The United States men’s basketball team continued their pursuit of a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal with a commanding 103-86 victory over South Sudan in the second round of Group C matches on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Serbia delivered a dominant performance, defeating Puerto Rico 107-66.
Debutants South Sudan, led by NBA player Royal Ivey, aimed to achieve a historic win by handing Team USA only their seventh Olympic defeat. South Sudan capitalized on early American mistakes to take an initial lead in the first quarter. However, their momentum waned as poor shooting and constant fouls allowed the defending champions to secure a 19-point advantage by halftime.
In the women’s basketball second round of Group A matches earlier on Wednesday, Spain narrowly edged out Puerto Rico with a 63-62 victory, while Serbia triumphed over China with an 81-59 win. Both Spain and Serbia have secured their places in the quarter-finals and will face each other in the final pool game on Saturday.
Megan Gustafson delivered another standout performance for Spain, contributing 18 points and 13 rebounds. Despite an impressive third-quarter surge that saw Puerto Rico take a 19-point lead and limit Spain to just five points, the pressure proved too much for the Puerto Ricans in the final quarter. Laura Gil clinched the victory for Spain with a free throw in the last second of the game.
Serbia’s victory over China was powered by a strong combination of 12 points from Tina Krajisnik and 15 from Yvonne Anderson. The European team showcased their strength early, opening up a six-point lead in the first quarter. Although China, supported by Chinese Basketball Association president and former NBA player Yao Ming, rallied to level the score at 22-all before halftime, they could not withstand Serbia’s second-half surge.
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China and Puerto Rico will face each other on Saturday, with both teams still hopeful of advancing by finishing among the top two third-placed teams in the group stage.
In the men’s competition, Team USA’s victory was marked by a stellar performance from three-time Olympian Kevin Durant. Fully recovered from injury, Durant displayed his prowess by making eight out of nine free throws, much to the delight of the thousands of fans in attendance. The crowd was also thrilled by the spectacular dunks from LeBron James and Derrick White, who combined for 22 points.
In the earlier Group C match, Serbia made easy work of Puerto Rico in a one-sided affair. Filip Petrusev and Nikola Jokic formed a dynamic duo, combining for 29 points and leading their team to a resounding victory.
These Olympic basketball matches have set the stage for an exciting knockout phase, with top teams demonstrating their capabilities and fans eagerly anticipating the upcoming contests. As the tournament progresses, the battle for the coveted gold medal intensifies, promising thrilling basketball action in the days ahead
