Taking The World By Storm - Aug. 14
 Bird tied for the U.S. team high with three assists in the opening win over New Zealand. Garrett W. Elwood/NBAE/Getty |
The game proved to be a matchup of contrasting strengths, with Nigeria - despite Jackson - holding an advantage in the paint and Australia superior from outside. The Nigerians held a 39-30 advantage on the glass and went to the free-throw line 31 times, but shot just 2-for-12 from three-point range. The Opals were 8-for-19 from downtown, with seven different players hitting at least one three.
Jackson was, as usual, the go-to player for Australia. In 28 minutes of action, she scored 27 points and pulled down six rebounds, hitting 13 of her 19 shot attempts. No one else had more than 11 points for Australia, with Penny Taylor of the Phoenix Mercury and 2003 Storm draft pick Suzy Batkovic also netting double-figures.
Former Houston Comets forward Mfon Udoka had a terrific game for Nigeria, scoring 26 points and hitting eight of her nine free-throw attempts, though she did commit seven turnovers. Mactabene Amachree, who spent two weeks with the Storm last summer, added 17 points, eight rebounds and four steals.
The U.S. women got a relatively easy opener against the Tall Ferns of New Zealand. Continuing a trend of slow starts from this month's exhibition games, the U.S. trailed for most of the first six minutes of the game. The young American reserves quickly took control of the game, going on a 12-0 run to take a 15-point lead to the second quarter. The rest of the half was all U.S., as the Americans outscored New Zealand 35-11 in the second quarter and held an insurmountable 63-24 lead at the half.
The only drama after halftime was whether the U.S. women could get to 100 points. They did not, settling for a 99-47 victory. The 52-point margin of victory was the fourth-largest in U.S. women's Olympic history.
The U.S. emphasized its depth again with five players scoring double-figures, led by reserve Swin Cash with 19. Cash, making her Olympic debut, hit 6-of-10 shots. Diana Taurasi (12) also had double-digits off the bench, and starters Sheryl Swoopes (14), Lisa Leslie (13) and Tina Thompson (11) all hit the mark. As a team, the U.S. squad held a 58-28 advantage on the glass and held the Tall Ferns to 21.3% shooting from the field. The only downside was something that has plagued the U.S. lately, turnovers. Leslie alone had nine and the Americans combined for 27.
Bird had a successful Olympics debut. In 23 minutes of action, she scored six points on 3-for-5 shooting and tied for the team lead with three assists, turning the ball over just twice. Bird's ability to get the ball to Cash and Taurasi was a key part of the bench's success.
"I think that the next five that coach subbed in in that first quarter, we play really well together," Bird said afterwards. "We just went out there and played. We rebounded, we got loose balls and did all those little things. I think Diana and Swin and Yolanda (Griffith) really got us going."
"I was not happy with (my starters)," said Coach Van Chancellor, who won his first Olympic game. "However, the good thing about USA Basketball is that when you're not happy with your first five, you have another five to go to. When they went back in, the first group played better."
Women's basketball has Sunday off and returns to the court Monday, when the U.S. will take on the Czech Republic and Australia battles Russia in the first matchup involving two of the four teams (including the U.S. and Brazil) who are medal favorites.
