a statesman like performance.

Thought both DT and Stewart were really good as well.

 

[eebmg]

I just watched the finals press conference and I have to say that Staley gave really good answers - very impressive. Have not always been a fan of Dawn's but it was a statesman like performance.

Thought both DT and Stewart were really good as well.

Some Geno props at the end of the press conference. I like the little quip at the end by DT as they are standing up to leave " Stewie, did you know Coach Auriemma was here?"

 

[eebmg]

View attachment 34805

I have got to say, the way Cambage played really surprised me. She usually plays with a lot of 'anger' (to the refs, opponents etc.) but I saw none of that. I think she was psyched out playing one of her best friends (BG) and I guess she could not throw any tantrums because of that??? Very very strange. The picture just captures that for me.

 

[Dillon77]

Congrats to Dawn and the team. I thought Dawn would struggle a bit more in this first outing and especially with so many new faces, but USA just rolled along as usual.

We talked about guard selection and I don't think anyone really stood up and said 'the future is ME!' No one proved they didn't belong either, just nothing that really stood out to me.

Echo your statement about the team just rolling along. As Kara Lawson pointed out (more than) a few times in her commentary yesterday, the U.S. is virtually a sure thing on this stage. Once Ms. Griner joined the rock-solid Stewie, Taurasi and Bird in the line-up, this team looked "beyond beyond." When Maya Moore rejoins the fray for the Olympics, one should feel very optimistic.

Regarding your comment on the guards, I generally agree but excuse me for a minute to extol Ms. Loyd's contributions, particularly based on the Belgium and Australia games. While she didn't go nuts in terms of scoring (8 and 9, respectively), Jewell stepped it up in other areas; from rebounding and assists to most notably, defense. She led the team in steals yesterday (3) and helped hound her Seattle Storm teammate Sami Whitcomb into a 6-turnover day and one for four shooting.

These kinds of contributions led Lawson to say she thought Loyd had earned Coach Staley's trust going forward. There are some two more years to see who else might step up or down, but I though Jewell took a solid step up the ladder. Not a huge one, but a positive, good one, both for herself and the team.

 

[UcMiami]

Echo your statement about the team just rolling along. As Kara Lawson pointed out (more than) a few times in her commentary yesterday, the U.S. is virtually a sure thing on this stage. Once Ms. Griner joined the rock-solid Stewie, Taurasi and Bird in the line-up, this team looked beyond. When Maya rejoins the fray for the Olympics, one should feel very optimistic.

Regarding your second comment, I generally agree but excuse me for a minute to extol Ms. Loyd's contributions, particularly based on the Belgium and Australia games. While she didn't go nuts in terms of scoring (8 and 9, respectively), Jewell stepped it up in other areas, from rebounding and assists and most notably, defense. She led the team in steals yesterday (3) and helped hound her Seattle Storm teammate Sami Whitcomb into a 6-turnover day and one for four shooting.
These kinds of contributions led Lawson to say she thought Loyd had earned Coach Staley's trust.

Got two more years to see who else might step up or down, but I though Jewell took a solid step up the ladder. Not a huge one, but a positive, good one, both for herself and the team.

I agree about Loyd and while I saw some negative comments posted in other threads I actually thought both Plum and Clarendon had some solid contributions over the last three weeks as well. But I thought they, and Loyd as well, didn't do enough to make the next Olympic selection assured.