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Wednesday, September 20
Smith perfect as U.S. overcomes slow start
Associated Press
SYDNEY, Australia -- Between its foul problems and center
Yamilet Martinez, the U.S. women's basketball team was getting all
it could handle from Cuba.
|  | | Cuba's Yamilet Martinez (11) goes up for a basket, past the looming presence of Natalie Williams of the U.S. |
But only for a half. With depth and defense, the United States
eventually took control.
The U.S. centers shackled Martinez in the second half and got
perfect shooting from reserve Katie Smith in rolling past Cuba
90-61 Monday for its second consecutive victory in the Olympics.
It was the kind of margin that had been expected from this team,
which had a tough time finishing off South Korea in an 89-75
first-round victory. And coach Nell Fortner's non-starters played a
big role in getting it done as Chelsea Clinton watched from the
stands.
Smith led the team with 15 points, making all three of her
3-point shots and going 3-for-3 from inside the arc. Kara Wolters,
who didn't even play in the first game, came through with eight
points off the bench and Natalie Williams had seven points and
seven rebounds in another relief effort.
"We're all starters on this team," Williams said. "She just
can't start 12 people. That's what she always tell us. I think
she's very confident and we're very confident that whoever is in
the game is a starter."
On this day, some of the starters didn't last long.
Center Lisa Leslie left with 15:41 remaining in the first half
after getting her second foul. Yolanda Griffith followed at the
14:32 mark and her replacement, DeLisha Milton, returned to the
bench after getting two fouls in just 46 seconds.
Only 6:14 had elapsed and three post players were on the bench,
never to reappear the rest of the half, and Cuba was on its way to
a five-point lead.
"I can't really comment on the officiating, but I thought it
really hurt us," Leslie said. "It just didn't seem it was
consistent with the other night, how they allowed us to play so
physical. Then tonight it was just very touchy.
"It's up to us to adjust to the officiating and it was really
hard to do."
With Leslie, Griffith and Milton out, the 6-foot-5 Martinez
turned into a scoring machine and Cuba led for the first 10
minutes. Lean and long-armed, Martinez simply turned and shot over
her defenders.
She was 8-for-12 in the first half and had 17 points. The United
States seemed to have no answer for her. Or did it?
"She did the same move," Leslie said. "She's a great player
obviously and that shot is automatic going over her right shoulder
and we didn't do a good job forcing her to go middle.
"So Yolanda and I came back in very focused on keeping the ball
out of her hands and forcing her to go left instead of right and
she wasn't as effective."
Martinez scored only two more points.
Leslie also made two big moves offensively, drawing the third
foul on Martinez with 17:35 remaining and the fourth with 16:45
left, sending her to the bench.
"I figured if I was going to sit on the bench, I might as well
put her on the bench, too," Leslie said.
Meanwhile, the United States was starting to assert itself
offensively. Ahead just 48-42 at halftime, the U.S. team soon broke
it open.
First it was a 12-0 run that included four points from Leslie
and the two fouls on Martinez. That made it 62-46. Then came a 10-0
burst that featured a 3-pointer and a jumper by Smith. By then it
was 74-52 and the United States was safely on its way.
Smith also had two key 3-pointers in the first half to help keep
the United States ahead while the starters were on the bench.
Five-time Olympian Teresa Edwards added 13 points, Sheryl Swoopes
scored 11 and Leslie 10.
"It's a lot of fun being on this team because you don't have to
worry about all the little things," Smith said. "It makes my job
easier because Lisa has already set the standard down low. They're
doubling and I'm standing there waiting to take the open shot."
Besides, Smith added, "They just don't give gold medals to
starters."
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ALSO SEE
U.S.-Cuba box score
Russian coach blasts Cuba for rough play
Swoopes, Leslie help U.S. hold off South Korea
Injured Holdsclaw to miss preliminary round in basketball
Dydek impressive in Olympic debut for Poland
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