Olympic women's basketball tournament (5x5) (SPOILER ALERT)

[UConnCat]

Actually, here is the MVP (Stewie) and the "All Star 5"

MVP Stewart leads All-Star Five at the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Tokyo - Tokyo 2020 Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament 2020 - FIBA.basketball

View attachment 68983

I don’t recall that from previous Olympics though maybe I wasn’t paying attention. Some fans gonna be upset with Stewie as MVP. She deserved it though. Did a lot of things at both ends of the floor while playing out of position. People who know basketball know.

 

[eebmg]

I will be very interested to see if BG continues her elevated play during the WNBA season.

 

[eebmg]

Fun article at syracuse.com interviewing some former players who played against or interacted with Stewie when still in HS / AAU. Suffice it to say, they will never ever forget it whether it be an act of kindness or being schooled ruthlessly on the court

You need to join their newsletter to read but I do not think it costs anything

Brushes with greatness: As Breanna Stewart goes for gold, CNY athletes share their meetings with the star - syracuse.com

 

[baggerbob]

I don’t recall that from previous Olympics though maybe I wasn’t paying attention. Some fans gonna be upset with Stewie as MVP. She deserved it though. Did a lot of things at both ends of the floor while playing out of position. People who know basketball know.

Stewie handled bringing the ball up the floor dominated the defensive boards. Played great defense, did all the things a great player does.

 

[Geew1992]

DT with her 2 dance moves

 

[BBallF]

I was one of those going after Gray and she deserved it at the time but she significantly reduced the dribbling this morning and was looking to pass first now instead of setting up her own shot. I doubt it was just by happenstance but you never know because the team played more like a team than ever before. One of the consequences of the front line of Stewie, Wilson and Griner and also Charles and Fowles is that they have more touches where they are not in scoring position and have to pass and Griner is clearly the worst of the group. The 3 guard offense with Stewie and Wilson is a good alternative at times. No one will beat them if they play like this morning from here on in. One final note, it may not be clear to the new spectator watching these games so far that D is the Goat but it sure as heck is clearer about Bird. She is a marvel and subtly controls every game she plays.

Ditto on D against Japan. D controlled the flow and tempo of the game when she had the ball with her assist passing and hockey assist passing. 8 assists, 6 boards and 7 points is solid and that is all she had to do to get the job done. Plus the presence of her and Sue. You are in the game with them and you know you are going to win. That is a big future void.

 

[bbsamjj]

I agree that Gray has proven she belongs but she dribbles too much, is more of a point 2, and is not fast enough to be the point. I like Plum a lot at that position but I think Paige is the natural fit there and the likely choice.

I don't understand the lack of confidence in Gray--this was her first major tournament with USA basketball (she'd only been a part of the core team since 2019) and she was probably the best/most trusted sub off the bench. She's second in the WNBA in apg, and has been one of the top 3 PGs in the WNBA for at least 4 years.

Paige is terrific, but she does not have near the accomplishments/experience to overtake a 7 year WNBA vet

 

[UConnCat]

Final stats

file:///Users/joancampion/Downloads/USA%20(1).pdf

@DavidinNaples A couple of interesting UConn-based facts that jump off the page.

 

[BBallF]

I don't understand the lack of confidence in Gray--this was her first major tournament with USA basketball (she'd only been a part of the core team since 2019) and she was probably the best/most trusted sub off the bench. She's second in the WNBA in apg, and has been one of the top 3 PGs in the WNBA for at least 4 years.

Paige is terrific, but she does not have near the accomplishments/experience to overtake a 7 year WNBA vet

It's the way she plays the point. It's not lack of confidence, and I think she had a very solid Olympics and served well as the 3rd guard. She was almost always in with either D or Sue last night. When she isn't there is trouble. There is a reason for that. She over dribbles and slows up the offense. Yes, she can make a pass for a score and score herself but she doesn't set the team up. She can be pressed and will be in Paris if she is the point. Despite that, she will probably get the nod at the position but Paige is the new UCONN Sue/DT clone and the future of Team USA..

 

[VA Huskie]

I will be very interested to see if BG continues her elevated play during the WNBA season.

Me too. She often seems to play below her ability. Not today though, she was magnificent!

 

[Kaizen]

I think this is a really not fair competition , and both the ref and DT are smiling .

 

[MSGRET]

I think this is a really not fair competition , and DT is smiling .

View attachment 68989

Look closely at the ref, she's grinning with the whistle in her mouth. She looks like she's trying to keep from laughing her head off.

 

[Kaizen]

Look closely at the ref, she's grinning with the whistle in her mouth. She looks like she's trying to keep from laughing her head off.

Yes, I just edit my post .. thank you.

 

[bbsamjj]

It's the way she plays the point. It's not lack of confidence, and I think she had a very solid Olympics and served well as the 3rd guard. She was almost always in with either D or Sue last night. When she isn't there is trouble. There is a reason for that. She over dribbles and slows up the offense. Yes, she can make a pass for a score and score herself but she doesn't set the team up. She can be pressed and will be in Paris if she is the point. Despite that, she will probably get the nod at the position but Paige is the new UCONN Sue/DT clone and the future of Team USA..

I think she was usually in there with Sue and Dee because Loyd had an underwhelming Olympics (which surprised me since she plays with Bird and Stewart all the time) and Atkins/SDS were at the end of the bench. USA is so front court heavy, and the lack of balance from the backcourt will be more concerning in 3 years if others don't step up. I think Gray was easily the best guard on the team outside of Bird and DT.

