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Friday, August 25
Americans rusty at first, but come together
Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO -- Star center Lisa Leslie was missing when the
U.S. women's basketball team began its final drive to Sydney with a
game against Canada.
Yolanda Griffith made sure she wasn't missed.
Griffith, a WNBA all-star for the Sacramento Monarchs, scored 16
points and grabbed nine rebounds as the United States returned to
action after a long layoff to beat Canada 81-40 Tuesday night.
Though she made it look easy while going 6-for-8 from the field
and getting to the free throw line eight times, Griffith said she
had to work.
"It wasn't easy to get the ball inside," she said. "We just
had to make sure we posted up a little stronger and got good
position. I don't feel we had our way in there. We missed a lot of
layups and easy shots. Those are shots we have to make."
The Americans didn't miss often, shooting 67 percent in the
first half and 53 percent in the game. Six players scored in double
figures for the United States, which put together several big runs
after a slow start to overwhelm the smaller, less athletic
Canadians.
"It was a good place to start," U.S. coach Nell Fortner said.
"The intensity was good, the effort was there. I thought it was a
really good start to what we're trying to become."
Leslie hasn't been able to join the team yet because of the WNBA
playoffs and the U.S. team also is without Sheryl Swoopes, who has
led the Houston Comets to the WNBA finals. But it hardly mattered
on this night.
Griffith got plenty of support inside from Natalie Williams and
Kara Wolters, who both scored 11 points. Guards Katie Smith and
Ruthie Bolton-Holifield also scored 11 each and Chamique Holdsclaw
had 10.
Bolton-Holifield made three 3-pointers and Teresa Edwards, soon
to become a five-time Olympian, had five assists.
"Tonight was about just opening the gate and getting the
cobwebs out," Griffith said. "Once we get the whole team
together, we'll be great."
The game drew a noisy crowd of 8,015 in 9,800-seat Freeman
Coliseum, including San Antonio Spurs guard Avery Johnson, who
watched from a courtside seat. The teams meet again in Dallas on
Wednesday night and in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday.
The United States had not played since March 30 and just got
back together nine days ago following the end of the WNBA's regular
season. For a while, the rustiness showed.
Some early passes were picked off or knocked away and the United
States had occasional lapses defensively in the interior. But the
longer the game went on, the sharper the Americans looked.
"We got more relaxed," guard Dawn Staley said. "We stopped
just looking for the first option and let our offense keep rolling
and then we got some easy baskets."
Smith had nice feeds to Williams and Griffith for baskets inside
and former Olympian Vicky Bullett, one of the team's alternates,
hit Wolters with a crisp pass from the high post for a layup.
The best pass might have been Staley whipping the ball to
Holdsclaw on a backdoor cut. Holdsclaw missed the layup, but
Griffith scored on the putback.
The next time down the floor, Holdsclaw redeemed herself.
Cutting to the basket from the left wing, the former Tennessee star
caught a pass from Williams, drew a foul as she double-pumped, made
the layup and hit the free throw to complete a three-point play.
Canada led only once -- at 7-5 on a jumper by former Boston
College standout Cal Bouchard.
The United States then went on a 16-4 run that included Smith's
two passes. Smith, edged out by Swoopes for the WNBA scoring title
this year, also hit a jumper and a 3-pointer in that stretch.
Bolton-Holifield hit two 3-pointers and the 6-foot-7 Wolters
scored twice inside in a 14-3 burst that made it 40-19. Holdsclaw's
three-point play gave the United States a 45-23 halftime lead.
A 12-1 U.S. run to start the second half ended any hope Canada
had of making it a game. It was Canada's first game since an
18-point loss a month ago to Cuba, which is expected to have one of
the stronger teams in Sydney.
"The American team is explosive and athletic," Team Canada
coach Bev Smith said. "They will surprise you with their
quickness. We don't have the height and quickness, but I think the
Cubans do. But the Americans' confidence and character will make a
difference."
The Americans held Canada to one basket over the final 6:12 of
the first half and kept the Canadians scoreless for the opening
5:08 of the second half.
By the time Canada got it first field goal of the second half,
at the 11:45 mark, the United States led by 33 points.
Tammy Sutton-Brown, who plays at Rutgers, led Canada with 10
points.
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