U.S. outlasts Russia in women's basketball

By SCOTT PITONIAK

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece - Continuing a tradition he started long ago, U.S. women's basketball coach Van Chancellor handed out candy to fans before Friday's game at Olympic Indoor Hall.

His team usually follows that act with a sweet performance of its own, but not this time. Things almost turned sour in Team USA's semifinal game against Russia.

In their first real test of the Olympic tournament, the Americans held on for a 66-62 victory, advancing to the gold-medal game against Australia in a battle of unbeatens. The U.S. has won 24 consecutive Olympic games, including a 76-54 defeat of the Aussies at the 2000 Sydney Games, and lead the series 4-0.

The Americans came into the Russian game beating teams by an average of 29 points, with no opponent coming closer than 19 points.

But led by 7-footer Maria Stepanova, who had 11 points, eight rebounds and a rare blocked shot against U.S. center Lisa Leslie, the Russians hung tough till the end.

They closed the gap to 60-58 with just under four minutes to go, when Sheryl Swoopes took charge. Swoopes barely beat the shot-clock buzzer with a jumper, then scored from the baseline to give the U.S. a six-point cushion.

"What a basketball game,'' said Chancellor, the former longtime Mississippi women's coach. "Russia did a great job. Coach Vadim Kapranov had a tremendous game plan, but I'm proud that my team found a way to win.''

The U.S. placed four players in double figures - Tina Thompson (14 points), Tamika Catchings and Leslie (11 each), and Yolanda Griffith (10).

"I'm not surprised at all that we had our hands full with them,'' Swoopes said. "They have some big girls on that team. They aren't afraid to mix it up with you. They aren't going to back down.''

The U.S. had been on such a roll that most just figured it would continue. But Catchings, a forward with the WNBA's Indiana Fever, knew the competition would stiffen when the tourney got down to the Final Four.

"A lot of people figured every game was going to be a cakewalk, but we knew better,'' said Catchings, who also had five rebounds and five steals. "I think this was good for us, coming the way it did just before the gold-medal game. We needed to see if we had what it took to be pushed to the limit and still come out on top. It was a good primer.''

Australia (7-0) is led by 6-foot-5 forward Lauren Jackson, who plays for the WNBA's Seattle Storm and is averaging 24.2 points per game during these Olympics.