Looking forward, I'm sure Ionescu, Arike, Plum, A. Gray will continue to get looks. Loyd should stay in the fold for sure. Atkins is still a very good player and continues to improve every year. I'd love to see USA get T. Hayes, C. Williams and B. Laney in the fold ASAP.

 

[CL82]

DT with her 2 dance moves

She actually was just stretching out her back while her teammates celebrated around her.

 

[CL82]

Look closely at the ref, she's grinning with the whistle in her mouth. She looks like she's trying to keep from laughing her head off.

Anyone have video of this?

 

[BlueSkyGLW]

The immediate successors to DT and Sue won't have a long reign......just watched the FIBA U-19 USA team against Italy and Australia. The young guards - incoming freshmen all, including Azzi and Sonia Citron (Notre Dame) - are not awed playing with Caitlin Clark and the older players....and they are looking really good.

So, in addition to Sabrina, Paige, Caitlin and Azzi already mentioned.....there are more.

I don't care how strong the frontcourt of USA Basketball is, guard play is important in these tournaments....and they are coming....

 

[Happydad745]

FIBA names Tokyo Olympics all-stars, including MVPs Kevin Durant, Breanna Stewart...just read this.​

 

[HuskyNan]

MVP Stewart leads All-Star Five at the Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Tokyo

TOKYO (Japan) - It's a birthday that Breanna Stewart will never forget after the USA forward won her first Olympic gold and also landed MVP honors to cap a seriously special tournament debut at the...

www.fiba.basketball

Kevin Durant takes MVP honors from the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament in Tokyo

TOKYO (Japan) - The United States bounced back from their opening day defeat to France to take their fourth consecutive gold. Kevin Durant set the USA's tone and identity and is our Olympic tourney MVP.

www.fiba.basketball

 

[Kaizen]

Anyone have video of this?

No, I get this photo from Twitter, there is no video attached.

 

[BBallF]

I think she was usually in there with Sue and Dee because Loyd had an underwhelming Olympics (which surprised me since she plays with Bird and Stewart all the time) and Atkins/SDS were at the end of the bench. USA is so front court heavy, and the lack of balance from the backcourt will be more concerning in 3 years if others don't step up. I think Gray was easily the best guard on the team outside of Bird and DT.

Looking forward, I'm sure Ionescu, Arike, Plum, A. Gray will continue to get looks. Loyd should stay in the fold for sure. Atkins is still a very good player and continues to improve every year. I'd love to see USA get T. Hayes, C. Williams and B. Laney in the fold ASAP.

I agree about Gray and that is why she played as much as she did and she was a significant contributor. I think part of the problem in general is that we have seen a trend away from the pure point guard.

All the others you mention are not classical point guards although Sabrina may be the closest. However, compared to Paige with the ball, the presence and leadership, the vision, they all do not make the grade as pure points. Plum and Gray were great in 3x3 but neither are pure points. That's why Bird is so great and now unfortunately a unique relic in a sense except for Paige and maybe Clark coming along.

Finally and most important, the best American women play in the Olympics, they all battle for a roster spot. Not so for the men. The women won 25 more medals than the men. Wanna see real one time dominance in an event? The women's 4 x 400 relay. Worth the watch. Unreal.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

I think this is a really not fair competition , and both the ref and DT are smiling .

View attachment 68989

I was actually a little uncomfortable with this. It seemed to me that D was mocking or making
fun at the Japanese player's expense ("dissing" in modern parlance).

Diana has always had a competitiveness and killer instinct that has served her well in her career, but it can
sometimes have an unattractive edge to it.

 

[hoophuskee]

I was actually a little uncomfortable with this. It seemed to me that D was mocking or making
fun at the Japanese player's expense ("dissing" in modern parlance).

Diana has always had a competitiveness and killer instinct that has served her well in her career, but it can
sometimes have an unattractive edge to it.

You were able to see her smiling in a mocking way on this play during the game?

I wasn't.

Anyway, it's one photo-shot you can see in a game. How many other times are players saying to one another "You can't guard me," etc. When I was watching the game-- I didn't see this from DT. So the only "mocking" for me was when the camera got an intimate closeup. To me that's no different than a player mocking another stating "You can't guard me." As technology gets better - we'd be able to hear that too if TV wants us too. So, to what level are we going "diss" the player as they are commenting or show facial expressions in a very physical game?

 

[bbsamjj]

I agree about Gray and that is why she played as much as she did and she was a significant contributor. I think part of the problem in general is that we have seen a trend away from the pure point guard.

All the others you mention are not classical point guards although Sabrina may be the closest. However, compared to Paige with the ball, the presence and leadership, the vision, they all do not make the grade as pure points. Plum and Gray were great in 3x3 but neither are pure points. That's why Bird is so great and now unfortunately a unique relic in a sense except for Paige and maybe Clark coming along.

Finally and most important, the best American women play in the Olympics, they all battle for a roster spot. Not so for the men. The women won 25 more medals than the men. Wanna see real one time dominance in an event? The women's 4 x 400 relay. Worth the watch. Unreal.

Did not meant to suggest they were PGs. Gray and Ionescu are the closest to "pure" PGs in the league right now, outside Bird and Vandersloot. I'm a big fan of Cloud in DC but I don't think she's a good enough shooter to make the team.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

You were able to see her smiling in a mocking way on this play during the game? . . .

No I wasn't. I wasn't looking at her facial expression. What I was looking at was
her holding the ball high over her head without immediately looking to pass in a
way to make fun of her shorter opponent for all to see. The referee's smile suggests
that she was successful.

You didn't see it that way. Fine.