Game Thread: USA v. Spain World Championship Game, Sun. ESPN2 & WatchESPN, 2:00 p.m.

[j66kicker]

All-star team rounded out with Penny Taylor, Sancho Lyttle and Alba Torrens

 

[Vowelguy]

Hah that Geno ends up standing next to Griner in the medal line.

 

[j66kicker]

FIBA pres gets a chat-up and a kiss from DT during medal presentation

 

[j66kicker]

ESPN game story

http://espn.go.com/olympics/basketb...beats-spain-win-gold-women-world-championship

 

[boontonbomber]

Love it. Nichols undercut her while she was running down the court. Nichols is frustrated because she can't score on BG.

from my angle looked more like Griner ran over her. then jumps up and goes chest to chest with Nichols. Griner really is a jerk at times.

 

[j66kicker]

Announcers said the "cut in front" is a typical international move. Griner unfamiliar, and obviously didn't appreciate it.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Tina Charles should have made the All Tournament team instead Griner.

 

[OneTrickPony]

from my angle looked more like Griner ran over her. then jumps up and goes chest to chest with Nichols. Griner really is a jerk at times.

Nichols is the Spanish player dedicated to getting into your head with physical play...Brittney did a much better job controlling her emotions in this game than she did in the semifinal; but she still guaranteed that she'll see more of this at the Olympics in two years...probably a lot more...

 

[Zorro]

Thanks for the updates OTP.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Thanks for the updates OTP.

Only for you, pardner!

 

[UcMiami]

Wbbfan - I agree. Griner was very good and I am sure led the competition in blocks, but Charles played really well - lead the team in rebounds and was a defense force as well. No big deal, but ...

Have to say I preferred watching the Fiba broadcasts and listening to their announcers and not having all the non-basketball promos.
And hello ESPN - guess who is watching this game ... WBB fans - how about something about WBB during half time?!!

 

[sTu]

M.O.P. of the game. I have no issue with Moore being chosen, what an awesome talent.

For me, the best player in the world was the clearly the M.O.P. Eight assists and Geno kept her on the court well into the second quarter She is what she always has been a POINTS PRODUCER rather than a scorer. And as spectacular as some of the game play was, nothing matched the precision and flow of Bird, Taurasi, Moore, Charles, and Griner.

2016 will change with the probable additions of at least the "healthy" veterans of Parker, Cummings, and Fowles. Yet, I am left wishing that our team had more time to practice.

 

[boontonbomber]

Nichols is the Spanish player dedicated to getting into your head with physical play...Brittney did a much better job controlling her emotions in this game than she did in the semifinal; but she still guaranteed that she'll see more of this at the Olympics in two years...probably a lot more...

Announcers said the "cut in front" is a typical international move. Griner unfamiliar, and obviously didn't appreciate it.

yes, I can just hear Spain's coach telling the 6'2" Nichols to take the next opportunity to cut in front of the 6'8", 200+ lb. Griner so that she could be run over by her.

 

[easttexastrash]

Tina Charles should have made the All Tournament team instead Griner.

Why "instead" of Griner than "along" with Griner?

Griner was second in scoring, 1st in blocks and 1st in FG % for the US, and had the best FG% of ALL players in the tourney.

 

[sTu]

Mostly, because of the position Taurasi plays as relates also to Moore. Diana has the ball in her hands often. Diana brings intangibles that accentuate the play of EVERYONE while scoring when most needed or creating the score when most needed. And who guarded Torrens most of the time.?!!

 

[easttexastrash]

from my angle looked more like Griner ran over her. then jumps up and goes chest to chest with Nichols. Griner really is a jerk at times.

Watch it again an you will see Nichols run in front of Griner, cut her off and then Nichols gets into Griner's face. Nichols initiated the entire exchange.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Watch it again an you will see Nichols run in front of Griner, cut her off and then Nichols gets into Griner's face. Nichols initiated the entire exchange.

Exactly, and Griner will get a lot more of this treatment in the hopes she'll lose her cool...European audiences apparently enjoy a pretty rough game, and women who know how to play it have nice careers. Why else would a 6'-2" forward be defending an outsize, but young and inexperienced, center...?

 

[UcMiami]

I thought Nicholls and Lyttle both played really well in the game. I thought the double technical was the correct result of the play between Nicholls and Griner - yes Nicholls ran in front of her, but then Griner reached around and dragged Nicholls down and they both squared off.
DT was spectacular in this game not with her shooting, but with her assists.
Whalen was spectacular
Maya was unconscious to start the game and set the tone for the whole game in the first five minutes. She seemed to take on the role of making the initial offensive plays with both assists and sharp shooting.

 

[easttexastrash]

Maya absolutely to control early and sent a message to Spain. Easy and clear MVP.

 

[Zorro]

Only for you, pardner!

Did you notice that the Ponies put 24 points on the board yesterday? 18 more and they would have had a win!

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I got the feeling that Spain were a little nervous, at least at the beginning.

They got some good looks but were a little tight I think and shot poorly.

 

[alexrgct]

Maya and Tina were GREAT in this tournament.

It feels like April 2004 and 2014; both the men and women won it all!

 

[phil sampieri]

from my angle looked more like Griner ran over her. then jumps up and goes chest to chest with Nichols. Griner really is a jerk at times.

If you taped or dvd'd look again. It is clear Little deliberately cut in fron of Griner and tried to stop swo as to cause contact,

 

[MilfordHusky]

Maya and Tina are a great pair, as are Sue and Diana. I think an argument could be made for Tina making the all-tourney team, but I wouldn't take Griner off.

Maya just takes games over and now does it at the highest level. I think she may be looking at 4 FIBA medals, same as Sue--but probably 4 golds.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Did you notice that the Ponies put 24 points on the board yesterday? 18 more and they would have had a win!

I can't watch them...counteracts the beneficial effects of my BP medication...